Recensioni degli utenti

In Italy, Franco Zeffirelli is best known for his work in grand opera, and he brought all his experience in this larger than life art form to bear upon the two films for which he is best known, the 1968 ROMEO AND JULIET and the 1967 THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.

Scholars usually consider Shakespeare's THE TAMING OF THE SHREW to be among the playwrights lesser works, but it has been an audience favorite since its first known performance in 1594. Although many suitors beg for Bianca's hand, her widowed father is determined that she may not marry until her elder sister Katherine is wed--and Katherine is a hot tempered, willful, and vicious woman who makes life miserable for all who cross her path. Fortunately for Bianca, Petruchio is in need of money, and he is more than willing to marry Kate, no matter how resistant Kate herself is to the whole idea.

Shakespeare's original script has been trimmed here and there, and while purists may scream about it the result not only works for film, it also manages to capture the flavor of Shakespeare's language much better than any other film version of SHREW both before or since. And the look of the thing is beautiful: Zeffirelli brings his mastery of opera's larger than life visuals to bear upon the project, and the result is eye-popping production values, most particularly in reference to the costuming. Every cent spent shows on the screen.

Although she was a very fine screen actress, Elizabeth Taylor is not a name one would expect to find playing Shakespeare--but she carries it off in fine style, kicking, snapping, and snarling with tremendous panache in the first portion of the film, and then making Kate's "taming" seem entirely plausible in the latter portion. Unlike many later Shakespeare plays, SHREW is not greatly noted for its language; even so, Katherine's final speech is widely known and extremely memorable, and Taylor pulls it off with such credibility that one wishes she had done other classical roles as well.

Taylor's then-husband Richard Burton co-stars as the deliberately uncouth Petruchio, who sets out to tame a shrew and finds himself as much tamed by her as she by him. Burton, of course, was accustomed to the classics in general and Shakespeare in particular, and he plays with tremendous bravado. The supporting cast, which includes a young Michael York, is also very fine, and when all is said and done the 1964 THE TAMING OF THE SHREW is a tremendous amount of fun even if you don't like Shakespeare.

The DVD transfer is very nice. The picture has the occasional blemish, most often in the opening titles and closing credits, but on the whole it is remarkable, showing every detail of every set and every costume to fine effect. The sound is also quite good. Sad to say, there is really nothing in the way of bonus material, but the film is the thing, and Taylor, Burton, York, and Zefirelli do it up brown. More than just worth watching: worth owning.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

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.

This is a lavish presentation of William Shakespeare's classic comedy, highlighted by the ideally cast coupling of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the pivotal roles. Hers was the questionable characterization, but Ms. Taylor keeps "Katharina" well within her range, and sparks the original role with an appealing update. Burton balances with a fine interpretation of "Petruchio". The bombastic Burtons are only hindered by the relatively slight material; some of this humor doesn't transcend the centuries, although much is appreciated. Director Franco Zeffirelli and several in this company soon went to work on "Romeo and Juliet" (1968), which was a greater use of their skills.

******* The Taming of the Shrew (2/27/67) Franco Zeffirelli ~ Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Michael York, Natasha Pyne

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!

There is no denying Franco Zeffirelli's visual sensibility, nor his dramatic strength. He takes this Shakespearean comedy, chops and cuts and edits the text to his liking, and regurgitates a wonderful film. If one were to watch the film without sound, it would still be entertaining, that is how well Zeffirelli put it together. But it wouldn't be enough without a terrific Kate, and Elizabeth Taylor, certainly in her prime in 1967, more than fills the bill. She hams it up when hamming is appropriate to the moment, and plays it with more subtlety when that is required. She is well matched by Richard Burton as Petruchio. He is good, but there is something not quite there. I think perhaps he seems more jaded and a tad less calculating than I'd expect in the role. I think I prefer the more caustic performance of John Cleese in this role.

I can't help but wonder what Zeffirelli would've done with an operatic version of this play.

