Wonderful character development!

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

There is definitely an excellent idea hidden in the background of the film. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find it.

I have to tell myself to enjoy something when there is so much confrontation as part of the plot. "Kiss Me Kate" is, of course, the musical based on "The Taming of the Shrew," by William Shakespeare. In it Howard Keel and Katherine Grayson spar for about two and a half hours. All the sexists out there know that in this era, the man is going to ultimately come out on top. Both of them are well suited to their roles and deliver many clever lines, sparring over and over and over. There are enough minor characters to go around and some really fun songs. This is played quite a bit for laughs and it works well. Good colorful sets and interesting costuming.

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 ?

Cole Porter had not had a smash hit on Broadway since the beginning of World War II when this took the New York stage by storm in late 1948. Rather than just take Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shew" and turn that directly into a musical, he made it about the backstage goings on of the pre-Broadway tryout of a new musical based upon the Bard's most famous comedy. Rodgers and Hart had earlier scored by musicalizing Shakespeare with "The Comedy of Errors" as "The Boys From Syracuse", which was about mistaken identity, but "Taming of the Shew" and its musical version take on another more serious topic: the battle of the sexes! Faithfully adapted to the screen with only a few of the songs taken out, "Kiss Me Kate" for its premiere engagement added 3-D into the mix, a novelty at the time, and one that had mixed results. I saw this in 3-D at the old Vagabond Theater in Los Angeles many years ago, after having seen it many times in 2-D. The result was still the same, only a bit more thrilling because I got to see all those streamers, vases and dancers flying out into the audience.Lilli Vanessi is the slightly temperamental ex-wife of Fred Graham and agrees to be directed by and co-star opposite her ex in this vehicle. She isn't one of those oh-so-picky divas who complains about everything, but it is very apparent that she hasn't lost her feelings for him, even if she is insulting him at every chance she gets. He makes her furious by openly flirting with co-star Lois Lane (no relation to Superman's girlfriend), the show's ingénue who has apparently only said no to men when she didn't understand the question. Lois is actually in love with Bill Calhoun, the show's juvenile leading man, faithful to him in her fashion, but ultimately, from that moment on, she won't be taking any more sable from that actor named Gable.Lilli misbelieves flowers Fred got for Lois were for her and when she finds out, fury strikes (as does Lilli) and after reminding her that they are doing "Taming of the Shrew" (not "He Who Gets Slapped"), Fred brings in two comic gangsters to keep her from walking out on the show. The gangsters fall in love with the Bard, Lilli ends up with a sore rump and in typical Broadway fashion, everything ends up "Wunderbar!".Unlike other show within the show musicals, the plot is actually thickening rather than stopping, like a musical "Noises Off!". That makes for excellent theater and certainly a wonderful movie. I can't think of a more brilliant cast for MGM's production than Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson as Fred and Lilli, and Tommy Rall and Ann Miller as Bill and Lois. Grayson really gets to show off her comic talents here, being allowed to be both sweet and feisty, while Miller's perkiness is unforgettably show-stopping. When Miller, performing "Too Darn Hot", begins to remove her jewelry, Grayson humorously catches it and passes it nonchalantly onto Keel. Later, Grayson turns "I Hate Men!" into a delightfully bitchy song that reveals how much she actually loves them. The joy of the divorced couple dancing around their dressing room in "Wunderbar!" is another delight.Among the dancing admirers of Miller in the on-stage musical numbers are Bobby Van and Bob Fosse, as well as Carol Haney who later went onto great success in "The Pajama Game". Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore turn "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" into a duet of great laughs ("Kick Her Right in the Coreulanus!") that on stage is the show's 11:00 number. Ron Randell plays a very fictional "Cole Porter" for the audition sequence. Some deem this addition to the movie a mistake; To me, it is just unnceccessary. But everything else is practically perfect.This show has not dated at all; I have seen several revivals of it (most notably the 1999 Broadway production that was a lavish gem) and is one of few musical comedy's that has totally stood the test of time. It has also been done for TV several times, two productions of which have been released to home video. All are delightful in every way, shape, and form.

