In the broadest sense, the film follows the story of the play. Most of the dialogue from the film is taken verbatim from the play, all of the characters in the film come directly from the play and all of the major plot points come directly from the play.
However, a huge amount of material has been removed, much more than in 'standard' Shakespearean adaptations; only about 20% of the original text remains in the finished film. Given that the play, when performed in full, takes about two and a half hours, whereas the film is only sixty-five minutes in length (all DVDs contain the 1966 'Mary Pickford cut' of the film, which was seven minutes shorter than the original 1929 cut), one can see how much material has been excised. Add to this the fact that much time is spent in the film with slapstick visual humor and characters glaring at one another, it becomes even more apparent how judicious the editing was. Indeed, although the credits call the film "William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew", according to Mary Pickford's biographer, Scott Eyman, the filmmakers utilized David Garrick's considerably shorter version of the play, Catherine and Petruchio, as much as they did the original Shakespeare text. Although Catherine and Petruchio reproduces the same basic plot and much of the dialogue, it heavily cuts from the original and was not a full length play (it was usually performed as a two-piece with Garrick's shortened version of The Winter's Tale).
Given this fact, many of the cuts in Garrick can be seen reflected in the film. The most significant difference involves the character of Lucentio and the Bianca subplot. Central to the subplot (and indeed a major character throughout the play), Lucentio is completely absent from both Garrick and the film, effectively replaced by Hortensio in both (played by Geoffrey Wardwell in the film). In tandem with the removal of Lucentio, the Bianca subplot in which he is a major character is also heavily cut, and is virtually absent from both Garrick and the film. Whereas in the play, Bianca has three suitors; Lucentio (with whom she falls in love), Hortensio and Gremio, in Garrick and the film, the plot begins with Hortensio and Bianca (Dorothy Jordan) already in love, and Gremio (Joseph Cawthorn) portrayed not as a suitor for her hand, but as simply Hortensio's friend (and Petruchio's (Douglas Fairbanks) old friend, a role played by Hortensio in the play). As a result of this, Bianca is little more than a passive observer in the film, whereas in the play, she is very much a defined character.
Perhaps the most significant difference in the film other than the omission of the subplot concerns Katherine's awareness of Petruchio's intentions regarding how he is to tame her. In the play, Petruchio makes a speech outlining his plans, which is in the form of a soliloquy. However, in the film, Petruchio discusses his intentions with his dog, unaware that Katherine is listening to him from a balcony above. In the play, there is no such indication that Katherine is aware of what Petruchio is doing, and her knowledge of such in the film is a significant departure from the text - seen most clearly in the conversation she and Petruchio have about the sun and moon, where her motivation for agreeing with him is given a different slant, due to her foreknowledge of what he is doing.
The overriding framework of the original play is also changed. As Shakespeare wrote it, The Taming of the Shrew is a play-within-a-play, performed at an inn for the amusement of Christopher Sly, a tinker who is staying there as a guest. However, the removal of this framing device is not unusual; it is almost always removed in performance, it was removed in Garrick, it was removed in the 1967 film version and it was removed in the 1980 BBC Television Shakespeare version. One of the only adaptations to actually include the frame was the 1994 Shakespeare: The Animated Tales version.
However, a huge amount of material has been removed, much more than in 'standard' Shakespearean adaptations; only about 20% of the original text remains in the finished film. Given that the play, when performed in full, takes about two and a half hours, whereas the film is only sixty-five minutes in length (all DVDs contain the 1966 'Mary Pickford cut' of the film, which was seven minutes shorter than the original 1929 cut), one can see how much material has been excised. Add to this the fact that much time is spent in the film with slapstick visual humor and characters glaring at one another, it becomes even more apparent how judicious the editing was. Indeed, although the credits call the film "William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew", according to Mary Pickford's biographer, Scott Eyman, the filmmakers utilized David Garrick's considerably shorter version of the play, Catherine and Petruchio, as much as they did the original Shakespeare text. Although Catherine and Petruchio reproduces the same basic plot and much of the dialogue, it heavily cuts from the original and was not a full length play (it was usually performed as a two-piece with Garrick's shortened version of The Winter's Tale).
Given this fact, many of the cuts in Garrick can be seen reflected in the film. The most significant difference involves the character of Lucentio and the Bianca subplot. Central to the subplot (and indeed a major character throughout the play), Lucentio is completely absent from both Garrick and the film, effectively replaced by Hortensio in both (played by Geoffrey Wardwell in the film). In tandem with the removal of Lucentio, the Bianca subplot in which he is a major character is also heavily cut, and is virtually absent from both Garrick and the film. Whereas in the play, Bianca has three suitors; Lucentio (with whom she falls in love), Hortensio and Gremio, in Garrick and the film, the plot begins with Hortensio and Bianca (Dorothy Jordan) already in love, and Gremio (Joseph Cawthorn) portrayed not as a suitor for her hand, but as simply Hortensio's friend (and Petruchio's (Douglas Fairbanks) old friend, a role played by Hortensio in the play). As a result of this, Bianca is little more than a passive observer in the film, whereas in the play, she is very much a defined character.
