I'll be honest--up until about halfway through this one, I wasn't all that impressed. It wasn't bad--just not all that good. However, the film started to gel and got much better as it progressed--and overall is an excellent musical. So, stick with it--it's worth the wait.
I assumed (incorrectly) that this was just a musical version of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew". However, and here's the weird twist, it's a film about a Broadway production of "Taming of the Shrew" and there are some parallels between the off-stage antics and the play. Not surprisingly, this was originally a Broadway play--a very, very successful one.
It starts off with Howard Keel meeting with Cole Porter to discuss the play--only, in an odd twist, it's an actor playing Porter and why they didn't have Porter play himself is beyond me. They talk about having Keel's ex-wife (Katherine Grayson) co-star with him in the play--but she hates him. So, using another lady (Ann Miller), they manipulate her into taking the role. But not so fast--Grayson's character hates Keel's so much that she's constantly threatening to walk off--even in the middle of the show.
What helped me to like the film (most of which consists of their opening night) is the addition of a goofy subplot involving gambling debts and a couple of mobsters (Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore). They are great--quite funny and their terrible singing and dancing was the best part of the film (I REALLY liked their song "Brush Up Your Shakespeare"--the lyrics are great). Overall, a clever film that had few brilliant tunes but enough going for it to keep you happy. Well worth your time--even if some of Tommy Rall's lip syncing was really off.
I assumed (incorrectly) that this was just a musical version of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew". However, and here's the weird twist, it's a film about a Broadway production of "Taming of the Shrew" and there are some parallels between the off-stage antics and the play. Not surprisingly, this was originally a Broadway play--a very, very successful one.
It starts off with Howard Keel meeting with Cole Porter to discuss the play--only, in an odd twist, it's an actor playing Porter and why they didn't have Porter play himself is beyond me. They talk about having Keel's ex-wife (Katherine Grayson) co-star with him in the play--but she hates him. So, using another lady (Ann Miller), they manipulate her into taking the role. But not so fast--Grayson's character hates Keel's so much that she's constantly threatening to walk off--even in the middle of the show.
What helped me to like the film (most of which consists of their opening night) is the addition of a goofy subplot involving gambling debts and a couple of mobsters (Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore). They are great--quite funny and their terrible singing and dancing was the best part of the film (I REALLY liked their song "Brush Up Your Shakespeare"--the lyrics are great). Overall, a clever film that had few brilliant tunes but enough going for it to keep you happy. Well worth your time--even if some of Tommy Rall's lip syncing was really off.