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The Taming of The Shrew

1967

Action / Comedy / Drama / Romance

8
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Certified Fresh 82% · 22 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 73% · 5K ratings
IMDb Rating 7.1/10 10 9136 9.1K

shakespearean play based on play or musical suitor 16th century father daughter relationship sister sister relationship

Plot summary

Italy, 16th century. Petruchio, a choleric, lying and poor rural landowner from Verona, arrives in Padua in search of fortune and a wife, while Baptista, a wealthy merchant, announces that he will not allow Bianca, his youngest daughter, to marry until the temperamental and unruly Katherina, his eldest daughter, does.

Director

Franco Zeffirelli Photo
Franco Zeffirelli

Top cast

Michael York Photo
Michael York as Lucentio
Elizabeth Taylor Photo
Elizabeth Taylor as Katharina
Vernon Dobtcheff Photo
Vernon Dobtcheff as Pedant
Michael Hordern Photo
Michael Hordern as Baptista
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU 720p.WEB 1080p.WEB
1.09 GB
1280*544
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
2 hr 1 min
Seeds 9
2.03 GB
1920*816
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
2 hr 1 min
Seeds 6
1.09 GB
1280*544
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
2 hr 1 min
Seeds 2
2.03 GB
1920*816
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
2 hr 1 min
Seeds 7

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by christopher-underwood 8 / 10

snarling/alluring, struggling yet desiring

This is a great Shakespeare movie that the man himself would surely approve of. It has just the right mix of action and dialogue and if the light dims a little during the scenes without the Burtons, certainly Michael Hordern keeps his brightly lit. Michael York and Natasha Pyne are inexplicably weak after their brilliant early moments. But maybe it just is that the two main performances are so captivating, we really only wish to see them. Some find fault with the acting of Elizabeth Taylor but I'll hear none of it. Her early scenes of wild madness are fantastic as are her slightly less confident scenes as she finds herself the object of the chase. The scene I remember most from my original 60s cinema viewing is that of the pair wrestling on the bed of feathers having fallen through the roof. Watching this again at a BFI South Bank, London screening in a packed audience I can surely see why. Pure electricity as the snarling/alluring, struggling yet desiring 'shrew' begins to succumb to the power of the male above her. Great moments, great music, excellent sets and a tremendous if controversial final speech.
Reviewed by wynterstail 8 / 10

fun every time

Liz and Dick, you gotta love them in this...somehow you feel you may be getting more insight into their personal life than intended. One of the great things about this film is that it's made Shakespeare accessible to many more folks who might not have even bothered otherwise. Zefferili does for Shakespeare what Emeril does for cuisine--makes it entertaining while keeping all the quality. And what a fun production--great costumes, a young Michael York, lots of sexy repartee. A good choice for a snowy night when you'd rather stay in. It keeps you pretty entertained throughout, simplifies some of the plot intricacies. One drawback is that Miss Taylor appears to be a little long in the tooth to be playing a young, never-married, girl.

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