Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

Brian Blessed: Antonio

Photos 

Quotes 

• Leonato : Are you yet determined to marry with my brother's daughter?

  [Claudio nods] 

  Leonato : Call her forth, brother. Here's the friar ready.

  [Four veiled ladies are presented] 

  Claudio : Which is the lady I must seize upon?

  Antonio : [Brings forth one lady]  This same is she and I do give you her.

  Claudio : Sweet, let me see your face.

  Leonato : No, that you shall not till you take her hand before this friar and swear to marry her.

  Claudio : [Kneels]  Give me your hand, before this holy friar. I am your husband if you like of me.

  Hero : [Removes veil] 

  Don Pedro : Hero that is dead.

  Leonato : She died, my lord, but whiles her slander lived.

  Hero : And when I lived, I was your other wife. And when you loved you were my other husband. One Hero died defiled, but I do live and surely as I live, I am a maid.

• Leonato : By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband, if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue.

  Antonio : In faith, she's too curst.

• Leonato : Canst thou so daff me? Thou hast killed my child! If thou kill'st me, boy, thou shalt kill a man.

  Antonio : He shall kill two of us, and men indeed. But that's no matter, let him kill one first. I'll whip you from your foining fence. Nay, as I am a gentleman, I will.

  Leonato : Brother...

  Antonio : Content yourself. God knows I loved my niece. And she is dead, slandered to death by villains scrambling, outfacing, fashion-monging boys that lie, and cog and flout, deprave and slander...

  Leonato : Brother Antony.

  Antonio : 'Tis no matter. Do not you meddle. Let me deal in this.

  Don Pedro : Gentlemen both, we will not wake your patience. My heart is sorry for your daughter's death, but, on my honor, she was charged with nothing but what was true and very full of proof.

  Leonato : My lord...

  Don Pedro : I will not hear you.

  Leonato : No? Come, brother, away. I will be heard.

  Antonio : And shall, or some of us will smart for it.

  [Both depart] 

  Don Pedro : [Benedick approaches]  See, here comes the man we went to seek.

  Claudio : Now, signior, what news?

  Benedick : Good day, my lord.

  Don Pedro : Welcome, signior. You are almost come to part almost a fray.

  Claudio : We had like to have our two noses snapped off with two old men without teeth.

  Benedick : Shall I speak a word in your ear?

  [Grabs Claudio and holds against wall] 

  Benedick : You are a villain. I jest not. I will make it good how dare you and when you dare. Do me right, or I will protest your cowardice. You have killed a sweet lady, and her death shall fall heavy on you. Fare you well, boy. You know my mind.

  [Releases Claudio and approaches Don Pedro] 

  Benedick : My lord, for your many courtesies I thank you. I must discontinue your company. Your brother is fled from Messina. You have among you killed a sweet and innocent lady. For my Lord Lackbeard there, he and I shall meet. Till then peace be with him.

  [Departs] 

  Don Pedro : He is in earnest.

  Claudio : In most profound earnest.

  Don Pedro : And hath challenged thee.

  Claudio : Most sincerely.