The Taming of the Shrew

This is Burton and Taylor's best film together. It is full of color and fun, and some very fine comedy. All of the actors are brilliant in it. It's a big, romping chase of a movie, and when you hear Petruchio's deep chuckle, it makes you laugh, too.

It's based on the bare bones of Shakespeare's play about Baptista, a rich man with two unmarried daughters. The older daughter is so nasty that no one can stand her long enough to marry her, and everyone in town wants to marry the younger daughter but can't till the older is married off. A bad-mannered fortune hunter shows up and agrees to take the older daughter off the father's hands for a steep price. After the marriage, Petruchio sets about breaking the pride of Kate, and eventually he wears her down, but she works her own magic on him, and in the end they both find that they love each other.

Richard Burton should have won the Oscar for this role; he IS Petruchio. It's a national disgrace that he didn't get it. And Liz is really good as Kate. She makes us believe that she is a horrible shrew, and when her soft side emerges she makes us believe that she could have been sweet all along.

If you can find this film at all, try to watch it in it's letterbox version. You miss far too much of the action in the pan and scan format. It's shown on cable quite a bit, but mostly on the pay channels.

Shakespeare's bawdy comedy was perhaps the perfect vehicle for the Burtons four years into their real-life stormy marriage. Although Liz Taylor had no experience of playing ‘the bard' she is actually entertaining as Kate, that fiery girl who has no intention of becoming any man's plaything or possession. Richard Burton is on surer ground as Petruchio and doesn't disappoint, this is a rip-roaring performance and one of his best.

In Zeffirelli's cast we also see Michael Hordern, Cyril Cusack, Natasha Pyne (as Kate's sister Bianca), and Michael York (making his film debut as Bianca's suitor). The action can drag a bit when away from the leads (who always did tend to swamp other players in their movies), but the wit and mischief of the original play shines through. My only quibble would be with Kate's final speech. Interesting that Taylor plays it this way, but my guess is that it isn't the end of the bumpy ride for these two!

I wont go as far as to say I did not enjoy this film adaptation of "Taming Of The Shrew", but I will say that its a production of hits and misses. Richard Burton is perfectly cast as the blustery and bellowing Petruccio. He shows film audiences the vast talent for Shakespeare that he possessed. Elizabeth Taylor on the other hand was woefully miscast.All of Burton's strengths (command of language,natural delivery) are Taylor's weaknesses. She is just uncomfortable delivering Shakespeare's words. However,the action scenes(Petruccio's "wooing" of Kate) are very enjoyable. A strong supporting cast helps the film greatly. In particular Alan Webb's fussy old Gremio,Victor Spinneli's foppish Hortensio and Sir Michael Hordern's comiclly downtrodden Baptista. Unfortunately many of Shakespeare's funniest lines wer trimmed for the film and scenes not in the text added. This was truely dissapointing and distracting. Zefferelli had more success with his adaptations of "Romeo and Juliet" and "Hamlet".

Liz and Dick, you gotta love them in this...somehow you feel you may be getting more insight into their personal life than intended. One of the great things about this film is that it's made Shakespeare accessible to many more folks who might not have even bothered otherwise. Zefferili does for Shakespeare what Emeril does for cuisine--makes it entertaining while keeping all the quality. And what a fun production--great costumes, a young Michael York, lots of sexy repartee. A good choice for a snowy night when you'd rather stay in. It keeps you pretty entertained throughout, simplifies some of the plot intricacies. One drawback is that Miss Taylor appears to be a little long in the tooth to be playing a young, never-married, girl.

I saw the movie on DVD and liked it. I think if Shakespeare were alive today he would have like. Taylor and Burton do justice to their roles and the movie also introduced a brilliant actor Michael York as Lucentio. I had read the play and had seen the movie 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU which was loosely based on the play. When I got a chance to see the movie, I grabbed it. Elizabeth Taylor as Katharina the shrew is brilliant. She shows why is much more than a celebrity. Richard Burton shines as Petruchio. Franco Zeffirelli is a reputed director and he shows why. A must see movie for the fans of Shakespeare and the play.