The Taming of the Shrew (1967 film)

The Taming of the Shrew
film poster
Directed by	Franco Zeffirelli
Written by	Play: William Shakespeare Screenplay: Franco Zeffirelli
Starring	Elizabeth Taylor Richard Burton Natasha Pyne Michael Hordern
Cinematography	Oswald Morris
Edited by	Peter Taylor
Music by	Nino Rota
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	1967
Running time	122 min.
Language	English

The Taming of the Shrew is a 1967 feature film based on a play by William Shakespeare about a courtship between two strong-willed people. The film was directed by Franco Zeffirelli and stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as Shakespeare's Kate and Petruchio.

Plot and Cast

Baptista Minola (Michael Hordern) is attempting to marry off his two daughters; however, he will only marry his youngest, Bianca (Natasha Pyne), if someone will marry his eldest, Katharina (Elizabeth Taylor). Katharina is an ill-tempered shrewish woman but a lusty young nobleman, Petruchio (Richard Burton), takes on the challenge of taming and marrying her. A subplot involves the wooing of Bianca by several suitors including handsome Lucentio (Michael York), foppish Hortensio (Victor Spinetti), and elderly Gremio (Alan Webb).

Production details

The film cuts much of the original dialogue, but allows more characterization. For example, much of the subplot of Lucentio and Bianca is cut, but at the same time, more characterization of Katharina and Petruchio is allowed.

The final, controversial speech is played seriously; however, Zeffirelli lets Kate have the "last laugh", humiliating Petruchio by leaving the banquet without him. This act of defiance thus gives a happy ending which implies that Kate's spirit is not broken, and that Petruchio has not succeeded.

Taylor and Burton put over a million dollars into the production, and instead of a salary, took a percentage of profits. The film was originally a vehicle for Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni.

Awards

The film had two Academy Award nominations, for Best Costume Design, and Best Art Direction (Lorenzo Mongiardino, John DeCuir, Elven Webb, Giuseppe Mariani, Dario Simoni, Luigi Gervasi).

It also had two BAFTA Award nominatons for Best British Actor (Richard Burton), and Best British Actress (Elizabeth Taylor).

External links

• The Taming of the Shrew at IMDb
• The Taming of the Shrew at AllMovie
• The Taming of the Shrew at the TCM Movie Database
• eNotes Article
• Phoenix Cinema Article