<P> Romeo and Juliet may be the most - filmed play of all time . The most notable theatrical releases were George Cukor's multi-Oscar - nominated 1936 production, Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 version, and Baz Luhrmann's 1996 MTV - inspired Romeo + Juliet . The latter two were both, in their time, the highest - grossing Shakespeare film ever . Romeo and Juliet was first filmed in the silent era, by Georges Méliès, although his film is now lost . The play was first heard on film in The Hollywood Revue of 1929, in which John Gilbert recited the balcony scene opposite Norma Shearer . </P> <P> Shearer and Leslie Howard, with a combined age over 75, played the teenage lovers in George Cukor's MGM 1936 film version . Neither critics nor the public responded enthusiastically . Cinemagoers considered the film too "arty", staying away as they had from Warner's A Midsummer Night Dream a year before: leading to Hollywood abandoning the Bard for over a decade . Renato Castellani won the Grand Prix at the Venice Film Festival for his 1954 film of Romeo and Juliet . His Romeo, Laurence Harvey, was already an experienced screen actor . By contrast, Susan Shentall, as Juliet, was a secretarial student who was discovered by the director in a London pub and was cast for her "pale sweet skin and honey - blonde hair". </P> <P> Stephen Orgel describes Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 Romeo and Juliet as being "full of beautiful young people, and the camera and the lush technicolour, make the most of their sexual energy and good looks". Zeffirelli's teenage leads, Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey, had virtually no previous acting experience but performed capably and with great maturity . Zeffirelli has been particularly praised, for his presentation of the duel scene as bravado getting out - of - control . The film courted controversy by including a nude wedding - night scene while Olivia Hussey was only fifteen . </P> <P> Baz Luhrmann's 1996 Romeo + Juliet and its accompanying soundtrack successfully targeted the "MTV Generation": a young audience of similar age to the story's characters . Far darker than Zeffirelli's version, the film is set in the "crass, violent and superficial society" of Verona Beach and Sycamore Grove . Leonardo DiCaprio was Romeo and Claire Danes was Juliet . </P>

Who dies in the play romeo and juliet