THE TWELFTH NIGHT, 1975

A young woman, Viola, barely survives to a shipwreck and manages to get ashore on Illyria. She has lost contact with her twin brother, Sebastian, who was on the ship with her, and she fears that he might be dead. Thinking she is on herself, she decides to seek help and shelter by the Duke of Illyria, Orsino. Worried about her virtue, Viola meets him disguised as a young man and offers herself as a servant. She immediately falls for him.

Orsino is desperatedly in love with Olivia, a noble, virtuous, woman. She is mourning for her father and brother and refuses any suitor because of that. Orsino sends Viola, disguised as Cesario, to plead her love in his behalf. Viola complies, but she doesn't try very hard to convince Olivia to accept Orsino's courting, because she wants him for herself. 

Olivia has an other, quite annoying suitor, Sir Andrew, a drinking buddy of her uncle Sir Toby. Sir Toby, Andrew and Olivia's lady-in-waiting, Maria, spend a lot of time lazily in Olivia's house. 

Sebastian, Viola's brother, has actually escaped from the sea and he too is heading for Orsino's court. At Olivia's house, Toby and Andrew drink into the night, while the clown entertains them. Maria appears and Toby starts flirting with her. Malvolio, though, shows up and tries to spoil the fun. After he leaves, Maria tells Toby, Andrew, and the Clown how she plans to trick Malvolio into thinking Olivia is in love with him by penning love letters to him in Olivia's hand. Malvolio is easily tricked and starts to pompously act as if is going to marry his mistress and become the lord of the place. When he tries to make some advances to Olivia, she thinks him mad and has him confined in the basement. 

Sir Andrew challenges Viola/Cesario whom he sees as a rival, due to Olivia's blatant love for Cesario. Viola is afraid to have to really fight with Andrew, whom is described by his friend as a most fierce and dreaded knight. In the meanwhile, a Sebastian's friend comes and, mistaking Viola for her brother, asks her to give him back some money he lent to Sebastian early, since he really need it. Viola obviously doesn't know what the man is talking about and denies to know him; while he's led away in anger by guards, Viola finally understand the confusion and begins to hope that her brother might be alive. 

In the meanwhile, Sebastian is mistaken for Cesario (Viola's male identity) first by an Olivia's servant, then by Sir Andrew who is still willing to challenge him, but this time finds himself badly outmatched and runs away in fear. He finally meets Olivia, who also thinks him to be Cesario, and falls in love for her. They secretly marry.  

Orsino arrives at Olivia's house to see her fussing around Viola, who she thinks to be the man she just married. Mistaken identities and exchange of characters go on in a crescendo of confusion until Sebastian shows up and all is clarified. The twins are reunited, Sebastian and Olivia are happy together and Orsino promises to marry Viola. In the end, a very enraged Malvolio is taken out of his prison. He vows revenge on everybody, but Orsino manages to calm him and they all leave happy and cheerful.