Kiss Me Kate (1953)

Seriously, Kiss Me Kate is a truly splendid movie. My only complaint is that there are one or two slow scenes in the middle half. People might say it just lacks the energy and pizazz of a musical like Singin' In the Rain, maybe so. Singin' In the Rain is one of those wonderful, energetic and irresistible films. But Kiss Me Kate sparkles in a truly delightful and somewhat unique way, not only in the production values but in its performances, music and choreography.

The film looks absolutely fabulous. The cinematography is fluid, the sets colourful and the costumes lavish. Director George Sidney is right at home here, and makes splendid use of his stars by using cleverly disguised long takes. The music and songs by Cole Porter is outstanding, from a musical AND choreographic point of view Too Darn Hot and Brush Up Your Shakespeare have always stood out for me. The plot reads of a musical version of Taming of the Shrew, and is very effective.

The choreography is energetic and never pedestrian. And the performances are wonderful. I can never get enough of Howard Keel, he just has a charming screen persona and a beautiful singing voice. Here, as Fred he has rarely been better. As Lisa, Kathryn Grayson looks stunning and acts "difficult" perfectly. Comic gangsters James Whitmore and Keenan Wynn are also great in the saucy waltz Brush Up Your Shakespeare, but with Too Darn Hot it is Ann Miller who steals the show. All in all, splendid. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Fmovies: "Kiss Me Kate"is a late musical by fine songwriter Cole Porter, and some of the lyrics are melancholic. But this is also his mature masterwork, presenting such standards as "Wunderbar", "Where is the Life That Late I Led" "Why Can't You Behave", "So in Love", "Brush Up Your Shakespeare", "I've Come to Wive it Wealthily in Padua", and "Kiss Me Kate". On Broadway the starring role has been played by Alfred Drake and Keith Andes; Howard Keel was a bit too young for the role of a seasoned Broadway star, and his admission was that he had not mastered the classical accent that later serve him in several roles from Kismet on. He is paired here with his tempestuous ex-wife, a role played on Broadway by Patricia Morison, here impersonated with intelligence but less verve than needed by Kathryn Grayson. Other stalwarts in the surprisingly small cast include Ron Randell as Porter, Anne Miller superb as the ingenue, Tommy Rall, a superb dancer, as her sneaky boy-friend, Kurt Kasznar, James Whitmore, Keenan Wynn, Bobby Van and Bob Fosse and others such as Dave O'Brien and Willard Parker who do very well. The production moves forward very smoothly, under the able direction by George Sidney; Walter Plunkett's costumes look very good, the blocking is far-above- average and the lighting and sound deserving of awards--since the talents who worked on the movie include Edwin Willis, Cedric Gibbons, Sydney Guilaroff, Willian Tuttle, composer Saul Chapin and Hermes Pan. There is one dance number choreographed by Fosse, featuring Carol Haney, that is a show stopper and seems delightfully out-of-key with the other numbers, as does Ann Miller's audition number "Too Darn Hot', equally compellingly done. The comedy in the film to my mind is among the best ever put on film, since it proceeds from the characters and their purposes and is never 'added' as business. The hilarious middle scenes of the play involve two comedic stagestruck gunsels, sent by the man to whom Keel owes money, because Rall has been gambling and has signed his name to an IOU to a gangster. The two not only sing the "Bresh Up Yer Shakespeare" number with New York accents, they dance, end up on stage in the production being premiered and all but steal the film. Watch for innovative presentations in several of the within-the-play songs, including "We Open Again in Venice" and Keel's big number, sung to his ex-girlfriends, "Where is the Life That Late I led". Adaptation of the screenplay was done by Bella and Sam Spewak with considerable skill. , and it is far livelier than most musicals throughout. All that prevents this movie from being nominated one of the best of all musicals of all time in my judgment are the leads, who should have been Andes and Morison and also some way of taking the filming outdoors at least twice. But thanks to all concerned, this is an artistic triumph, on nearly every level; and the play is now a staple of the U.S, theatrical repertoire thanks to the clever book, Porter's more-than-clever and well-integrated lyrics and the delightful melodies it presents so seamlessly.

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!

Kiss Me Kate fmovies. The movie is not the same as the stage production but it stands on its own as one of the best MGM musicals of the era. Howard Keel and Katherine Grayson were never better in any other of their films; Ann Miller is her usual energetic and delightful self, plus you get to see some superb dancers who made very few films at all, and they are all at the top of their form: Tommy Rall, Jeannie Coyne, Bob Fosse, Carol Haney and Bobby Van. The big closing number, From This Moment On, is a showcase for those five dancers plus Miller...look out for Fosse and Haney's amazing hipster/be-bop flavored segment! That song was added to the movie from another Porter show and it is the highlight of this great movie!

This movie is quite the best musical of the 50's, with more plot and excellent sideplay and bits. Of these bits, my favorites are Howard Keel's rendition of "Where Is the Life that Late I Led", and Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore's clever presentation of "Brush Up Your Shakespeare". Either one could stand alone, but when added to the dancing of Ann Miller, Bob Fosse, Bobby Van and Carol Chaney, you have a real winner. Very clever and upbeat. Kathryn Grayson was never a favorite of mine, but she is acceptable as Lily, and her number "I Hate Men" is a real winner. You know, this movie has so many excellent songs that it is very hard to pick just a few. "Always True to You, Darling, in my Fashion", "Tom, Dick and Harry"--Cole Porter was at the top of his form for this movie.

Great adaptation of the Broadway musical with a wonderful Cole Porter score. Yes the plot is just an excuse (though not a flimsy one) to put the numbers together, but so what? Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel are very good as battling exes who are destined to be together, in the best tradition of Scarlett and Rhett, with a dash of His Girl Friday thrown in. Plus, it's all acted out amidst Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, which provides for some great comic moments. Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore as the two gangsters are hilarious in the classic "Brush Up Your Shakespeare." Bob Fosse, who plays Bianca's blond suitor in the "Shrew" play-within-a-play, electrifies the screen with Carol Haney in their short but spectacular dance during the "From This Moment On" number. But it is Ann Miller who steals the show with her tradmark perkiness, charm and dynamite dancing skills, demonstrated memorably in another classic, "Too Darn Hot," and her numbers with Tommy Rall. Definitly recommended if you want a laugh, a tune to hum and a great show to see.