This is a film version of a Shakespeare play the way Shakespeare would have wanted it to be seen - as funny and entertaining. The gorgeous colour in the sets and costumes reminds us that this story is taking place in sunny Italy - maybe it takes an Italian director to realize and bring out that light-hearted joyfulness. The actors are all wonderful, so natural in their roles that the Shakespearean verse sounds like believable daily conversation. Richard Burton is perfect as Petruchio, a self-confident, swaggering lout at the beginning, who in a way undergoes his own "taming" process to become a loving husband, proud of his wife and delighted with the happiness ahead of them. Elizabeth Taylor as an actress is not really up to the demands of Shakespeare, but she certainly looks her part, and on the whole does pretty well, especially as she is given a lot of action rather than speaking in this film, until the very end. Zeffirelli does wonderful things with the visuals - the scene at the beginning, when what appears to be a solemn church service suddenly erupts into a wild carnival can be seen as a joking reflection of the typical viewer's reaction to this happy treatment of Shakespeare; where we expect to be bored by solemn, po-faced reverence in the presence of Art, we suddenly find ourselves swept away in a merry romp. And the recurring glimpses of a huge grotesque blonde woman continually attended by her small, dark-haired pretty sister, always scaring away the latter's possible suitors is a witty summary of the main story we are watching. This movie is a great introduction to Shakespeare for anyone who hasn't seen his plays before, and a perfect antidote for anyone who's been intimidated into thinking that Shakespeare is "too hard" for anyone but experts and scholars to understand.

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.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at their peak are a joy to behold--they

infuse this gorgeous film of "The Taming of the Shrew" with so much life and

energy, that it becomes a wonderful, bouyant, three-ring circus of entertainment. The sets and costumes of Zeffirelli's meticulously recreated Renaissance Italy are ravishingly beautiful. Each scene is composed like a painting--and Nino

Rota's score complelemnts the film perfectly. His melodies ring in the air long after the film has ended. Shakespeare would have been delighted.

The "Rotten Tomatoes" website says about this film that "It may not be reverent enough for purists, but this "Taming of the Shrew" is too funny - and fun - for the rest of us to resist". Well, much as I love, Shakespeare, "The Taming of the Shrew" is one of his plays about which I have never been able to feel much reverence. I have often thought that it is one of those plays which, if it had come down to us in an anonymous form without Shakespeare's name on it, would arouse little interest today except among academics specialising in the Elizabethan theatre, who would be furiously debating to which minor dramatist of the period it should be attributed.

The play can be a controversial one today because it is a "battle of the sexes" which ends in complete victory for the man, a victory won by some very dubious tactics. Petruchio never actually physically assaults his wife, but he nevertheless subjects her to some unpleasant psychological bullying. Criticism of the play is not just due to 21st century political correctness. More than a hundred years ago George Bernard Shaw was calling it "altogether disgusting to modern sensibility" and Arthur Quiller-Couch "tiresome to any modern civilised man and to any modern woman, not an antiquarian, offensive".

The play deals with the two daughters of Baptista Minola, a gentleman of Padua. Both girls are beautiful, but the elder sister Katherina ("Kate"), the "shrew" of the title, is notoriously ill-tempered whereas her younger sister Bianca is sweet-natured and gentle. Baptista, however, has decreed that Bianca may not marry until her elder sister is also married, and Katherina's temper means that no men are interested in her. Eventually, however, Bianca's various suitors persuade Petruchio, a gentleman visiting Padua from Verona, to take on Katharina, hoping that if he marries her this will open the way for them to woo Bianca. The film omits the Christopher Sly framework device (no great loss) and cuts out much of the subplot about the rivalry between Bianca's three suitors, concentrating upon the Petruchio/Katharina story.

The film was originally to have been an Italian language one ("La Bisbetica Domata") starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. It eventually became an English-language movie, but it was shot in Italy with an Italian director, Franco Zeffirelli, and Hollywood's favourite married couple, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, brought in to play the leads. Publicity for the film was helped by gossip that their real-life relationship was just as turbulent as that of Kate and Petruchio; it was advertised under the slogan "The motion picture they were made for"!

Despite that slogan, Taylor was not perhaps a natural born Shakespeare heroine. She had no previous experience of acting in Shakespearean drama and was not the greatest speaker of blank verse. At 35 she was considerably older than the character as envisaged by Shakespeare. (We are never told Kate's exact age, but 16th century women tended to marry young, and she is probably in her late teens or early twenties. Anything over thirty, and even Baptista would have given her up as a confirmed old maid). Given, however, that Burton was to play Petruchio, it would have been unthinkable for any actress other than Taylor to play Katharina.

