Hollywood has adapted, sampled, and stolen from William Shakespeare for more than a century – seeing his works as a source of prestige as soon as the commercial possibilities of narrative movies were apparent. The Ciné Shakespeare series features four of the best films featuring the Bard or his works in the past 20 years. Joan FitzPatrick Dean, the Curators Professor of English at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, introduces the selections and leads a discussion after each Sunday afternoon screening. Winner of seven Academy Awards, including one for Best Picture, this romantic comedy depicts an imaginary love affair between the up-and-coming Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) and the beautiful, betrothed Lady Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow) during the writing of Romeo and Juliet. This title is Rated R and is recommended for adult audiences only.