(1996) A tail of madness has a maiden's head full of love. Another of Shakespeare's comedies, turning on mistaken identity and gender confusion, was cunningly directed by Trevor Nunn, whose screenplay ("Prove true imagination") transported the romantic action to the Victorian age.

Off the coast of Illyria a ship on which Viola (Imogen Stubbs) and Sebastian (Steven Mackintosh), orphan twins, sinks in high seas; separated in the waves, each believes the other drowned. Washed ashore with a handful of survivors, Viola, for self-preservation from hostile soldiers, takes on the disguise (shearing her blonde hair and attaching a mustache) of her brother, calling herself Cesario.

Becoming a page of Duke Orsino (Toby Stephens), she's sent to woo Lady Olivia (Helena Bonham Carter) on his behalf ("hungry as the sea" for her). In mourning for her deceased brother, Olivia refuses to consider any suitors, which her pompous ("I am not of your element") steward Malvolio (Nigel Hawthorne) reinforces by requiring the entire household to share in her sorrow.

However, her fool Feste (Ben Kingsley) cleverly argues with her that if she believes her brother has gone to hell, he deserves her mourning; otherwise, she should rejoice in his having attained heaven. Feste: "Good Madonna, why mournst thou?" Olivia: "Good fool, for my brother's death." Feste: "I think his soul is in hell, Madonna." Olivia: "I know his soul is in heaven, fool." Feste: "The more fool - Madonna - to mourn for your Brother's soul, being in heaven. Take away the Fool, Gentlemen."

Pickle-brained and full of hijinx with Feste, Sir Toby Belch (Mel Smith) attempts to insinuate his friend Sir Andrew Aquecheek (Richard E. Grant) into an attachment ("I was adored once too") to his niece, to break the dark mood of the house, as well as to convince Malvolio of Olivia's affections for him, using the ruse of a letter (recommending smiling and wearing yellow, cross-gartered stockings in her presence - a sartorial hue she actually finds most offensive) written by Maria (Imelda Staunton), Lady Olivia's faithful servant.

Cesario is given audience to Olivia: "My lord and master loves you." Her heart smitten, Olivia says to the youth, "I cannot love him," but fervidly requests his return; also she sends Malvolio after Cesario to return a ring he'd not given her.

In another amorous meeting, Cesario ambiguously tells her: "I am not what I am." All the while, however, Viola has been longing for Orsino, speaking to him of her own yearning disguised as "My father had a daughter loved a man": "Like a worm i' the bud, feed on her damask cheek. She pined in thought, And with a green and yellow melancholy."

Unbeknownst to Viola, her brother has been saved by Antonio (Nicholas Farrell) - whom Duke Orsino has designated a pirate, "a saltwater thief" - who begs Sebastian: "If you will not murder me for my love, let me be your servant." After being rebuffed, he conceals his identity and then comes upon a duel between Andrew and Cesario, for whom he offers to fight, mistaking him for Sebastian. What follows is what you will heartily enjoy.

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