Moreover, as Burton himself was 42 at the time, given the controversial storyline a very young Katharina would have seemed too much like the helpless victim of a nasty bully. An older woman like Taylor could at least give the impression of a Kate who can stand up to her husband and give as good as she gets. There is a strong hint that her supposed submission to Petruchio is all a ruse and that behind the scenes Katharina is far from subdued.

The following year Zeffirelli was to make another Shakespearean film, the romantic and poetic "Romeo and Juliet", also filmed in Italy. Like that film, "The Taming of the Shrew" is beautiful to look at, with lavish sets and costumes designed to capture the look of Italian Renaissance paintings. Zeffirelli, however, wisely decided to concentrate less upon poetry than upon comedy, including physical comedy; some scenes come close to slapstick, including one where Taylor and Burton dash across the rooftops and end up falling through the roof onto a feather bed below. That one could have been from a Buster Keaton or Harold Lloyd silent. Taylor plays her part with such drive and vivacity that any worries about her lack of experience in Shakespeare come to seem irrelevant.

This "Taming of the Shrew" is never going to be my favourite Shakespeare film. It is not even my favourite Zeffirelli Shakespeare film; I prefer both "Romeo and Juliet" and his later "Hamlet" from 1990. I felt, however, that the director succeeds in the difficult challenge of turning this controversial, problematic play into a highly enjoyable film. 7/10.

The best 'Hollywood' (via Italy) ever did for Shakespear. Burton and Taylor were married at the time and played off exceptionally well together. Finally, Elizabeth Taylor in her final speach once again established herself as an actress over being a just celebrity.

Lovely costumes and nice to see "location" shots but this really is just a loud romp for the famous couple. The other characters don't get much of a chance to shine. Bonus points for keeping the iambic pentameter going.

As Will Shakespeare wrote this story, it was supposed to be a comedy. However, Burton & Taylor removed all the comical elements to make it just plain drama probably to portray their own lives.

Shakespeare wrote comedies where a great deal of the comedy is acted by minor characters in the stories. In this production, no minor characters were allowed to do that and the removal of all that comedy can only be attributed to Burton & Taylor being producers of the film. It appears that Burton & Taylor wanted to use this production to portray their own personal marriage travails, not to portray Shakespeare drama.

The scene where Biondello brings the books for Baptista's daughters to study became very dry though Biondello is supposed to be comical in this scene. The scene where Petruchio gets clothes becomes dry because the Haberdasher is not allowed to react to Burton's comments.

All this might be of small consequence if Burton & Taylor could act comedy themselves, but they can't. Neither Burton nor Taylor were capable of comedy. They are both fine dramatic actors, but not for comedy. They take their parts far too seriously to act comedy. Unless the actor is doing a monologue, comedy usually requires a working relationship between two actors. Burton & Taylor did not allow that relationship with the minor characters in this production, though they did attempt it between themselves. But they are far too serious in their dialogue to come off comically.

For real Shakespeare comedy, see "Much Ado About Nothing" with Kenneth Branagh & Emma Thompson. Now that is real Shakespeare comedy. Be sure to observe the flippant dialogue & bantering between Benedick & Beatrice, as well as Dogberry's lines to the judge and the criminal's reactions when they are brought before the judge. This production of "The Taming of the Shrew" is a true disgrace to the spirit of William Shakespeare.

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.

Franco Zeffirelli's energetic handling of William Shakespeare's raucous battle of the sexes has been directed with the filmmaker's customary flair for pageantry, and yet the star duo, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, is disappointing. Blustery Petruchio, a 16th century fortune-hunter from Verona, is slated to woo Katharina, the wicked wench of Padua, whose hand is readily available; with her dowry looming large, Petruchio manages to get Katharina to the altar, where their stormy tussle of exchanges continues on to the honeymoon. Taylor and Burton would seem to be ideally suited to this material, but Burton's self-amused cackling begins to gnaw at one's nerves, while Taylor's mincing post-taming smiles aren't at all convincing (her best scene is her first one, leaning out the window). Whole sequences such as the wedding ceremony and the final gamble fail to take off, this mainly due to Zeffirelli's timing. The director does wonderful work with the small details but grand-scale storytelling seems to hinder him. A modest success at the box-office, the film set the stage for Zeffirelli's follow-up, 1968's "Romeo and Juliet", which finally made the Bard '60s accessible. **1/2 from ****

