Sadly Over-hyped

Good start, but then it gets ruined

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

OK all you lovely people out there, I know you enjoyed this and I feel a bit guilty to disagree. Maybe I was in a bad mood ? I am not sure ! That said I really felt it was OTT badly acted, somehow overly stretched singing that just did not hold up to the Cole Porter songs and lyrics that I have always loved. The print which clearly has undergone stupendous clean up and stunning hues of glorious colors, added to all that 3D simply detracted from the atmosphere of the original 2d version ! Having to wear infernal uncomfortable spectacles, continually drooping on my face was an additional pain in the backside. And frankly, a film of this genre in 3D is nothing less than an unattractive addition where none is needed. In no way does 3D add any gravitas whatsoever to this great version of Shakespeare's tale. Come on, really, a juggler throwing his skittles or whatever they were, a complete waste of time and detracting from all the original value. Why on earth do we need to fix something that is not broken ? I should have known better, as in fact my preview invite did state 3D and if I would have thought about that, I could have realized, that as a fussy purist. Actually, my comment re 'badly acted ' really somehow is at the mercy of this in 3D ! For me, it is akin to placing all actors under a microscope, thereby exaggerating their performances to the point of overblowing the performances to something that was not seen or felt in the original ! Once again, my personal interprtation. I would not have made the long journey required to get to the preview theater. I left after about 25 minutes due, at least partly to 3D glasses. And finally, the theater was packed to capacity, so clearly I am in a minority of about one quarter of one percent ? So, anyone reading this, please be aware, you may well revel and thoroughly enjoy this film from beginning to conclusion. My advice, never accept someone else's opine, as the above is always nothing more than personal for that particular day of viewing ? On another day, or evening, not withstanding the pointless ( also my opine only ) 3D, I may view at a later date and also thoroughly enjoy ?

Like many of the screen musicals of the 50s, this one was based on a successful stage musical. In this case, it was a bizarre intermingling of Shakespeare's Taming Of The Shrew with a parallel of Shakespeare's story going on between the cast of the show.The screen version, filmed with a cast of individuals who would normally have been the supporting players (Howard Keel, despite a number of leading roles, never really leaped to the top of the first division), had the added peculiarity of being filmed in 3D, though not widely seen as such.For all that, this is a big success, in part due to its bizarreness (Keenan Wynn and Richard Whitmore as gangster song and dance men, anyone), in part due to the winning performances, and in part - in big part - due to the sparkling Cole Porter score. A highly capable melodicist, Porter was surely the supreme lyricist of the 20th century.

Two divorced performers -- Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson -- are brought together in a Broadway musical written by Cole Porter. They hate each other. The play is based on Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" and the stars hate each other on stage as well as off. Sub plots include James Whitmore and Keenan Wynne as two lowbrow hoods hanging around to collect an IOU supposedly written by Keel.The songs are uniformly tuneful and good. Porter could write some clunkers but there aren't any here. "So In Love" is sincere, but most are clever. Sometimes they are underhandedly cute, or am I reading too much into lyrics like "I'm a maid mad to marry/ And will take double-quick/ Any Tom, Dick or Harry,/ Any Tom, Harry or Dick." Maybe -- but I don't think so. Porter's lyrics could be pretty risqué.And what a cast! Keel and Grayson in 1953 were at the top of their form, she with her coloratura soprano and he with his reassuringly wobbly baritone. They're the two singers and aren't required to dance.The dancers include the ingratiatingly vulgar Ann Miller and the splendid Tommy Rall, Bobby Van, and the outstanding Bob Fosse, who put together their final joint number, "From This Moment On," which was a springboard to celebrity. Also in this dance is Carol Haney, who lamentably was featured in only one other film, "The Pajama Game", before dying at an early age. There is a brief glimpse of a sailor flirting with Ann Miller. The sailor is Hermes Pan, for years Fred Astaire's alter ego. Whenever I watch Ralls do his exhilarating comic number in "Why Can't You Behave," I always wind up asking myself, "Why was I never able to do that?" The answer is always the same. Something to do with a paucity of myoneural plates.The wardrobe people deserve some kind of medal, not so much for the women's costumes -- elaborate though they are -- but for the flamboyance of the men's outfits. All the colors of the rainbow, enough to numb the mind if not blind the eye.The acting is okay. Not much more than that. Sometimes Keel, who is supposed to be something of a narcissistic blowhard, carries his 1600 locutions off stage. I don't know whether it was deliberate or just an oversight on director Sidney's part. Anyway, he looks good. The full-figured and blossom-eyed Grayson looks practically edible. For the rest of the cast, well, they're not supposed to be Shakespearian actors and they don't sound like it. The actor who comes off best with Will's dialog is Kurt Kasznar. He sounds as if he's done it before. As a comedy, it's amusing rather than hilarious, but it's altogether engaging. Some harmless gags are given to the two hoods. Someone asks if Grayson is permitted to leave the theater. "She wouldst but she canst." Keel's character, Fred Graham, is always addressed as "Mister Gray-ham." This film must originally have been shot in 3-D. It's curious to see the cast thrusting their faces into the camera, throwing pewter pots and bananas at the audience.

I had never heard of this film I saw it listed in the TV schedule during the Christmas schedule two years running, and being a fan of the particular genre I gave it a try, from director George Sidney (Anchors Aweigh). Basically Cole Porter (Ron Randell) has a new stage production, translating the William Shakespeare comedy "The Taming of the Shrew" into a musical, with director Fred Graham (Calamity Jane's Howard Keel) directing and playing the lead character Peruchio. They need a good lead to play the part of Katherine, and after a talk they mange to convince actress/singer, and Fred's ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi (Kathryn Grayson), to be in "Kiss Me Kate". When Lilli and Fred divorced a year ago they parted on not good terms, and she is very jealous of his new girlfriend, playing the part of Katherine's sister Bianca, Lois Lane (Ann Miller). Fred and Lilli may be getting more used to each other in rehearsals, and he doesn't know however that Lois is only using him as she is seeing Bill Calhoun (Tommy Rall), playing the part of one of Bianca's suitor Lucentio. It comes to the opening night of the show, and as the plays goes on, the relationship between Fred and Lilli mimics the story being played out, ignited by her getting a bunch of flowers addressed to Lois. With the two leads trying to act while almost bickering on stage, there is quite a lot of improvisation to smooth it all over, and it doesn't stop until the interval when Lilli threatens to leave. Also involved in the situation is her on again/off again fiancé, cattle baron Tex Callaway (Willard Parker), as well as two gangsters who are wanting a gambling debt paid for a new investment. As the gangsters come on stage in costume, Lilli starts changing her feelings towards Fred, and the play reaches its conclusion, the stage production and their relationship have truly come together, and so do they. Also starring Keenan Wynn as Lippy, Bobby Van as 'Gremio', James Whitmore as Slug, Kurt Kasznar as 'Baptista' and Cabaret director Bob Fosse as 'Hortensio'. Keel is great in his role, Grayson is also really good, I agree Miller does almost steal the show with her character, her long bare legs and the song "Too Darn Hot", the other songs that stick out are "So In Love", "Why Can't You Behave", "I Hate Men" and "Brush Up Your Shakespeare", overall it is a fun and melodic musical comedy. It nominated the Oscar for Best Music for André Previn and Saul Chaplin. It was number 68 on The 100 Greatest Musicals. Very good!