The Taming of the Shrew

The Taming of the Shrew is a 1929 American pre-Code comedy film directed by Sam Taylor and starring Mary Pickford and her husband Douglas Fairbanks. It was the first sound film adaptation of the Shakespearean play of the same name. The film was adapted by Taylor from William Shakespeare's play. Cast Mary Pickford as Katherina Douglas Fairbanks as Petruchio Edwin Maxwell as Baptista Joseph Cawthorn as Gremio Clyde Cook as Grumio Geoffrey Wardwell as Hortensio Dorothy Jordan as Bianca Production The first sound version of the play on film, this version was planned as a sound film from the start. Pickford had already made her sound film debut in Coquette (1929) so The Taming of the Shrew marked her second talkie. This version of the film is primarily known for how Pickford delivers Katherina's last speech. As she moves through the litany of reasons why a woman should obey her husband, she winks toward Bianca, unseen by Petruchio. Bianca smiles in silent communication with Katherina, thus acknowledging that Katherina has not been tamed at all. Pickford and Fairbanks' marriage was breaking down even before filming began, and animosity between the couple increased during filming. In later years, Pickford stated that working on the film was the worst experience of her life, although she also acknowledged that Fairbanks' performance was one of his best. For many years it was believed that one of the credits read "Additional Dialogue by Sam Taylor", but there is no evidence any print ever contained such a credit and experts on Shakespeare films, such as Kenneth S. Rothwell and Robert Hamilton Ball, think it unlikely.