Romeo + Juliet is a 1996 feature film adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The film updates the setting to modern day and the "swords" and "daggers" mentioned in the original text have been changed to firearms. Directed by Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!), the film 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 following weapons were used in the film Romeo + Juliet:
The main sidearm carried by Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the Para-Ordnance P-13, which is later used by Juliet. 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 AFS 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. All of the Taurus pistols used in the film were built by armorer Charles Taylor at Movie Armaments Group; they were later sold to a collector and have occasionally appeared at public exhibitions.
Benvolio's (Dash Mihok) 'Sword 9mm Series S' features 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 (John Leguizamo) 'Rapier 9mm Series R' pistols by far and away steal the show. They feature compensators, extended spring guides and extended, gold-plated barrels, with custom 'Holy Mary' grips. One of the pistols features attachments points for a rail fitted with a C-More red-dot sight (which is depicted in the film - inaccurately - as a magnified optic). Seemingly like every other pistol in the movie, it also features gold detailing. (Gold-plated safeties, triggers etc.) The flamboyant pistols 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. Tybalt sometimes fires each pistol using his middle finger.
By far and away one of the most impressive pistols ever to grace the silver screen, Mercutio (Harold Perrineau) carries a Taurus PT99 with transparent magazines, the grips removed, 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 with gold-plated controls is seen briefly in the hands of a Verona Beach Police officer. Due to a continuity error, this same pistol replaces Romeo's Para-Ordnance P-13 when he fires upon the police.
Juliet (Claire Danes) holds a Walther P5 Compact pistol with pearl grips to her head. This same gun was later used (with a suppressor) 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 films. It could be the same P5; the pearl grips might have simply been removed for the later film.
A Glock 17 is seen incredibly briefly in the hands of a guest, who collects it from a security tent after attending the Capulet's house party. Glock 17s are also used by most of the police officers in the film.
The "Longsword" which Ted Montague reaches for is actually a South African-manufactured Techno Arms MAG-7M1 shotgun. This same gun is later 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 replica, most likely a Daisy Airsoft "Model 15". Note the foregrip appears to be a spring pump action design.
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)
