Verona. For time immemorial, two great families, the Capulets and the Montagues, have vowed each other a mortal hatred. Exasperated by the violence that drains his city, the Prince decrees a formal ban on fighting, on pain of death.

Meanwhile, the sweet Juliet, daughter of the Capulet clan, is preparing for the ball that her parents have organized to introduce the suitor they have chosen for her, Count Paris. Romeo, the romantic son of the Montague clan, sneaks into the party with his lifelong friends Benvolio and Mercutio. It will be love at first sight for Romeo and Juliet. Unfortunately, Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin, recognizes his “enemy” Romeo and takes great offense at his presence in their midst.

Romeo later comes to Juliet’s balcony where, in spite of the devastating discovery of their respective identities, they swear eternal love. Romeo will then run to Friar Lawrence, their common confessor, urging him to marry them. In the hope that this union will, in time, reconcile the two families, Friar Lawrence agrees and marries them in secret.

Bursting with happiness, Romeo meets his friends Benvolio and Mercutio in the main piazza where they run into an angry Tybalt, who has been looking for Romeo since his intrusion at the Capulets’ ball. Romeo refuses to fight but an indignant Mercutio takes up the challenge. When Romeo tries to separate them, Mercutio is mortally wounded. Now mad with grief, Romeo catches up to Tybalt and kills him. Both grieving families demand vengeance from the Prince, who spares Romeo’s life but sentences him to exile in Mantua.

After spending the night together, brokenhearted Romeo and Juliet have to part. While Romeo leaves surreptitiously for Mantua, Juliet’s tears are mistakenly interpreted by her family as mourning for her cousin Tybalt. Juliet’s father then and there decides to alleviate her sorrow by scheduling her wedding to Paris for the following day.

In desperation at that decision, Juliet runs to Friar Lawrence who gives her a potion that will give her the appearance of death for 48 hours, just enough time to escape the wedding and to warn Romeo of the ruse. A frightened Juliet follows the friar’s advice and bravely drinks the potion.

The next morning, the whole family is weeping over the seeming death of Juliet. Unfortunately, the brave Benvolio witnesses the scene and rides off to Mantua to inform Romeo. Friar Lawrence’s messenger will not arrive in time to warn Romeo of the ruse, and Romeo, beside himself with grief, rushes back to the Capulets’ mausoleum to see his beloved, whom he believes dead. Struck down by despair, he swallows a poison so he can join her in death.

Awakening from her sleep and discovering her dead lover, Juliet cannot bear to outlive him. She takes his dagger and, after a last kiss, kills herself, joining him for eternity.

Upon discovering the terrible outcome of his plan, Friar Lawrence is shaken in his faith. And the warring families, overcome with sorrow and guilt, finally make peace over their children’s dead bodies.