Shakespeare's battle-of-the-sexes comedy starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Padua in the late 16th century: rich merchant Baptista declares that his young daughter Bianca must remain unwed until her older sister Katharina is married. However, Bianca's chances of matrimony seem doomed as Katharina is a fiery shrew who has no intention of being anyone's wife. That is, until the arrival of gold-digging reprobate Petruchio...
It was made at the height of one of their violent love affairs, and Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor breathe their own personal life into Shakespeare's not so politically correct battle-of-the-sexes tale. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli - who would return to the Bard with Romeo and Juliet (1968) and Hamlet (1990) - the film opts for colourful action over well-wrought articulation. With its ravishing photography, impressive sets and costumes, it's certainly a feast for the eyes, and benefits from the ebullient performances of one of moviedom's greatest couples.
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Petruchio | Richard Burton |
| Katharina | Elizabeth Taylor |
| Baptista | Michael Hordern |
| Grumio | Cyril Cusack |
| Lucentio | Michael York |
| Tranio | Alfred Lynch |
| Bianca | Natasha Pyne |
| Gremio | Alan Webb |
| Hortensio | Victor Spinetti |
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Director | Franco Zeffirelli |
