Kiss Me Kate (1953)

MGM, 1953
Starring Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Ann Miller, and Tommy Rall
Directed by George Sidney
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter

Here's another film version of a show that was recently revived on Broadway. Word on Broadway was that Cole Porter had lost his touch when he wrote the songs for this musical version of The Taming of the Shrew in 1948. They couldn't have been more wrong. The show was a huge hit, and the cast album became a best-seller. MGM threw everything they had into the movie, including the then-new fad of 3-D and a very brief bit by Bob Fosse in one of his earliest film appearances. Let's head to a chic apartment in New York to see how well they did...

The Story: Stage star and director Fred Graham (Keel) is hoping to win back his ex-wife Lilli Vannessi (Grayson) by giving her the plum role of Katherine in his new musical version of Taming of the Shrew. For all her fond memories of their relationship, Lilli's not that eager to get back together with him. For one thing, he has a girlfriend on the side, energetic dancer Lois Lane (Miller). For another, Lilli is set to marry a wealthy Texan (Willard Parker). Lois has her own boyfriend, fellow dancer Bill Calhoun (Rall), who owes two thousand dollars to a gangster and signed Fred's name to the IOU. When the gangster's goons Lippy (Keenan Wynn) and Slug (James Whitmore) show up, Fred recruits them as actors to keep Lilli from walking out. Even Fred can't keep this shrew tamed for very long...but love will find a way, even among battling lovers.

The Song and Dance: As good as Keel and especially Grayson are as the battling lovers, it's the dance routines that really shine here. Miller's having a blast in one of her best roles at MGM, and Rall is almost as good as her gambler sweetheart. Bob Fosse got one of his first choreography jobs with a segment of the big "From This Moment On" chorus number. Whitmore and Wynn are hilarious as the goons who find themselves enjoying their encounter with show biz folks.

Favorite Number: Miller kicks things off with her awesome "Too Darn Hot," Lois' audition for Fred. No wonder she got the role of Bianca - she's sizzling in this one, one of her best solo routines. Keel and Grayson get to romp through the delightful operetta spoof "Wunderbar" backstage in Lilli's dressing room. Miller and Rall have two fun duets, "Why Can't You Behave?" and "Always True to You In My Fashion" later after Bill has caught Lois flirting with the Texan. "We Open In Venice," with its traveling scenery and Fred throwing smoke, doesn't really have much to do with the story (a problem in the stage version as well), but is at least lively.

I like how they tied "Brush Up Your Shakespere" into the story. On the stage, it's just something the comic gangsters come out to sing as a random vaudeville turn when the scenery is being changed. The film has Lippy and Slug performing to to cheer up Fred after Lilli left, complete with a charming soft-shoe and a breaking the fourth wall moment directly to the camera.

"From This Moment On" is a glorious routine for Rall, Miller, and the chorus after Biana and Lucencio's wedding. Though the rest of the number was choreographed by long-time Hollywood fixture Hermes Pan, Fosse did the slower, sexier sequence with him and Haney, and it's a brief, finger-snapping stand-out.

Trivia: "From This Moment On" was brought in from a failed Porter Broadway show, Out of This World. It didn't go over there, but became a hit, and later a standard, after showing up in the movie. Most modern stage versions will usually include it.

This was originally filmed and shown in 3-D, which is why the cast keeps throwing objects at the screen.

The film was made for TV four times - with original Broadway cast members Alfred Drake and Patricia Morrison in 1958, with Keel and Morrison in England in 1964, with Robert Goulet and Carol Laurence back in the US in 1968, and with Brent Barrett and Rachel York in a PBS Great Performances recording of the London revival in 2003.

What I Don't Like: First of all, while Ron Randell does resemble Cole Porter somewhat, that's definitely not him. By 1953, Porter had both legs amputated after years of pain from a riding accident. He would have been in a wheelchair.

Second, the opening scene is completely unnecessary. They could have started at the theater, as in the stage version, and it would have worked fine. They could have even worked "Too Darn Hot" and Porter in, calling it early rehearsals. Of the songs that they cut to fit this in, "Another Openin', Another Show" would likely be the biggest loss. It's considered to be one of the greatest opening numbers in stage history. (Other songs that didn't make it in include the ballad "Bianca" for Bill/Lucencio and the music for Lilli/Kate's "I am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple" - it's spoken in the film.)

And then there's the questions about the treatment of Lilli/Kate that comes with any version of Taming of the Shrew. The looks on Grayson's face during "Simple" indicate that she'll probably love, but not obey...but it's really open to interpretation.

The Big Finale: This is an old family favorite. The terrific numbers and energetic cast more than make up for a script that hasn't always dated well in spots. If you're a fan of Porter, the cast, Fosse, or dance in film, you'll want to check this one out.

Home Media: Alas, both the DVD and Blu-Ray (the latter in the original 3D) are out of print. Your best bet to find the "flat" version that I reviewed would be streaming or as part of several DVD collections.

DVD - Silver Screen Icons: Broadway Musicals
Blu-Ray - Musicals 4-Movie Collection
Amazon Prime