This is a great Shakespeare movie that the man himself would surely approve of. It has just the right mix of action and dialogue and if the light dims a little during the scenes without the Burtons, certainly Michael Hordern keeps his brightly lit. Michael York and Natasha Pyne are inexplicably weak after their brilliant early moments. But maybe it just is that the two main performances are so captivating, we really only wish to see them. Some find fault with the acting of Elizabeth Taylor but I'll hear none of it. Her early scenes of wild madness are fantastic as are her slightly less confident scenes as she finds herself the object of the chase. The scene I remember most from my original 60s cinema viewing is that of the pair wrestling on the bed of feathers having fallen through the roof. Watching this again at a BFI South Bank, London screening in a packed audience I can surely see why. Pure electricity as the snarling/alluring, struggling yet desiring 'shrew' begins to succumb to the power of the male above her. Great moments, great music, excellent sets and a tremendous if controversial final speech.

Franco Zefferelli's adaption of William Shakespeare's classic play, The Taming of the Shrew, released in 1967 is one of the most effective Shakespeare adaptations of its time. Filled with celebrated actors, decadent costumes, and set against an opulent Italian backdrop, The Taming of the Shrew is a fast-paced and enchanting watch, infused with the classical comedic screenplay which made the original comedy-drama such a success. Zefferelli's adaptation stays true to the original play, whilst also receiving a more contemporary lift, making it an entertaining and enjoyable experience for all modern audiences. This attraction can certainly be partly credited to the casting of two renowned film stars, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the leading roles of Katherine and Petruchio. The casting of this particular couple who were actually married at the time allows them to bring their natural chemistry to the screen, adding a fiery disposition to their characters and making the principal relationship more authentic. In fact, the couple were described in the original trailer as playing, 'The motion picture they were made for...need we say more!' Indeed Taylor and Burton seem to intensely connect with their on-screen counterparts, the eccentric and passionate husband and wife. Taylor and Burton excel as the plays principal chaotic duo and for me, they were the major attraction of this adaptation. Taylor perfectly portrays Katherine's tempestuous nature, capturing the wildness of the Shrew so effectively that anyone who had formerly doubted Taylors potential to portray a leading Shakespearean lady were proved extraordinarily mistaken. Likewise Burton flawlessly depicts Petruchio as a self-absorbed and arrogant man, with the flair we have come to expect from the talented actor. Burtons Petruchio excellently emulates his wife's unruliness with his obscene expressions and constant state of inebriation. However, personally it was Taylor's performance in particular which captivated me. The adaptation for the most part stays true to the original plot, one crucial exception is that the traditional Induction is eliminated, commonplace for the majority of Shakespearean adaptations of the epoch. Some of the original subplot is omitted, such as the extent of attention on the relationship between Lucentio and Bianca, making room for more focus on the leading couple. The overall tempo of the film is fast paced, creating a dramatic and entertaining experience. The themes of male chauvinism, domestic violence and the repression of women are dealt with in such a comedic fashion it's easy to forget how harmful and prominent these issues actually are in contemporary society. Fortunately, Taylors Katharina appears to turn the tables on her Petruchio in the end, emphasizing the underlying control held by woman and giving a new edge to the apparently submissive character. The new domesticated Katharina who emerges in the end is ultimately proved to be deceptive by her exit, by cunningly pushing Petruchio to follow her and subjecting to him to scrutiny from his contemporaries. This pursuit is reminiscent of the chase which also occurs in their introduction. This portrays a power reversal which is contrasting to Shakespeare's conclusion and also slightly rebuffs the misogynistic overtone of the film making it evident who is really in charge. This slight alteration which shifts the balance of power is an appealing finale for the female audience. Overall the film retains its comedic aspect which makes it a humorous and enjoyable watch. Zefferelli shoots his exuberant motion picture against a picturesque Italian backdrop, certainly deserving of its two Academy Award nominations, Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction. The opulent costume design is reflective of the era, epitomizing the decadence of dress the 60's has come to be renowned for. The scenery is certainly inspirational, perhaps the sunny Italian atmosphere is intensified by the fact that Zefferelli himself is Italian which makes the environment more authentic, by having a native director who certainly knows what he is doing. These aspects are a key attraction to this version of The Taming of the Shrew, adding to and emphasizing the energy and fervour of the picture. On aspect of the film which was not so favourable and would have greatly added to its appeal had it been more successful was its score. Following the musical success of 'Kiss Me, Kate', which opened in London's West End in 1951, Nino Rota's musical composition feels slightly lacking in drama and excitement, a feature which did not escape the critics. Otherwise, The Taming of the Shrew was received to generally positive reviews from critics at the time of its release and it retains its timeless appeal even now.

