Bill

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

3.5K

YOUR RATING

Simon Farnaby, Jim Howick, Martha Howe-Douglas, Ben Willbond, Mathew Baynton, and Laurence Rickard in Bill (2015)

Play trailer2:24

1 Video

31 Photos

Parody Comedy Family History

What really happened during Shakespeare's 'Lost Years'? Hopeless lute-player Bill Shakespeare leaves his home to follow his dream.What really happened during Shakespeare's 'Lost Years'? Hopeless lute-player Bill Shakespeare leaves his home to follow his dream.What really happened during Shakespeare's 'Lost Years'? Hopeless lute-player Bill Shakespeare leaves his home to follow his dream.

Director
- Richard Bracewell
Writers
- Laurence Rickard
- Ben Willbond
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

3.5K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Richard Bracewell
Writers
- Laurence Rickard
- Ben Willbond
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Videos1

Trailer 2:24

Bill

Photos31

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9:57

Storyline

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Trivia
The ghost sequence was not achieved using digital or optical effects. It was captured 'in camera', using a Victorian stage technique called 'Pepper's Ghost': Jim Howick's performance was reflected onto a sheet of angled glass, positioned in front of the camera, while Mat Baynton performed behind the glass.

Goofs
Sir Francis Walsingham died in 1590, three years before the events of the film (This is presumably why various characters react to his appearance by saying they thought he was dead).

Quotes
Christopher Marlowe: Saying things in a short snappy way instead of a long drawn-out way is the soul of wit
Bill Shakespeare: You mean brevity?
Christopher Marlowe: Yeah

Connections
Featured in Projector: Miss You Already/Bill (2015)

Soundtracks
Mortal Coil/Court Scene
Written by Bernard Hughes
Lute by Chorodophony
Percussion by Robert Millet
Recorder, Rauschpfeife & Natural Trumpet by Adrian Woodward
Double Bass by Lucy Shaw

User reviews34

Featured review

9/10

Wacky and well done

This movie was such a delightfully funny surprise. Reminiscent of Monty Python fare and wit, it totally cracked me up. Well executed, well paced, and well cast, and served up with ridiculous irreverent perfection. I got the feeling they were loving what they were doing - and I loved it too. Plus the added surprise of seeing who played who at the end. The movie takes elements of the accepted history of "Bill" (a la Shakespeare In Love) and tells very a funny story about it.

So refreshing to watch, compared to so many plot-less comedies that rely on gross out jokes, juvenile themes, and offensive language to be 'funny'. The banter is quick, the jokes and gags fresh and unexpected, the lines classic, and it contains all the twists and turns of, well, a Shakespearean comedy.

Loved it.

Best liked: Characters using Shakespearean phrases.