Directed by Baz Luhrmann (of Moulin Rouge and 'Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)' fame) the film is a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Released in 1996, it features Leonardo DiCaprio as Romeo Montague, Claire Danes as Juliet Capulet, John Leguizamo as Tybalt Capulet, Harold Perrineau as Mercutio and Pete Postlethwaite as Father Lawrence.
The main sidearm carried by Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the Para-Ordnance P-13, which is later used by Juliet to commit suicide. During the gas station shootout, Sampson (Jamie Kennedy) packs a customized gold-plated version. It is also a pistol held by many characters during the film.
Most of the 9mm handguns used in the movie by various characters are Taurus PT99 pistols (a variant of the PT92 with raised, adjustable sights) with a number of modifications to make them look "artsy". In addition, the guns' brand names are particular types of knives and swords, so that the filmmakers did not have to change the original dialog by Shakespeare. Since so many of the main characters in the film use these pistols, and each is different in some way, they have been given each their own sub-section.
Named the 'Sword 9mm Series S', the gun is seen in the film with an extended, gold plated barrel, extended slide and golden detailing. It also has trinkets which hang from the lanyard hoop on the mainspring housing of the gun, which is a feature shared by many other pistols belonging to other characters.
Tybalt's 'Rapier 9mm Series R' pistols by far in a way steal the show. They feature compensators, extended spring guides and extended, gold-plated barrels, with custom 'Holy Mary' grips. Accuracy can also be improved with the added option of attaching a C-more scope. Seemingly like every other pistol in the movie, it also features gold detailing. (Gold-plated safeties, triggers etc.) The flamboyant and excessively awesome pistols (in my opinion, anyway) reflect the flamboyant and...interesting way Tybalt fights. Twirling, spinning, leaping in the air firing both guns akimbo. This fighting style is later mocked by Benvolio and Mercutio later in the film. Something else that is interesting is that the actor who plays Tybalt sometimes fires each pistol using his middle finger.
By far in a way one of the most impressive pistols ever to grace the silver screen, Mercutio (Harold Perrineau) holds a PT99 with transparent magazines, transparent gun grips, compensator and a gold-plated barrel. It also features various frame and slide cut-outs revealing the inner workings of the gun.
A Beretta 92FS Inox is seen briefly in the hands of a Verona Beach Police officer and, strangely, Romeo, who uses it in the brief shoot-out with Captain Prince when he returns to Verona. Immediately afterward Romeo is seen back with his Para-Ordnance P-13.
Juliet (Claire Danes) holds a Walther P5-C pistol with pearl grips to her head. This gun was later used (with a silencer) by Willem Dafoe in The Boondock Saints. Charles Taylor was the armorer on both The Boondock Saints and Romeo + Juliet, and his company MAG supplied all guns for both shows. It could be the same P5; the pearl grips might have simply been removed for the later film.
The "Longsword" which Ted Montague reaches for is actually a South African-manufactured Techno Arms MAG-7 shotgun (it is difficult to tell from the scene in the movie whether it is the original MAG-7 or the civilian MAG-7M1 sold in the United States, which has a fixed wooden stock and a longer barrel). Later on, a MAG-7M1 is seen hung in a gun collection tent at the Capulet's house party.
One of the uniformed guards at the Capulet party originally appears to be armed with an Heckler & Koch MP5K, however upon closer inspection appears to be an airsoft imitation, note the foregrip appears to be a spring pump action design. (Thanks to Gunmaster45)
Chopped and converted Heckler & Koch HK94s are carried by numerous Verona Beach Police SWAT team officers, often imitating MP5A2s and A3s. (Thanks again to Gunmaster45)