Politically incorrect but quite fun, "The Taming of the Shrew" is one of the classic pieces in Shakespeare's repertoire and is regularly taken to the stage and also to the cinema. And as I have already had occasion to say, it takes some courage to bring to the cinema a work by the English bard, whose horde of purists is as radical and extreme as it usually is. In any case, it is a fun movie, which makes us laugh with the trappings of the main couple, Petruchio and Catarina. Being a well-known plot, I will not go into details.

Overall, I really liked the movie. I think Franco Zeffirelli was capable of an inspired and witty direction, capable of extracting and highlighting the comedy of situations and making the film fun and light, as it had to be. The film honors Shakespeare, but it doesn't take itself too seriously to the point of looking heavy. The cinematography, vividly colored, adds strength and joy to the film, and the sets and costumes are equally remarkable, betting on creating an atmosphere of joy and party, without disregarding the Renaissance background where the story is set. Of course, music is an essential part of this light and festive environment, and Nino Rota was the right person to come up with the film's soundtrack.

The actors' work is good, but the highlight goes entirely to the duo formed by Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. The couple has an intense energy on the scene and a very strong chemistry, which they transport to the characters and the situations they are going through. In addition to the talent and contagious energy, both received excellent material and have dialogues worthy of mention and that work wonderfully. Mention should also be made of the good collaborations of Michael Hordern, Michael York, Natasha Pyne and Cyril Cusack in secondary characters of the plot.

The Taming of the Shrew is admittedly not my absolute favourite of Shakespeare's plays, but it is a fun if not so politically correct tale of Petruchio's subduing of his shrewish wife Katherina. This film version from Franco Zeffirelli, who also directed the wonderful 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet, certainly looks very lush. The cinematography is very ravishing and the sets and costumes are nothing short of colourful and impressive, and Nina Rota's score is wonderful. Zeffirelli's direction is also secure, while opting for colourful action, the script is excellent and fairly faithful and the acting is very good. Both Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor give one of their better performances, Burton being perfect as the brutish lout known as Petruchio and Taylor alluring and convincing particularly in her final scenes as Katherina, and their chemistry is believable. As Baptista and Grumio Michael Hordern and Cyril Cusack give great support, while Michael York and Natasha Pyne are sweet as the young lovers Lucentio and Bianca. The film does drag in places, but overall, it is a beautiful film and a well done adaptation as well. I am impressed! 8/10 Bethany Cox

Petruchio (Richard Burton) arrives in Padua and is eager to find himself rich marriage. Everyone is entranced by the beautiful Bianca who has many suitors. Wealthy merchant Baptista refuses to let her marry until older shrew sister Katharina (Elizabeth Taylor) gets married first. Petruchio gets directed to Katharina and he willingly accepts the challenge.

I want to have Kate show up earlier and throw some dishes at these men. This is all about the chemistry of Burton and Taylor. Burton is a formidable Shakespearean actor. Director Franco Zeffirelli would follow this with an even more successful adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. I still remember watching R&J at school and my jaw dropped at the sight of Olivia Hussey. That's a different story. For this movie, it's been many decades since I've read the play. Taylor is really playing up her crazy tantrums. It is still not the most woman-friendly Shakespearean play. At least, it doesn't get too physical on Kate. I do buy that she has been 'tamed' by him. Taylor has so much internal power. She can take care of herself. That is a good way to portray the taming.

