British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Taming of the Shrew, The

Synopsis
Fiction film version of The Taming of the Shrew directed by D.W. Griffith with Florence Lawrence as Kate and Arthur Johnson as Petruchio. The film omits the Christopher Sly framing and much reduces the Bianca sub-plot.
Country
United States
Medium
Film
Technical information
Black-and-white / Silent
Year of release
1908
Recording date
10 Nov 1908
Duration
11 mins; 1048 feet

Credits

Director
D.W. Griffith
Cinematographer
Arthur Marvin; Billy Bitzer
Cast
Florence LawrenceKatherina
Arthur JohnsonPetruchio
Harry SalterBaptista Minola
Linda ArvidsonBianca
Mack SennettServant to Petruchio

Additional Details

Production type
Fiction Films
Plays
Taming of the Shrew, The
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes
The copy held by the Library of Congress is 16mm produced from the paper roll.

Available on DVD (region 1 only) as an extra on Buchowetski’s OTHELLO (1922).
History
The film was copyrighted November 11, 1908
Reviews
Ball, Robert Hamilton. Shakespeare on Silent Film: A Strange Eventful History. London: George Allen and Unwin, 1968 (pp62-6, 67, 286, 315). Ball writes, p 62, ‘The Taming of the Shrew opened up no new vistas; it belongs to the fumbling experiments to express himself [Griffith] in a new form’.

Moving Picture World (November 28 1908) - ‘A rather confused film, presented on an overcrowded stage. I cannot say that the film was well received by the audience, and it is a rather brutal subject in which the lash has too much play. The last scene calls for a special mention, as the most beautiful composition with very fine photographic effects’.

Production Company

Name

Biograph Company

Archive

Name

Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting & Recorded Sound Division

Web
http://catalog.loc.gov/ External site opens in new window
Phone
(20) 707-8572
Fax
(20) 707-237’1
Address
Motion Picture & Television Reading Room
James Madison Building, LM 336
101 Independence Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C.
20540-4690
United States

Online Retailer

Name

amazon.com

Web
http://www.amazon.com External site opens in new window

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