Kiss Me Kate

This film was MGM’s first musical shot for 3-D, a novelty which ultimately failed. It is a big, colorful, dazzling romp and a hallmark of the great musicals of the Technicolor 1950’s. “Kiss Me Kate” also marked the last on-screen pairing of Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson. 1953 would be the end of Kathryn’s film career. The movies would lose one of their greatest screen teams when she left, but this film was the best curtain call the pair could possibly have had.

Cole Porter was handed quite a feat when he was hired to write the music for a play-within-a-play about Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew”. The stage show was a hit and MGM did the film in 1953. They used their considerable stable of musical talent and director George Sidney brought out the best in these seasoned troopers.

The plot revolves around two divorced stage stars {Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson} who are reunited by Cole Porter {here played by Ron Randall} to star in a musical version of “Taming of the Shrew”. Matters are complicated, however, by their love-hate relationship, his flirting with an opportunistic costar {Ann Miller in her trademark stereotype}, her jealous, gambling dance partner {Tommy Ralls} and a mix-up with a pair of hoods {Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore} coming to collect a gambling debt.

The supporting cast is great. Wynn was ever reliable, deft at comedy or straight parts. James Whitmore was being groomed as another Spencer Tracy, but was deemed “not handsome enough” and labored in character parts most of his career. Both are a shameless comic treat and even do a good soft shoe routine. The dancers, including the legend-to-be Bob Fosse as one of Bianca’s suitors, are all top-drawer and their sequences are lively and innovative. Ann Miller’s legs had been insured, ala’ Betty Grable, by MGM for $1,000,000. She has a visible ball spoofing herself by showing off those expensive gams at every turn.

The greatest feature, of course, were the leads. Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel were at the top of their form and pull out all the stops to play broad and fast. They were a natural team and their ease together gives a joy to the acting. Their voices blended well too- their singing styles both theatrical and complimentary to each other. They handle the wonderful songs with enthusiasm and flair. The characters are larger-than-life caricatures of actors and they play them with relish. Perhaps they had real people in mind?

They squabble and spar, but there is always a spark of attraction. Though Kathryn Grayson usually played “goody-goody” virginal parts, she had an innate sexiness about her. When she slides her catlike eyes to the side and gives that half-smile, she would have been hard to resist. Howard Keel played well with women, but the early 50’s did not tolerate much racy material. He played romantically, but respectfully with his leading ladies. It was once said that “Fred Astaire gave Ginger Rogers class and she gave him sex.” The same could be said of Grayson and Keel. When they kiss, you really believe she wants him. In reality, of course, the pair were just friends and have remained so all their lives. That’s what great acting is.

Today, “Kiss Me Kate” has been revived on Broadway and is the hot ticket. For those of us who saw this film, however, there will only be one version and only one Lilli Vanessi and Fred Graham- Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel.