A purple parting to thee

“Come, gentle night; come, loving, black-browed night;
Give me my Romeo; and, when I shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night…”
― William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Purple, a perfect
blend of sorrow and passion
Quintessential Juliet

Miles away from Verona, Italy, where Shakespeare penned Romeo and Juliet, I say a sweet farewell this morning to the actress who captivated me in an elementary school classroom with her 1968 portrayal of Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s adaption of the play, first written between 1591 and 1595. Though controversial, the 1968 release won several awards, including Acadamy Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design, and it was nominated for Best Director and Best Picture.

About twelve years after this version was released, my teacher wheeled a television into our classroom so that we could watch this play. Huddled on the floor beneath the large box of a tv, we did. I remember reading a sticker on the cart that read, “Property of the AV Department” while our teacher fiddled with the show. Years later, my own students, high school age, watched excerpts of this movie on a SmartScreen, pulled down from the ceiling, connected to my laptop, with classroom speakers streaming overhead.

Born in Buenos Aires in 1951, Olivia Hussey was only sixteen when she starred opposite Leonard Whiting in the movie. She passed away yesterday (December 27th) in her LA home, “surrounded by her loved ones” at the age of 73. Source

Thank you for stopping by. Wishing you a lovely weekend. Michele

featured photo of a woman in field under starry sky by jaboo2foto / my purple-toned sunrise photos / b & w balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet (Google images)

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