Kiss Me Kate
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Movie Reviews of Kiss Me Kate
Movie Review: How to Win Back Your Wife
Summary: 4 Stars
I write this review in honor of Howard Keel's 85th birthday."Kiss Me, Kate" is a lively, albeit dated musical with a slightly chauvenistic streak. It takes liberties with Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew", but is more fun than reading the actual play.
The estranged couple Fred Graham and Lilly Vanessi (Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson), have been divorced for a year at the time they take the lead roles in the Cole Porter musical. Based loosely on Alfred Lunt and his wife Lynn Fontaine, their behind-the-scenes bickering gets a little out of hand and occasionally, resulting in a well-defined lack of professional courtesy as they occassionally humiliate each other in full view of an audience.
But they also have their glorious moments, such as a reminiscence that leads to the number, "Wunderbar".As did their first number, "So In Love", this number reveals a certain wistfulness at their estrangement from each other at the end.
The subplot is the realationship between the play's secondary couple, Lois Lane(Ann Miller) and Bill Calhoun (Tommy Rall), a compulsive gambler who signs Fred Graham's name to an IOU.
The play begins. The number,"Another Opening, Another Show" is heard only as an instrumental piece beforehand. But the numbers, "We Open In Venice" and "Tom, Dick or Harry" kick the show off magnificently. As a big fan of the late Ann Miller's dance numbers,the latter is probably my favorite. As Gremio and Hortensio, Bobby Van and Bob Fosse thrill us with their trademark moves.
Keel sings a sumptuous ballad as his ex discovers that the flowers she thought were intended for her were intended for Lois. Through it all, Howard Keel is characteristically confident, uttering lines of unadulturated sarcasm as his ego occassionally gets the better of him. After being slapped by Lilly, he proves to be even more of a drama queen than any actress.Perhaps the sexiest scene in the film is when Graham removes the sausage links his ex-wife hides against her poitrine during one scne in the play.
Kathryn Grayson, with her porcelain skin and heart-shaped mouth, is a living Madame Alexander Doll in the part of Lilly/Kate. She is comically, firey and able to stand up to her ex-husband and to the thugs that he uses to keep her onstage(Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore) when she threatens to leave after Fred humiliates her. Lippy and Slug appear to collect they debt they believe Graham owes them, and while not althogether academically inclined, they display some knowledege of the Bard and his works, although they look ridiculous in their onstage costumes.
Willard Parks, as Tex Callahan offers Lilly a possible escape from her life in the theatre. But ultimately she is won back not by Fred's threats or humilation, but by the simple admission that he was wrong. While some may find the end to be disappointing, it should be remembered that it was Lilly who ultimately chose whether or not to give Fred a second chance, and Graham's beam of triumph and the twinkle in his eye at the end are worth more than any words-even those by the Bard himself-can say.
Movie Review: Pure Brassy Show Biz Gold
Summary: 4 Stars
In "Kiss Me Kate," (1953), a romantic musical comedy, advertised as "Famed stage hit now big color musical" by its studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, we have another robust, typically color-suffused hit from Arthur Freed's musical division. It was based on the 1948 Broadway hit of the same name, with witty and imaginative script by Sam ands Bella Spewack; and fourteen "wunderbar" songs by peerless American composer Cole Porter. It's onstage/backstage plot, as is well-known, concerns two squabbling theatrical ex-marrieds, Fred Graham, (Howard Keel) and Lilli Vanessi,(Kathryn Grayson), cast as the squabbling Renaissance lovers Petruchio and Catherine in a musical version -- by Cole Porter, of course -- of Shakespeare's romantic comedy "The Taming of the Shrew."
Talent, before and behind the camera, was the best that could be found, in the MGM way. The clever screenplay was by Dorothy Kingsley; musical direction was by Andre Previn and Saul Chaplin; choreography was by Hermes Pan, Fred Astaire's favorite collaborator, and the young Bob Fosse. George Sidney contributed nimble direction. Money was pretty much thrown at the screen, as was everything else in the never-seen 3D version.