My title is a quote from Keenan Wynn in this show, meant to convey the fact that this film features a mixed farcical and straight musical treatment of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew", in which recently divorced stage actors Fred(Howard Keel) and Lilli(Kathryn Grayson) incongruously agree to costar in this play, as Petruchio and Katherine, respectively. This film is strongly based on the hit play of the same name, although featuring a different set of main actors. Unfortunately, since their divorce, the two lead characters have developed romantic relationships with others, which they sometimes use as weapons in their on again-off again renewed love-hate relationship. Lilli soon meets her romantic rival in flirtatious Lois(Ann Miller), who will play her more amiable younger sister, Bianca. Actually, Lois is just using Fred to gain her part in the show. Her real beau Bill(Tommy Rall) is her main song/dance partner in several routines in the film. Bill ran up a large gambling debt and signed Fred's name to it, which gets Fred in trouble with the gangsters who run this gambling operation. Two goons(Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore) are sent to collect from him, but he cleverly convinces them to help dissuade Lilli from her latest threat to leave the show to marry her Texas cattle baron fiancé, giving them comical roles in the play.Incongruous events absolve Fred from the gambling debt, while the apparently fled Lilli unexpectedly reappears for her part in the show.This is a nearly perfectly balanced musical romantic comedy: balanced between pure singing and song/dance, and between comedy and straight drama. The burly very tall Keel brings an imposing physical and blustering oral Shakespearean presence, along with his untrained resonant baritone voice. Grayson, as Marilyn Monroe-like blond Lilli or red-haired play Kathryn, makes abundant use of her famous pout, along with her beauty and controversial operatic singing style, to match Keel's charisma. The supporting cast is superb, beginning with the charismatic Ann Miller. As usual, she is cast as the provocative light-hearted 'other woman' or specialty dancer, but gets more screen time than usual in this, her favorite role. Like many others, I don't understand why MGM never cast her as the leading lady, as she was obviously beautiful, could sing as well as dance up a storm,and had great romantic comedic talent. In addition to her impressive solo "Too Darn Hot", in skimpy red outfit, she led 4 song/dance numbers partnered with Tommy Rall, and sometimes additional dancers. The legendary Hermes Pan was chief choreographer. However, the talented dancer and future choreographer Bob Fosse was allowed to choreograph his novel dance sequence with Carol Haney, as part of the "From This Moment On" song/dance number.We are also fortunate that this was perhaps Cole Porter's single best collection of new songs. In contrast to Miller and Rall,Keel and Grayson got only one song/dance duet, to the joyous waltz "Wunderbar". But this was sufficient to rekindle their romantic attraction which, along with roses from Keel, cause Grayson, as Lilli, to warble "So In Love". Later, as part of the play, Grayson sings and acts an especially venomous rendition of "I Hate Men". Keel gets 3 solos during the play. In "I've Come to Wive it Wealthy in Paduas", he crows about the exorbitant dowry he plans to extract from Kathryn's father to get rid of his troublesome daughter. Then, he serenades the unimpressed Kathryn with "Were Thine That Special Face", while she discovers that his roses were mistakenly delivered to her rather than Lois.Finally, he laments on the negative aspects of his deal with the devil, in "Where is the Life That Late I Led".....Not connected with the stage show, another highlight is Wynn and Whitmore's comical song/dance to "Brush Up Your Shakespeare", in which they incorporate well known Shakespearian lines from various plays.Favorite comedic bit is when Fred, to keep Lois from spilling the beans to the two goons about who really signed the gambling debt IOU, initiates a long passionate kiss and squeeze with her, as Bill and Lilli arrive, not understanding what is in his mind.As with most musicals of this era, there are various incongruous or contrived aspects to the plot that are essential to keep the story rolling. And, as with many other musicals, we can sense that the apparent happy ending is probably but a high point in a continuing rocky road in the central romantic relationship between two fickle people or two people with unsolvable conflict problems. So it was in the previous pairing of Keel and Grayson in "Showboat". It would be insightful to understand why Kathryn hated men so and was such a scold at a still young age, and why exactly Fred and Lilli divorced.