Perhaps the most significant difference in the film other than the omission of the subplot concerns Katherine's awareness of Petruchio's intentions regarding how he is to tame her. In the play, Petruchio makes a speech outlining his plans, which is in the form of a soliloquy. However, in the film, Petruchio discusses his intentions with his dog, unaware that Katherine is listening to him from a balcony above. In the play, there is no such indication that Katherine is aware of what Petruchio is doing, and her knowledge of such in the film is a significant departure from the text - seen most clearly in the conversation she and Petruchio have about the sun and moon, where her motivation for agreeing with him is given a different slant, due to her foreknowledge of what he is doing.
The overriding framework of the original play is also changed. As Shakespeare wrote it, The Taming of the Shrew is a play-within-a-play, performed at an inn for the amusement of Christopher Sly, a tinker who is staying there as a guest. However, the removal of this framing device is not unusual; it is almost always removed in performance, it was removed in Garrick, it was removed in the 1967 film version and it was removed in the 1980 BBC Television Shakespeare version. One of the only adaptations to actually include the frame was the 1994 Shakespeare: The Animated Tales version.
In the context of the play, this is a considerably controversial topic, which has been debated since the play was first performed in 1592. In the context of the film however, the issue is not quite so inflammatory, as in the film, Katherine only seems to submit to Petruchio. In reality, she has manipulated him to think that she has submitted, and her final speech is part of this manipulation.
In the final scene, as in the play, Katherine makes a speech about how a wife must be loyal to her husband. At this point in the play, the other male characters begin to complement Petruchio on what a fine job he has done in taming her. In the film however, just as Katherine reaches the end of her speech, she looks at Bianca and winks, indicating she has not been tamed at, but is instead firmly in control of the relationship, albeit, unbeknownst to Petruchio himself.
So, in the context of the film, Katherine doesn't succumb to Petruchio, she merely makes him think she has so as to dupe him.
In the final scene, as in the play, Katherine makes a speech about how a wife must be loyal to her husband. At this point in the play, the other male characters begin to complement Petruchio on what a fine job he has done in taming her. In the film however, just as Katherine reaches the end of her speech, she looks at Bianca and winks, indicating she has not been tamed at, but is instead firmly in control of the relationship, albeit, unbeknownst to Petruchio himself.
So, in the context of the film, Katherine doesn't succumb to Petruchio, she merely makes him think she has so as to dupe him.
As with the question of why does Katherine succumb to Petruchio, the question as to whether or not the play is misogynistic has been around for hundreds of years. In the film, the story of Petruchio's taming of Katherine against her will is very much treated comically, presented as a story where the obstinacy of the woman and the resoluteness of the man work to offset each other a la the irresistible force meeting the immovable object. However, the fundamental fact is that a woman is forced to marry a man against her will. Petruchio even admits that money is the main incentive in his search for a wife, and from the time he meets Katherine to the time the play ends, he never shows any real affection for her, or expresses anything which seems like genuine emotion. His few speeches (in the play) are all about lying and subterfuge, often mixed with hunting metaphors (in which Katherine is the wild hawk that needs to be trained). These speeches imply that there is no affection in him whatsoever for Katherine, nor any guilt or remorse as to the situation he is forced her to go through. Furthermore, the end of the play is treated very much like a celebration and Petruchio very much like a conquering hero; his taming has been successful.
One of the main criticisms that has been leveled at the play is that by presenting such a situation, with Petruchio very much in the role of protagonist, and also treating it comically, the play is in fact championing the subjugation of women, and celebrating patriarchy and societal male dominance. As such, the play is often seen as Shakespeare's most openly sexist piece, with its main purpose being to cater for the predominately male audience who would have been attending his plays in the late 1590s. Needless to say, many productions and adaptations of the play have thus stirred away from this implication, instead offering some sort of counterweight to the apparent sexism (see here and here for more information on the various productions and adaptations of the play), and this film is no different. As explained above, the film alters the ending of the play to show that Katherine has not been tamed at all.
