Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew - II.ii (John Cleese)

[vrikey]

To Shakespeareand more: I always wanted to see the whole of this, and I love John Cleese - have you posted this whole series? I've searched, can't find the beginning!

[fishhead06]

At 3:17, is anyone else reminded of Vermeer's "The Music Lesson"?

[camp4christ]

Is there somewhere where one can purchase this fine version?

[zannoah25]

My favorite version of Taming of the Shrew HANDS DOWN!!!

[pako49r]

think u can help me out, wat would betrayal be in this movie(on any character),if u can let me know thankz(bout 6 or more betrayal partz)

[EliCross]

Cleese's delivery and timing are phenomenal here. I suppose it took a genius like Jonathan Miller to have the courage to cast him.

[Ranger308]

How can you figure out which is the next part after this one?

[romanbrough]

I have never seen any actor play any Sheakespeare role better. He acts, he brings life to the words/ He does not just recite bland poetry like so many so called actors do.

[FireEyedMaidOfWar]

Dear me! This is indeed the legendary English jokester from Monty Python, who is known to the world for his acting as many authority figures like Sir Lancelot the Brace, Reg the leader of the Peoples Front of Judea, Adolf Hitler, the Roman Centurion from the Life of Brian and so forth? He should have embarked a lot more in serious films: With the beard no one recognizes him and to see him as Macbeth, Oedipus the King, Orestes, Hamlet, Richard III or Earl of Kent would be quite entertaining.

[FireEyedMaidOfWar]

But what I am to do with the play itself, my dear Shakespeare? Was this some short of a cry for help as Petruchio suggested by asking that anyone should speak if he does know a better way to tame a shrewd? How could a poet, who usually employs a lot of heroines like Imogen, Beatrice, Cordelia, Lady Macbeth or Portia draw so simple a picture of women? One cannot deny his art of composing verses and his playful dialogues, jumping by clues in all directions; certainly not his greatest work.

[wckabuoh]

really wish to get a full clip of this video>

[Alcagaur]

Cleese here delivers performance of rare calibre, at least in screen terms, in managing to make the text feel almost new-minted and utterly his own. I approached with trepidation, I confess, the very concept of Cleese with less than the most bizarre offshoots of Shakespeare, but this is a version which has brought innumerable of my students who knew nothing of Basil the feeling that The Bard can be enjoyable, not perforce stodgy.

[tuxguys]

Directed, I believe by Dr. Jonathan Miller, a member, along with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, of "Beyond the Fringe," a sketch revue that preceded and overlapped with "Monty Python."

Has anybody noticed that one of the cronies of the father is being played by Frank Thornton, "Capt. Peacock" from "Are You Being Served?"

[loonytoongonemad]

XD THAT IS FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheDooRMowsEE]

well... let them eat kate then...hahahahaha...who want cake now? ...hhahahaha

[poisonwood23]

i like the stage one better... the one from 1976. not a huge fan of the elizabeth taylor one. this one's ok... but not physical enough for me.

[Felicity1247]

It's quite good, the acting more along the lines of what I envisioned rather than the Burton/Taylor version, which in my opinion thought was awful. But the quick banter between Petruchio and Katherine is missing (movable, wasp & sting, etc.), which drags it down quite a bit IMHO.

[Jon93715]

@Felicity1247 I think you're quite right. Petruchio's monologues are well done, but the quick exchanges with Kate are too slow and too serious. The Taylor/Burton version, for all its different style, manages to do the banter rather well, don't you think?

[Felicity1247]

@Jon93715: I think the Taylor/Burton one was amusing, but sometimes cringingly so. I disliked the scene where they rolled around in the haystacks and when Kate walked on the roof. My favorite banter is the 1980s version with Freddie Ulster and Marc Singer, where the actors really make it funny--with acrobatics too.

[Jon93715]

@Felicity1247 Is that version online anywhere? I don't think I'd ever mind seeing a new version of this scene, orof IV.i (the dinner). I searched on youtube but couldn't find it.

[Felicity1247]

@Jon93715 Sorry, the production was actually in 1976. It's called "Longer Version of Kate Meets Petruchio" and in the information section you should see stuff about Italian commedia dell'arte.

[Danerd9]

this movie version suks. katherina looks like shiyaaT!!!!

the other move version is cooler!

[tevyef]

Cleese's reaction at 5:10 is priceless.

[Zerozero27]

Petruchio is indeed a pimp.

[romanbrough]

This is the best Shakespeare I have ever seen, You can actually hear the words, He doesn't gabble, and make too much of the rhythm of it. He does not overact, He acts, perfectly. I remember this from its first showing.

[Tonyblack261]

Wow she really smacked him there!

[mallamoozoo]

Jesus shakespeare shits me - does he have to use that snotty nosed speech?

[YellowBordello]

Wrong, this is act 2 scene 1

[dustpokeland2]

lol i like the insults =)

[platzie]

does anyone have the part of the play when they are all having dinner at the end after bincas wedding. and john cleese does that huge wheeze laugh? holy shit that is so funny

[ryancyrusshams]

no you can buy this on dvd from ambrose video. they have a website.

[Concetta20]

JOHN CLEESE! DUDE! AWESOME!

[Moonstone860]

Hws just being Basil Fawlty

[ryancyrusshams]

Yes, he's pretty much doing Basil Fawlty but to make that specific comic style, delivery, and character work within Shakespeare is brilliant, I think. I wish Mr. Cleese continued in his life to take projects like this one rather than his slow trent into just making the Hollywood film appearances he makes now. He was a genius whose talent sadly has faded with increasing American fame and age.

[RasMajnouni]

In the name of John Wayne,Old Glory,Spiny Norman the Hedgehog,Doug Dinnsdale & Teddy Rooseveldt, I agree.

[jbally9365]

@ryancyrusshams

Absolutely bang-on! Hear hear!

[ken131]

John's best performance ever. Bar none.

[rsl98]

Brilliant!

[choirfreak26]

EXCELLENT! Thank you SO much for uploading this! :D