Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Much Ado About Nothing

  • TV Movie
  • 19841984
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h 28m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
250
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
25,332
534
Much Ado About Nothing (1984)
ComedyRomance
Benedick and Beatrice fight their merry war of words. But when Beatrice's friend, Hero, is humiliatingly jilted by Benedick's best friend, Claudio, Benedick has to choose which side he's on.... Read allBenedick and Beatrice fight their merry war of words. But when Beatrice's friend, Hero, is humiliatingly jilted by Benedick's best friend, Claudio, Benedick has to choose which side he's on. But unknown to all, Claudio's been tricked by the bastard Don John, and (unfortunately), ... Read allBenedick and Beatrice fight their merry war of words. But when Beatrice's friend, Hero, is humiliatingly jilted by Benedick's best friend, Claudio, Benedick has to choose which side he's on. But unknown to all, Claudio's been tricked by the bastard Don John, and (unfortunately), it's up to Dogberry and Verges to solve the case.
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
250
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
25,332
534
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Stuart Burge
    • Writer
      • William Shakespeare(play)
    • Stars
      • Lee Montague
      • Tim Faulkner
      • Cherie Lunghi
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Stuart Burge
    • Writer
      • William Shakespeare(play)
    • Stars
      • Lee Montague
      • Tim Faulkner
      • Cherie Lunghi
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 14User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos

    Robert Lindsay and Cherie Lunghi in Much Ado About Nothing (1984)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Lee Montague
    Lee Montague
    • Leonato
    Tim Faulkner
    Tim Faulkner
    • Messenger
    Cherie Lunghi
    Cherie Lunghi
    • Beatrice
    Katharine Levy
    • Hero
    Jon Finch
    Jon Finch
    • Don Pedro
    Robert Lindsay
    Robert Lindsay
    • Benedick
    Robert Reynolds
    • Claudio
    Gordon Whiting
    • Antonio
    Vernon Dobtcheff
    Vernon Dobtcheff
    • Don John
    Robert Gwilym
    Robert Gwilym
    • Conrade
    Tony Rohr
    Tony Rohr
    • Borachio
    Pamela Moiseiwitsch
    • Margaret
    Ishia Bennison
    • Ursula
    Oz Clarke
    • Balthasar
    Ben Losh
    • Boy
    Michael Elphick
    Michael Elphick
    • Dogberry
    Clive Dunn
    Clive Dunn
    • Verges
    Gorden Kaye
    Gorden Kaye
    • First Watch
    • Director
      • Stuart Burge
    • Writer
      • William Shakespeare(play)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Much Ado About Nothing
    7.0
    Much Ado About Nothing
    Much Ado About Nothing
    7.3
    Much Ado About Nothing
    The Merchant of Venice
    7.2
    The Merchant of Venice
    The Comedy of Errors
    6.9
    The Comedy of Errors
    King Lear
    7.6
    King Lear
    Antony & Cleopatra
    6.5
    Antony & Cleopatra
    Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
    8.0
    Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
    Twelfth Night
    7.9
    Twelfth Night
    A Midsummer Night's Dream
    6.8
    A Midsummer Night's Dream
    The Merry Wives of Windsor
    7.0
    The Merry Wives of Windsor
    Much Ado About Nothing
    8.0
    Much Ado About Nothing
    The Taming of the Shrew
    7.2
    The Taming of the Shrew

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The inaugural episode of BBC Shakespeare was originally set to be a production of Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Donald McWhinnie, and starring Penelope Keith and Michael York. The episode was shot (for £250,000), edited and even publicly announced as the opening of the series, before it was suddenly pulled from the schedule and replaced with Romeo & Juliet (which was supposed to air as the second episode). No reasons were given by the BBC for this decision, although initial newspaper reports suggested that the episode had not been abandoned, it had simply been postponed for re-shoots, due to an unspecified actor's "very heavy accent," and concerns that US audiences would not be able to understand the dialogue. However, as time wore on, and no reshoots materialised, the press began to speculate that the show had been cancelled entirely, and would be replaced at a later date by a completely new adaptation, which was in fact what happened. The press also pointed out that the fact that the production was never shown in Britain rubbished any suggestion that the prevailing cause for the abandonment was to do with accents. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that BBC management simply regarded the production as a failure.
    • Connections
      Featured in Clive Dunn: A Tribute (2012)

    User reviews14

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Sighs of joy
    Ever since having fond memories of studying it in school, 'Much Ado About Nothing' became one of my favourites of Shakespeare's plays. Love everything about it, though it is very difficult to make Hero and Claudio interesting, because there is so much fun and charm, particularly great characters in Beatrice and Benedick, a story that never lets up on the entertainment value and Shakespeare's text is some of his loveliest and most amusing.

    As far as the BBC Television Shakespeare series (one where some productions are better than others but misfires are very few) goes, their 1984 performance of 'Much Ado About Nothing' is among the best of the productions. Despite loving Kenneth Branagh's version on primarily its own merits, for namely the visuals, music, Branagh and Emma Thompson, this one is the better version of 'Much Ado About Nothing' with particularly vastly superior performances of Dogberry and Don John. While not as visually striking as that, it is more faithful and it is more tasteful as well. When it comes to this play, this is as good a version as one can get in my view.

    While not as cinematic quality or as sumptuous, the costumes and sets are tastefully designed and didn't come over as too drab or garish. The photography complements very nicely and in terms of lighting it didn't come over as dreary or over-saturated. There is a sense of time and place, which always helps when performing anything but Shakespeare is one of the biggest examples, and effort was clearly made.

    Have no issues whatsoever with Shakespeare's text and the stage direction does a great job helping to bring it alive. The momentum never lets up, and for me it didn't feel dull at first, and the comedy is genuinely funny, at its best hilarious, and not overdone (not to the extent that it irritates anyhow). It's not just comedy, there is genuine tension in the wedding scene, one of the stage direction highlights here, and there was emotion too in particularly the latter stages. The chapel scene is one of the greatest individual scenes of the entire BBC Television Shakespeare series, Beatrice's despair was tremendously powerful. The character relationships are handled with humour, tension, charm and poignancy, that between Benedick and Beatrice particularly.

    Likewise, no issues can be had with the performances. Cherie Lunghi's Beatrice, one of Shakespeare's most interesting female characters (and overall actually), stood out, her wit, shrewish nature and identifiable assertiveness making it easy for one to see what can be seen in her. Entertaining chemistry can be seen between her and Robert Lindsay's suitably arrogant and commanding Benedick in their merry war against each other. Katherine Levy is a radiant Hero and makes the most of the role, while Robert Reynolds avoids being wet as Claudio.

    Jon Finch is scheming and noble as Don Pedro, while there are two performances that are infinitely better here than in Branagh's. Am aware that this came before Branagh's, but saw Branagh's first and have always been more familiar with it. Michael Elphick has fun as Dogberry while not over-acting or being too clownish, while Vernon Dobtchef is a subtly Machiavellian Don John.

    To conclude, wonderful. 10/10
    helpful•1
    0
    • TheLittleSongbird
    • Jul 7, 2019

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 22, 1984 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing
    • Production companies
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
      • Time-Life Television Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Much Ado About Nothing (1984)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Much Ado About Nothing (1984) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in August
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    Fall TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    Double Take: Celebrity Twins
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Back to top
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.