Whatever the case regarding actual productions however, some critics argue that the play is not sexist at all, even without altering the end, and is instead mocking male notions of superiority and celebrating the resiliency of women. Much of the debate is tied into Katherine's final speech (which is considerably shortened in the film), and whether or not she is being sincere. In this adaptation, as explained above, she clearly isn't in any way sincere at all, but there is no indication in the text one way or the other to indicate how Shakespeare himself regarded the speech. Actresses usually play the role either devoutly sincere (such as in the BBC Shakespeare version) or heavily ironic (such as in the 1967 adaptation, where Katherine give her speech, apparently sincerely, but then embarrasses Petruchio by walking out of the banquet hall without him, leaving him to follow her, whilst the assembled guests laugh at him). If played sincere, the implication is that Petruchio has simply worn down Katherine, tired her out to the point where she is simply unable, or unwilling, to resist him. In this sense, then, it is difficult to argue that the play is not at least in some degree misogynistic. On the other hand, if the speech is played ironically, the reverse is true, the play becomes a mockery of patriarchy and a celebration of feminine wiles.
See here for a discussion of the apparent misogyny in the play in general, and the final speech in specific.
One of the main criticisms that has been leveled at the play is that by presenting such a situation, with Petruchio very much in the role of protagonist, and also treating it comically, the play is in fact championing the subjugation of women, and celebrating patriarchy and societal male dominance. As such, the play is often seen as Shakespeare's most openly sexist piece, with its main purpose being to cater for the predominately male audience who would have been attending his plays in the late 1590s. Needless to say, many productions and adaptations of the play have thus stirred away from this implication, instead offering some sort of counterweight to the apparent sexism (see here and here for more information on the various productions and adaptations of the play), and this film is no different. As explained above, the film alters the ending of the play to show that Katherine has not been tamed at all.
Whatever the case regarding actual productions however, some critics argue that the play is not sexist at all, even without altering the end, and is instead mocking male notions of superiority and celebrating the resiliency of women. Much of the debate is tied into Katherine's final speech (which is considerably shortened in the film), and whether or not she is being sincere. In this adaptation, as explained above, she clearly isn't in any way sincere at all, but there is no indication in the text one way or the other to indicate how Shakespeare himself regarded the speech. Actresses usually play the role either devoutly sincere (such as in the BBC Shakespeare version) or heavily ironic (such as in the 1967 adaptation, where Katherine give her speech, apparently sincerely, but then embarrasses Petruchio by walking out of the banquet hall without him, leaving him to follow her, whilst the assembled guests laugh at him). If played sincere, the implication is that Petruchio has simply worn down Katherine, tired her out to the point where she is simply unable, or unwilling, to resist him. In this sense, then, it is difficult to argue that the play is not at least in some degree misogynistic. On the other hand, if the speech is played ironically, the reverse is true, the play becomes a mockery of patriarchy and a celebration of feminine wiles.
See here for a discussion of the apparent misogyny in the play in general, and the final speech in specific.
Yes and no.
It is the first feature length Shakespearean adaptation to use sound, but it is not the first time sound cinema had adapted Shakespeare. Earlier in 1929, The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929) had been released. This film featured John Gilbert and Norma Shearer enacting the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, first in Elizabethan dialect, then in contemporary slang. As such, although The Taming of the Shrew is the first feature length Shakespearean sound adaptation, it was actually the second time Shakespeare has been heard on cinema.
It is the first feature length Shakespearean adaptation to use sound, but it is not the first time sound cinema had adapted Shakespeare. Earlier in 1929, The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929) had been released. This film featured John Gilbert and Norma Shearer enacting the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, first in Elizabethan dialect, then in contemporary slang. As such, although The Taming of the Shrew is the first feature length Shakespearean sound adaptation, it was actually the second time Shakespeare has been heard on cinema.
Both the R1 US DVD, released by Telavista in 2007, and the R2 UK DVD, released by JEF Films in 2005 contain the following special features:
Filmographies and biographies for Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford
Filmographies and biographies for Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford
No it is not.
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- How long is The Taming of the Shrew?1 hour and 3 minutes
- When was The Taming of the Shrew released?November 30, 1929
- What is the IMDb rating of The Taming of the Shrew?6.2 out of 10
- Who stars in The Taming of the Shrew?
- Who wrote The Taming of the Shrew?
- Who directed The Taming of the Shrew?
- Who was the composer for The Taming of the Shrew?
- Who was the producer of The Taming of the Shrew?
- Who was the cinematographer for The Taming of the Shrew?
- Who was the editor of The Taming of the Shrew?
- Who are the characters in The Taming of the Shrew?Katherine, Petruchio, Baptista, Gremio, Grumio, Hortensio, Bianca Stratford, and Servant
- What was the budget for The Taming of the Shrew?$504,000
- How much did The Taming of the Shrew earn at the US box office?$1.1 million
- What is The Taming of the Shrew rated?Passed
- What genre is The Taming of the Shrew?Comedy, Romance, and Romantic Comedy
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