In a move reminiscent of 1915's "Dueling Carmens," two different screen versions of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet were released by two separate film studios during the same October week in 1916. The first, produced by Fox, starred Theda Bara as Juliet and Harry Hilliard as Romeo. Better known for her "vamp" portrayals, Bara seemed an unlikely choice for Shakespeare's ingenuous teenage heroine, but she reportedly pulled off the assignment with class and finesse (we say "reportedly," because the film, like most of Bara's pre-1920 vehicles, no longer exists). Even so, director J. Gordon Edwards knew what Bara's fans expected, which is why the actress was clad in a skimpy negligee during the Balcony Scene. All in all, Fox's Romeo and Juliet was considered superior to the competing Metro version, starring the husband-and-wife team of Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne.
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