The Taming of the Shrew (1967), Zeffirelli

This is one of those movies you'd probably be shown in class to work with the play. I saw the wedding scene only in my Shakespeare in Film class in college, and from that it seemed like a great adaptation. It's certainly a classic, anyhow.

But. I hated it. Maybe it's just too far out of time for me to appreciate it, but there just wasn't enough for me to like. Taylor's Katherina shrieks and shrills and beats on everything for most of the movie, until it behooves her to stop. And when is she behooved? When her groom a) doesn't bed her (because she clocked him with a heating pan!) and b) destroys some pretty clothes. And yeah - I know that that's mostly how it is in the play ,but for jeebus-sake, give us something more believable for a film!

And the best scene in the whole play, the witty exchange when Petrichio and Katherina first meet, is completely overshadowed by the settings as Katherina leads Petruchio on a chase around Brabantio's manse. Through spice lofts and wool mounds and hidden rooms and rooftops - it was way too much for what can be such a simple exchange. It's a dance, not a WWE wrestling match!

I still love Zeffirelli's use of music for this movie, and you know his costume houses never disappoint. The costumes were really sumptuous. But there were no people in them. It was a bunch of costumes running around talking to each other.

One thing I admitted, though, was that the final kiss between Petruchio and Katherina was sweet. All the ones before it had been power play or comic, that one showed that they truly cared for each other. Too bad not much else in the film led me to believe it. Sad face. It's a hard play for a modern audience, even harder when half the script is cut away, I'm sure.

EDIT: after discussing this with some people who liked this movie, my eyes are opened to a couple of things I didn't notice: 1) Katherina's keeping house is a sort of rebellion on her part against Petruchio. If he's going to force her to live here, by God she'll make it a hospitable place. And if he's going to mistreat his servants, then she will be kind to them. 2) Her speech at the end of the play is sort of an apology to him. She's spent a lot of time being uncivil, and she sees what she's missing at her sister's wedding. Her coming when commanded makes him see that she does want to try, and he does want to be a good husband. I get that. It's still hard to see, though, after most of the film is spent with both sides abusing the other.