The Taming of the Shrew (1929)
- Starring:
- Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, (more)
- Director(s):
- Sam Taylor
Synopsis of The Taming of the Shrew
As the silent era drew to a close (along with their marriage), Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks made this early talkie, appearing in their first film together as William Shakespeare's rambunctious couple Katherine and Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew. In this pared down, slapstick version of Shakespeare's comedy, Petruchio rides into town facing backwards on a jackass, strumming a lyre, looking for his fair-haired, soon-to-be-wife Katherine. The two engage in a battle of the sexes, complete with verbal sparring and pratfalls, until Katherine is brought down to size and made to be subservient to her loutish husband. Although disputed in John C. Tibbetts' book His Majesty, the American, legend has it that Samuel Taylor, the film's director who also adapted the screenplay, had the writer's credit read "By William Shakespeare, with additional dialogue by Sam Taylor." The film was re-scored and re-edited (drastically shortening the film) in 1966. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
Complete Cast of The Taming of the Shrew
- Mary Pickford - Katherine
- Edwin Maxwell - Baptista
- Clyde Cook - Grumio
- Geoffrey Wardwell - Hortensio
- Earle Browne
- Douglas Fairbanks - Petruchio
- Joseph Cawthorn - Gremio
- Dorothy Jordan - Bianca
- Charles Stevens - Servant
- Director(s):
- Sam Taylor
- Writer(s):
- Sam Taylor
- Producer(s):
- Mary Pickford
- 1929 - New York Times - 10 Best Films
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