Shakespeare in Performance: Film
The Taming of the Shrew (1956, Robert Hartung)
| Title | The Taming of the Shrew |
|---|---|
| Year | 1956 |
| Release Locations | USA |
| Director | Robert Hartung |
| Medium | Color video |
| Length | 1 hrs, 30 mins |
| Languages | English |
| Audience | general public |
| Play Connections | The Taming of the Shrew (teleplay) |
| Series | Hallmark Hall of Fame |
Description
Hallmark Hall of Fame television adaptation of Taming of the Shrew transmitted originally in color and but now preserved only in black and white. The show was an "Easter program" in Holy Week. In a clever opening device, the characters are presented by means of cue cards. Then Grumio sums up the Sly Induction scene by pointing out that the actors are players. He ends his speech with Sly's words, "Let's let the world slip by." There is then a cut to dancers and jugglers and the plot is mimed, commedia style. Quick editing follows in which there is an immediate movement, for example, to the Bianca plot. The lighting occasionally presents difficulties when characters become difficult to identify. The director himself felt that the colors were 'extraordinary' with a white floor and white set and transitions shot with bright red chiffon scarves floating in front of the lens. All the more pity that it survives only in black-and-white Kinescope
Description from Shakespeare on Screen : an International Filmography and Videography by Kenneth S. Rothwell and Annabelle Henkin Melzer. ©1990 Kenneth S. Rothwell. Cited by permission. — Added 2008-11-14
Cast Overview
Production Team and Crew Overview
Production information courtesy of: Kenneth Rothwell