Romeo and Juliet (1916)

The Montagues and the Capulets, two noble houses of Verona, are at enmity with each other. Romeo, the heir of the Montagues, fancies himself in love with Rosaline, a pale beauty who scorns all men. In order to make him forget, his friends, Benvolio and Mercutio, persuade him to go with them masked to the great Capulet feast. There he sees Juliet, the daughter of the Capulets, and the two young people fall deeply in love with each other at their first glance. Juliet secures permission to go to Friar Laurence's cell for confession, and accompanied by her old nurse, she joins Romeo there and they are married. Meanwhile, quarreling has continued between the hangers-on of the two houses of Montague and Capulet, until the loftiest members are drawn into it. In a street brawl Mercutio, Romeo's friend, is killed by Tybalt, a nephew of Lady Capulet, and Tybalt is himself killed by Romeo. Prince Escalus banishes Romeo from Verona. At the risk of his life Romeo postpones leaving the city in order to visit his young bride and bid her farewell. Scarcely has Romeo taken his departure when Juliet's parents tell her that Count Paris has asked for her hand in marriage. They will listen to none of her entreaties and refusals, but tell her to prepare at once to be married to Paris. In despair she goes to Friar Laurence, who gives her a medicine which apparently causes death. Her family mourns her as dead and she is taken in state to the ancient tomb of the Capulets. Friar Laurence has given to a brother monk, Friar John, a letter for Romeo telling him that Juliet is alive, so that he may be at the tomb when she awakes and take her away to Mantua. But Friar John is unable to deliver the letter and Romeo is left in ignorance of the fact that Juliet's death is feigned. He goes to her tomb, and there meets Paris. The two fight, and Paris is slain. Taking his farewell of Juliet, Romeo kills himself on her tomb. Awaking at the appointed time, Juliet sees Romeo dead beside her, and snatching his dagger, buries it in her own heart. There they are found by the guard and Friar Laurence. Both Montagues and Capulets come to mourn. In their mutual grief, the hatred of years is forgotten, and a statue in pure gold is raised to commemorate the story of the two noble lovers.