The Taming of the Shrew (1967 film)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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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 Grumio (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).
