What is the name of the 1968 film adaptation directed by Franco Zeffirelli?

The 1968 film directed by Franco Zeffirelli is titled Romeo and Juliet.

The adaptation uses the same title as Shakespeare’s play and is commonly identified by its release year or director to distinguish it from other screen versions. It stars Leonard Whiting as Romeo and Olivia Hussey as Juliet, with Milo O’Shea as Friar Laurence and John McEnery as Mercutio.

Zeffirelli’s production became especially well known for casting young actors in the central roles and for filming in Italian locations with detailed period design. It brought Shakespeare’s language to a broad international cinema audience.

The title is easy to confuse with Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 Romeo + Juliet, which uses a plus sign and a modernized setting. The 1968 film retains a more traditional historical presentation.