Kiss Me Kate (1953)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

George Sidney

Writers:

Dorothy Kingsley (screenplay)
Sam Spewack (play) ...

Release Date:

26 November 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

THE FAMED STAGE HIT...NOW A BIG COLORFUL MUSICAL!

Plot:

Fred and Lilly are a divorced pair of actors who are brought together by Cole Porter who has written a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew...

Plot Keywords:

Opening Night | Kiss | Gambling Debt | William Shakespeare | Gambling

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Kathryn Grayson	...	Lilli Vanessi 'Katharina'
Howard Keel	...	Fred Graham 'Petruchio'
Ann Miller	...	Lois Lane 'Bianca'
Keenan Wynn	...	Lippy
Bobby Van	...	'Gremio'
Tommy Rall	...	Bill Calhoun 'Lucentio'
James Whitmore	...	Slug
Kurt Kasznar	...	'Baptista'
Bob Fosse	...	'Hortensio'
Ron Randell	...	Cole Porter
Willard Parker	...	Tex Callaway
Dave O'Brien	...	Ralph
Claud Allister	...	Paul
Ann Codee	...	Suzanne
Carol Haney	...	Specialty Dancer

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Anscocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo (Western Electric Sound System) | Mono

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | Canada:G (video rating) | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #16600)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Even though Hermes Pan is the credited choreographer on the film, the steamy duet between Bob Fosse and Carol Haney in "From This Moment On" (which includes Fosse doing a complete back-flip) was choreographed by Fosse himself, and lasts only 66 seconds. But it is the sequence that made critics take notice of the future award-winning choreographer and director.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At the time he wrote this musical, far from being a healthy man, Cole Porter was a wheelchair-bound cripple who needed constant medical care. His legs had been crushed in a riding accident when the horse fell on him.

Quotes:

Lilli Vanessi: Do you really think *I* could play the shrew?
Fred Graham: You'd make a perfect shrew!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Broadway: The American Musical: Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin': 1943-1960 (#1.4)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Too Darn Hot

Ah...

What great stars! Keel and Grayson are excellent in this, with the lovely song So In Love, among many others. Tommy Rall is underused. He was in the same amount of numbers as the marvelous Ann Miller, but got minimum screen time, with the exception of Why Can't You Behave. Ann Miller was nothing short of awesome, with four numbers and ample attention in all of them. Too Darn Hot, Tom Dick or Harry, Why Can't You Behave, Always True To You In My Fashion, and From This Moment On (to a lesser degree) belong to her. A perfect movie for her fans. I urge you, run, don't walk to the nearest video store and pray that they have KISS ME KATE!