Shakespeare and Love is a movie that, at its heart, is about production.

It's about how much time and work goes into making art, especially good art.

According to the movie, you have to deal with writers block legal regulations, epidemics, actors' and producers' egos, funding problems, competition

with other productions, the demands of the market, religious zealots, casting drama, and more.

According to all reports, life was imitating art behind the scenes. Even though the movie came out in 1998,

all of the sets were built for the original production six years earlier in 1992 and then torn down.

John Madden, the eventual films director, was not the original one. Tom Stoppard, who won

best screenplay, didn't write the original script. Gwyneth Paltrow, who won best actress,

replaced Julia Roberts, and Joseph Fines, who plays the titular Shakespeare, got cast in 98, although it was his brother, Rath, who was in contention for the role in 1992.

But the movie that eventually followed all this drama was a huge box office success and the first comedy to win Best Picture at the Oscars since Annie Hall did in 1977.

Shakespeare and Love, if you haven't guessed, is historical fiction about William Shakespeare.

It follows our two protagonists, Will and Viola.

Will, played by Joseph Fines,

is an up-and-coming playwright living in London.

He's cash-poor selling the same unwritten play

to two different playhouses and in therapy.

The anachronisms are played for wit and charm.

Importantly, he's playedued by writer's block.

It's as if my quill is broken.

As if the organ of my imagination has dried up.

As if the proud tower of my genius has collapsed.

Viola, played by Guinef Paltrow, is the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and she lives in a mansion on the other side of the Thames.

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