Kiss Me Kate (1953)

Divide this film into three basic components:1. GOOD - Song and dance routines. Showcasing some very talented dancers.2. BAD - Actors portraying actors. My #1 pet peeve in "entertainment". Feels so self-indulgent. (I also dislike films set in the film industry for the same reason.)3. GOOD - Musical version of "Taming of the Shrew". Overall, it's very pleasant to watch. Even if Shakespeare's English eludes most current-day audience members, the production still clearly conveys its meaning.

Cole Porter had not had a smash hit on Broadway since the beginning of World War II when this took the New York stage by storm in late 1948. Rather than just take Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shew" and turn that directly into a musical, he made it about the backstage goings on of the pre-Broadway tryout of a new musical based upon the Bard's most famous comedy. Rodgers and Hart had earlier scored by musicalizing Shakespeare with "The Comedy of Errors" as "The Boys From Syracuse", which was about mistaken identity, but "Taming of the Shew" and its musical version take on another more serious topic: the battle of the sexes! Faithfully adapted to the screen with only a few of the songs taken out, "Kiss Me Kate" for its premiere engagement added 3-D into the mix, a novelty at the time, and one that had mixed results. I saw this in 3-D at the old Vagabond Theater in Los Angeles many years ago, after having seen it many times in 2-D. The result was still the same, only a bit more thrilling because I got to see all those streamers, vases and dancers flying out into the audience.Lilli Vanessi is the slightly temperamental ex-wife of Fred Graham and agrees to be directed by and co-star opposite her ex in this vehicle. She isn't one of those oh-so-picky divas who complains about everything, but it is very apparent that she hasn't lost her feelings for him, even if she is insulting him at every chance she gets. He makes her furious by openly flirting with co-star Lois Lane (no relation to Superman's girlfriend), the show's ingénue who has apparently only said no to men when she didn't understand the question. Lois is actually in love with Bill Calhoun, the show's juvenile leading man, faithful to him in her fashion, but ultimately, from that moment on, she won't be taking any more sable from that actor named Gable.Lilli misbelieves flowers Fred got for Lois were for her and when she finds out, fury strikes (as does Lilli) and after reminding her that they are doing "Taming of the Shrew" (not "He Who Gets Slapped"), Fred brings in two comic gangsters to keep her from walking out on the show. The gangsters fall in love with the Bard, Lilli ends up with a sore rump and in typical Broadway fashion, everything ends up "Wunderbar!".Unlike other show within the show musicals, the plot is actually thickening rather than stopping, like a musical "Noises Off!". That makes for excellent theater and certainly a wonderful movie. I can't think of a more brilliant cast for MGM's production than Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson as Fred and Lilli, and Tommy Rall and Ann Miller as Bill and Lois. Grayson really gets to show off her comic talents here, being allowed to be both sweet and feisty, while Miller's perkiness is unforgettably show-stopping. When Miller, performing "Too Darn Hot", begins to remove her jewelry, Grayson humorously catches it and passes it nonchalantly onto Keel. Later, Grayson turns "I Hate Men!" into a delightfully bitchy song that reveals how much she actually loves them. The joy of the divorced couple dancing around their dressing room in "Wunderbar!" is another delight.Among the dancing admirers of Miller in the on-stage musical numbers are Bobby Van and Bob Fosse, as well as Carol Haney who later went onto great success in "The Pajama Game". Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore turn "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" into a duet of great laughs ("Kick Her Right in the Coreulanus!") that on stage is the show's 11:00 number. Ron Randell plays a very fictional "Cole Porter" for the audition sequence. Some deem this addition to the movie a mistake; To me, it is just unnceccessary. But everything else is practically perfect.This show has not dated at all; I have seen several revivals of it (most notably the 1999 Broadway production that was a lavish gem) and is one of few musical comedy's that has totally stood the test of time. It has also been done for TV several times, two productions of which have been released to home video. All are delightful in every way, shape, and form.

Perhaps you're a student in high school or college and have to read "The Taming of the Shrew" and have heard about this movie being a musical update of it. Well, don't see it, thinking you don't have to read the play. There's no excuse in getting out of Shakespeare. But, see "Kiss Me Kate" along with reading the play. This wasn't based directly from Shakespeare, but from an already adapted play. Starring Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ann Miller, Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore, this is a non-stop musical with no time to let up for breath. There are constant show-stopping numbers (all written by Cole Porter), including the beautiful duet, "So in Love," sung by Kate and Howard, Kate and Howard's duet "Wunder Bar", Ann's "Why Can't You Behave?," "Faithful in My Fashion," her unforgettable what-could-top-it "Too Darn Hot" number, Howard's little-black-book number and last but definitely not least Keenan and James' duet "Brush Up Your Shakespeare," which is simply superb. Kathryn Grayson is great as usual, but this movie really belongs to Howard Keel who has never been better. (His rich, deep voice is perfect for the operatic songs within the play, and for just everything.) And, also to Ann Miller who is definitely in top form.If you want to brush up your Shakespeare and your movie musicals, then this is for you. Need I say more! Really one of the few perfect movie musicals ever!

Fun MGM musical jam-packed with 14 Cole Porter tunes, starring Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel. They're the squabbling ex-married's who are putting on a musical theatre performance of Shakespeare's famous comedy "The Taming Of The Shrew". Life imitates art as the "shrew" Lilli (Grayson) and Fred (Keel), playing Katherine and Pertruchio, fall in love again amidst much shouting and throwing of things. All's well that end's well on-stage and off by the film's end.Ten minutes into the film I wasn't quite sure if I would like it. Grayson (with a terribly unflattering blonde hairdo-she looks about 10 years older)and Keel had trilled their way through "So in Love" and shrewish Grayson had let out a few angry squeals. Then a "Too Darn Hot" Ann Miller walked in. Miller, as a dancer trying to make the big time with her boyfriend, gave the film energy and spark. Grayson and Keel quickly caught some of her spark as they got into costume (Grayson's long auburn wig looked so much better than her actual hair, and Keel looks much more manly in costume!). Grayson kept her trilling down a notch, and she was pretty darn fabulous in her "I Hate Men" number. The musical numbers are all pretty good, and after a slow start, "Kate" gets great. Lovely Technicolour and witty, tongue-in-cheek script also add to making this a fun movie.