The whole package was almost here in this movie.It delivered on almost all technical aspects demanded for this movie version of the great Shakesperean comedy.The problem here was the low quality script which dulled the comedy,thus struggling for laughs.The director tried to compensate as much as he could but he could only in the end turn out an average movie.Also,Taylor could only manage a decent Shakesperean performance depite the film makers limiting her lines as much as they could.Taylor is a great actress but Shakespeare acting demands a very high quality in ORATORY ACTING which is another ballgame.In this regard,Burton shows how it is done.Watch this movie for his great performance here if for nothing else.Burton will demand and get your respect if you have an eye for acting.Only for fans of the lead actors and fans of Shakespeare movies......

This is the most known rendition from the Sixties based on the classic play by William Shakespeare including great cast as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton along with a fine plethora of secondaries. It contains exquisite cinematography, being shot on evocative Italian locations and studios .The plot is well known, as the youngest daughter: Natasha Pyne of a wealthy aristocrat: Michael Hordern, is not allowed to marry until his eldest daughter: Elizabeth Taylor, but the latter is extremely headstrong to be betrothed. This task seems to be impossible because of her shrewish demeanor. But with the sudden arrival of the lusty Richard Burton, a suitor in search for fortune, things change, as he agrees to court her when is told of her wit and beauty. A romantic film amorously devoted to every man who ever gave the back of his hand to his beloved...and to every woman who deserved it! A motion picture for every man who ever gave the back of his hand to this beloved... and for every woman who deserved it. Which takes a lot of people! In the war between the sexes, there always comes a time for unconditional surrender. In the war between the sexes, there always comes a time to surrender- unconditionally!.The motion picture they were made for!

A decent adaptation, it was all movement, arguments, action, energy, fast fun and being selected for the 1967 Royal Performance Film. Big budget movie with sensational settings from Lorenzo Mongiardino, gorgeous photography by Oswald Morris, spectacular production design, sensitive musical score by the magnificent Italian composer Nino Rota conducted by Carlo Savina and glamorous gowns from Danilo Donati. The fantastic duo of protagonists are terrific: Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor who produced as well, both of whom at the time of their extreme splendor. They are well accompanied by a stunning support cast, such as: Michael York, Cry Cusack, Michael Hordern, Alfred Lynch, Alan Webb, Vernon Dobtcheff, Victor Spinetti, among others. The motion picture was well written and directed by Franco Zeffirelli. He was a production designer and director, especially known for this The taming of shrew (1967), Romeo and Juliet (1968), La traviata (1982) , Champion , Jane Eyre , Endless Love , Hamlet , Otello , Turandot , Sparrow , Callas Forever and the TV series Jesus of Nazareth . Received a Special 1962 Tony Award "for designs and direction of the Old Vic's 'Romeo and Juliet'." The following year, in 1963, he was nominated for Broadway's Tony Award as Best Scenic Designer for "The Lady of the Camellias." Being one of eight Italians to have been nominated for the Academy Award for 'Best Director'. Rating : 7/10. Worthwhile watching , better than average .

Other versions of this classic story is as follows: vintage silent rendition 1929 by Sam Taylor with Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks. La fierecilla domada 1956 by León Klimowski with Carmen Sevilla, Alberto Closas. The Taming of the shrew 1976 by Kirk Browning with Mark Singer, Harry Hamlin, Al White. The Taming of the Shrew 1980 with Sarah Badel, John Cleese, Frank Thornton, Jonathan Cecil, Susan Penhaligon .

Comically Poor - I'm going to claim ignorance on this one: I really don't know if it's the original Shakespeare play or just they way this adaptation was written that made it so horrible. This was a non-story. The overall "theme" is a great one - the beautiful younger daughter can't get married until the older "shrew" is, which leads to all sorts of misadventures by the suitors interested in courting the young one. Great. It's used will in 10 Things I Hate About You, Kiss Me Kate, and many others. However, in this film version, we instead follow the shrew and the suitor who wants her just for her dowry. These two terrible people clearly hate each other and gallivant around for two hours doing terrible things to each other, and in the end fall in love for no reason whatsoever. Terrible. Could have been so much better, but as is was a miserably boring and non-sensical melodramatic romp. Elizabeth Taylor is crazy.