Franco Zeffirelli's 1967 feature The Taming of the Shrew acted as my introduction to Elizabeth Taylor. Elizabeth Taylor was an actress I had often heard about yet never seen in any films. In this film, Elizabeth Taylor acted with her husband at the time Richard Burton in one of their 11 films together. The two exuded brilliant on- screen chemistry, as you would hope any married couple would as they play a married couple on-screen. As I'm sure he did in real life, Richard Burton's Petruchio had his hands full with his shrew for a wife, Katharina. The fair, young Bianca (Natasha Pyne) cannot take a husband until her older sister Katharina does; as proclaimed by their father, Baptista (Michael Hordern) The problem is, Katharina is a shrew with no interest to marry and devote herself to a man. Hopelessly in love with Bianca, Lucentio (Michael York) poses as a tutor just to remain in close proximity to Bianca. Yet another man after the heart of Bianca, Hortensio (Victor Spinetti) devises a plan to sling Cupid's arrow at Katharina in order to lift Bianca's marriage ban. Hortensio finds the perfect suitor in Petruchio (Richard Burton) the money focused miscreant who recently arrived in town. Petruchio's desires are also fulfilled if he successfully marries Katharina, as he is searching for a wealthy wife. Once Petruchio is warned about Katharina's fiery temper and brash disposition and ensured that the debt he incurred winning her love will be paid for by Gremio (Alan Webb), yet another suitor of Bianca's, he willingly accepts the challenge of attempting to make her his wife. I was a little bit surprised at how much of a comedy this film came off as. I knew it was one of Shakespeare's lighter works but felt as though the comedy was overdone a bit throughout the film. Some of the scenes were reminiscent of even slapstick comedy, they were so overdone. Perhaps it was this overtly comedic tone that the costuming was so dramatic. Irene Sharaff, Danilo Donati enjoyed Academy accolades being nominated for Best Costume Design and certainly deserve the recognition given the intricacies of the period pieces used in the film. Praise being given, however, Richard Burton's arms often looked like piñatas on-screen in his overly elaborate costumes. The Taming of the Shrew was a fun film, with an exceptionally acted, albeit sexist, finale involving Elizabeth Taylor. Certainly the most glowing part of The Taming of the Shrew was the acting of Richard Burton. I was expecting to be blown away by Elizabeth Taylor only for her to be overshadowed by Richard Burton every scene they shared. It is quite apparent that Richard Burton was no stranger to Shakespearean roles before his turn in The Taming of the Shrew, as his acting was simply phenomenal. I would be outraged at his not being recognized by the Academy for his Petruchio, had 1968 not been one of the most stacked years for Best Lead Actor that I have ever seen. In addition to Burton's fine acting, the ensemble cast added immensely to the film as well, each having their turn in the spotlight. The lighting in this film also adds a great deal to the plot. First showing Katharina in dark lighting, later to show her in brighter lighting is an apt allusion to her losing her Shrew moniker and becoming a noble wife. The expectations of women in this film make me glad to have not lived in Shakespeare's time. Once a woman became a wife, full obedience to her husband was expected, and one was scolded if this obedience was not given freely. Each piece of this film, the acting, lighting, and costuming work in harmony to forward progress the thematic content of the film creating one of my favorite Shakespeare adaptations I've seen to date.

Shakespearean comedy has not always fared too well on film, and there are far fewer successful film versions of these than there are of the tragedies and other dramas. But there are one or two that do stand out and The Taming of the Shrew belongs to this select group. I think there are several reasons for this: the casting -which is magnificent and inspired; the acting -which balances just on the edge of "over-the-top" without succumbing to out-and- out farce; the pace -which is boisterous and bonny; and the profusion of little touches and details of scene, direction and picture. It is like a series of rather fine paintings from the Renaissance that are brought before us and taken away just as we start to think a little deeper about what is being shown. Here, as in most good comedy, we are never allowed to dwell too long before the next chapter unfolds. Zeffirelli's vision for this film is very theatrical, almost operatic, and he sees it through, so that it is a well-rounded whole; it's certainly beautifully designed and fascinating to look at. I quite understand why the choice was made to focus on the main story of Petruchio and Katharina (Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor are terrific together), though purists may claim their histrionics flourish at the expense of the sub-plot, which is more heavily cut compared to its place in the original play.In Shakespeare's play much of the business involving the wooing of Bianca contains references that are less accessible to modern audiences than they would be to those watching in the 1590s. But I think quite enough is kept to retain the gist and thrust of the scheming. Bianca as a character does remain rather bland though, as indeed she does in the play. The film does away with the framing device –the "Induction" that Shakespeare used in his play, so here there is no opening scene in England with Christopher Sly and thus what we are shown is presented as "real" and not as a play being presented to this drunken character. Many stage productions do away with this frame device too, and most people are probably unaware that it is even part of the original story.There are many fine and colourful performances here, right across the board, but more importantly the cast works particularly well as an ensemble, each actor embracing the communal spirit of the piece and firing off each other. I find Michael Hordern deliciously perfect as the distraught father of the two girls . His facial expressions speak a thousand words and I think he gives one of the finest performances of his career; as does Burton. And Elizabeth Taylor is just fantastic! Recommended.

'The Taming of the Shrew' is one of the classic Shakespeare comedy film ever made by the 'Shakespearean Director' Franco Zeffirelli in the early 1960s. The exceptional acting in the film has been made by Elizabeth Taylor as Katharina and her second husband Richard Burton as Petruchio. It was a golden time for them too while acted together. The others were starred by Michael Hordern as Baptista, Natasha Pyne as Bianca and Michael York as Lucentio. It won an Academy Award for the set direction and costume design. Though it's a faithful version of the play, it had the subplot of Bianca missing plus the tinker which is not that important. It was produced by Franco Zeffirelli and MGM studios. This is the story about a hot-tempered but beautiful woman named Katharina who married to a wise noble named Petruchio. According to the director, this film is based on how Katharina rediscovers herself from a hot-tempered woman to a gentle lady that her husband transformed her to. The costumes are authentic as expected in Shakespeare's time. It was set in Italy as told in the play but it was shot under the studio. This version inspired most people that some other directors can make a contemporary version based on the same. Elizabeth Taylor as in real life didn't do any of the Shakespearean films before as this film is her first role in the Shakespeare play. She looked stunning in her costume but was also exceptional as she showed her 'tamed side' after meeting Petruchio who also done justice to his role. The atmosphere almost adjusts the play due to the dialogue was written. Some dialogues were replaced to help the contemporary audiences to understand the Shakespearean language. Burton made an exceptional acting rather than Taylor but the chemistry was superb as I think. The comedy was worth laughing due to its content. Michael Hordern was not there much but he gave an active role as a father which was worth laughing. The climax shows the message where both the play and the films tried to represent. The message of the film was shown by running its plot but it sometimes dragged that we become bored and miss the subplot of Bianca but foreshadowed by its comedy. Natasha played a cute Bianca but a cat-like expression that wowed the audience. The development of the characters was not perfect except for Baptista, Katharina, Bianca and Petruchio's acting. Overall, the story and its screenplay were authentic but the acting was mind-blowing, as I think. As people say 'Old-is-Gold', yes it is true that the 'real' movies ruled the 60s. It was such an era that anyone cannot forget where educative films were made with a little entertainment.

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.