Howard Keel, with his lusty voice, strikes the right note of self-confident masculinity throughout; his "I've Come to Wive it Wealthily in Padua," and "Where Is The Life That Late I Lived," we might say, showcase all his assets. Kathryn Grayson is sufficiently waspish: her fine soprano soars in "I Hate Men." Ann Miller, as Lois Lane/Bianca, tricked out in sexy red from head to toe, delivers a sizzling "Too Darn Hot," and an entertaining "Tom, Dick and Harry." She was, unfortunately for us all, always cast as female second lead, as the studio preferred its female leads demure. Keenan Wynn plays Lippy; James Whitmore, Slug, enforcers mistakenly sent to collect a gambling debt from Graham, the Keel character (a plot's gotta have some complications.) Wynn was a trained dancer, Whitmore was not, but between them they had a show-stopping hit in "Brush Up Your Shakespeare." Ron Randell played Cole Porter; Kurt Kasznar, Baptista. And oh, the dancers: Bobby Van as Gremio; Tommy Rall, from the Broadway show, as Bill Calhoun/Lucentio; Bob Fosse as Hortensio; Jeanne Coyne and Carol Haney for specialties. Just catch the hip-shaking, hipster bebop Fosse choreographed for Haney and himself in "From This Moment On."
Listen, for many years, MGM just had the Midas touch when it came to musicals, and this one is pure gold.
Movie Review: This movie is 'too darn hot'.....
Summary: 4 Stars
What can I say about KISS ME KATE that hasn't been said already? I was first introduced to the music of this production via an old vinyl version that [I believe] was released before the film was even made. The great Cole Porter music accentuates the mood(s) of the story. The plot basically is that two stage performers who were once married to each other (played by Katherine Grayson and Howard Keel) but whose union ended in bitter divorce are asked by Cole Porter himself to star in a musical version of TAMING OF THE SHREW. This request isn't exactly received amicably. The two can barely stand each other from a distance--being on the SAME STAGE is even more excruciating! Needless to say, this tension parallels with the tension the characters in the play have between one another.
What makes this film SO good is the beautiful music. The songs include "So In Love," "I Hate Men" and "Too Darn Hot" (featuring a sizzling Ann Miller, tapdancing on a table and creating fire with every step!). This is a great musical and is truly over the top (in almost every sense of the word!). I think you will enjoy it.
Movie Review: Classic musical given the star treatment.
Summary: 4 Stars
Some of the re-writes for this movie are a bit hard to take. While the new opening is a little hard to take, it does establish the animosity between Fred and Lily quite well. It also makes "Too darned hot" acceptable. Censored lyrics are not awful, but they rob Porter of some of his depth. Katherine Grayson rises to the occasion quite well. Her early scene is contrived, but after that she's on firm footing. Howard Keel is wonderful. His acting is just a tad square, but that was in part the format of the time. Ann Miller dances up a storm. And, speaking of dancing, what a treat to have Carol Haney, Bob Fosse and Bobby Van as featured dancers. There isn't really a complete rendition of "Another openin', another show" and "Bianca" is cut entirely. But the rest of the numbers come through great.
Why 4 stars? Partially because of the cuts. But also the color has just a little fluctuation at times. This isn't a restored print, but it isn't bad either. I wish they had a few more of the 3-D excerpts in the Special stuff. I also with they sent some 3-D glasses.
Movie Review: Kiss Me Kate 1953
Summary: 4 Stars
When two squabbling ex-marrieds are cast as squabbling Renanaissance romantics in a musical "The Taming Of the Sherew 1952" , life imitates art , art imitates life -and it all proves no musical comedy imitates KISS ME KATE , the backstage / onstage delight from the 1948 Broadway smash and featuring 14 peerles Cole Porter (1891-1964) songs . Howard Keel (1919-2004) and Kathryn Grayson (1922- ) are the tangeled twosome So in Love despite her i hate men flashpoints . Ann Miller (1923-2003) adds heat , razzle-tap-dazzling .Zesty Choreography by Bob Foss (1927-1987) and Hermes Pan (1909-1990)
Under George Sidney (1916-2002) nible direction . So brush up your Shakespeare and Enjoy . Kaste wont just Kiss you . Shell floor you !. DVD includes vintage documentary shorts : Mighty Manhattan and New Yorks Wonder city , the pure digital transfer in high resolution and enjoy both movies . Highly recommended