Taming of the Shrew

[eleanor]

I love TOTS. Rufus and Shirley Henderson are superb. I recorded it off the telly when it was first on and I watch it at least once a month..not just for lovely Rufus (and boy, is he gorgeous in this) but the whole cast and work itself. An excellent piece of art in the form of an extremely entertaining play, wonderfully crafted and so enjoyable!! One of my very favourite TV plays.

[numbat]

Ellie, words can not describe how much i love and adore TOTS and seeing as there's been no discussion for at least a month i think it's time to start some again!!!

Now unfortunately my university education started with Accounting 101 and ended 3 years later with International Finance 3B, & i have only the basic understanding of the traditional story of TOTS so i will be limiting my discussion to "Petruchio as the man child" or "the things i totally and completely loved about it (which is just about everything)"

I loved (in completely random order):
- every scene that Rufus is in (i also enjoyed the ones he wasn't in but not quite as much)
- "i'm thinking about sex - in a lift" (me too!!!)
- the way he barged about the place thumping on doors & shouting - after all no six year old wants to be kept waiting!!!
- "then i'm going to rip your knickers off & have sex with you" (please, please, please)
- Petruchio eating breakfast (who doesn't love a man with an appetite?) - "you gunna be eating that?"
- "come & sit on me" (i thought you'd never ask!!!)
- eating an olive & (supposedly) listening to Harry pour his heart out - when asked for an opinion, looks around thoughtfully, "you gunna be eating that?"
- "i'll pump you up as much as you like" (thud)
- the bedroom scene - this is without doubt the most delightful piece of television i have seen in a long time. The shouting, the tension, well if you aren't going to play nicely i'm taking my ball (balls?) and going home, the script, the acting, simply delicious.
- "you can beg, you can get down on your knees and grovel but i'm not having sex with you til you're nice to me" (p..l..e..a..s..e..)
- the way he never really takes much notice of what the adults are talking about (ie, the post natal thing thingy)
- "i want to shag you right here, right now" (OMFG yes!!!)
- the pure sex appeal of Rufus in fishnets - now that's a man who has done a costume drama or two in his time, and how clever of the producers to put him in not so much women's clothes, but sexy transgender clothes - i can't imagine a woman actually wearing that sheer shirt with her nipples showing but Rufus looks mighty fine!!! (as he does in every outfit - furry coat, morning suit - that camera shot slowly panning up - sexy black suit)
- "my love, my dove, my sexy Kate" (i need to change my name)
- he says her name 42 times (yes i counted) but his is never mentioned (& it is so beautiful - Petruchio, Petruchio, Petruchio!!!)
- "kiss me Kate" (not original i know, but it's the way he bellows it!!!)
- his impatience at the wedding - again, the man child can't be bothered with all that f***ing around.
-"where's my woman?" (i'm here Roofie!!!!!)
- the look he gives her in the car when her sister's wedding is cancelled & they have 15 minutes (well i would too if i had 15 minutes in a car with him)
-the waking up in the morning scene - eyes, lips, (armpits). "kate, kate, KATE" & "well i'm glad you think you've sorted that out" (the classic woman's line - how often have we thought that!!!)
- the couch, oh the couch - how can a man lying fully clothed on a couch be so seductive? I think it's the slow swing of the leg & the placement of the hand (my favourite scene of all i think)
- & oh to be a fly on the wall when they were taking the closing photos with those 3 little boys. Rufus has them absolutely mesmerised (a bit like us - but in a different way!!!)

Ok, i'm going to stop now before you all fall off your chairs with boredom - i know you've seen it and loved it!!! I know there's deeper aspects to the story which you have discussed previously & maybe in less capable hands, this production would have been less pure delight & more about possession & domination. But Rufus & Shirley manage to turn this into an absolute story of love & acceptance & commitment (& he manages to turn every look at her into pure lust - now what woman doesn't secretly want her man to look at HER that way?)

[eleanor]

Hi numbat,
You have summed up brilliantly once again!!
I watched TOTS 2 nights ago and I fall in love with Rufus all over again each time. I say 'love' and not just 'lust' because I really do mean that. You have analysed certain scenes so well and have put in to words my thoughts exactly. This part for Rufus was perfect in my opinion, he goes through so many different emotions (even a little psychologically damaged...6 year old little boy...aaawwww) and the humour especially was so good. I love the part when Kate gets up in the evening and Harry has turned up with food but Petruchio has eaten most of it; the acting here is superb, especially when Petruchio says to Kate,.."tell him some of your dirty jokes..."I have such a great time watching this play and I laugh all the time!!
In my humble opinion, one of the very best pieces of work Rufus has ever done, a brilliant all round entertainment of the highest calibre. Now, my next wish is to see Rufus act some Shakespeare because I know he will be sublime, no matter what part he plays...and it may be a possibility sometime soon if you go by his recent interview.

[tipou]

Jun 6, 2009 5:18:07 GMT numbat said:

Now unfortunately my university education started with Accounting 101 and ended 3 years later with International Finance 3B, & i have only the basic understanding of the traditional story of TOTS so i will be limiting my discussion to "Petruchio as the man child" or "the things i totally and completely loved about it (which is just about everything)"


Ok, i'm going to stop now before you all fall off your chairs with boredom - i know you've seen it and loved it!!! I know there's deeper aspects to the story which you have discussed previously - now what woman doesn't secretly want her man to look at HER that way?)

now, how could we be bored!!!
i need to turn this into a check list !!!
this would be the perfect way to make sure that i have my dose of rufus whenever i need it.
this is such an exquisite movie indeed!
shirley is amazing in it.

and as far as shakes-his -spear is concerned, i think you may have summed his intentions, were he a 21st century man .

[travelover]

Now see, Numbat! Your list is PRECISELY why I want him to do more steamy, sexy, romances.

[quoll]

LOL Numbat, loved your review. I think I need a dose of TOTS, havent had one for a while and maybe after I have finished work today (yes, Sunday!) I will get the dvd out and indulge for an hour or so.

I still cant believe that the Aussie female population didnt latch onto this one when the ABC finally broadcast it - maybe because they are too PC and feminist do you think? Or maybe because it was the ABC and nobody noticed?

[numbat]

one of the very best pieces of work Rufus has ever done, a brilliant all round entertainment of the highest calibre

Well said Ellie!!!

Tip, glad the list format was ok - i thought it was a bit lazy, but there was just too much to be said about this one.

Travelover - yes, yes, yes to more steamy sexy romances!!! Imagine one of this quality made as a movie with a bit more ahem, nakedness - the trouble is that quality is so thin on the ground in this genre. Hopefully Roof is willing to wait for one to turn up & someone will have the sense to offer it to him - soon!!!

Oh quoll, i have to come clean here!!! I remember this being on tv and i specifically remember not wanting to watch it AND TURNING OVER WHEN IT STARTED because of Shirley Henderson's screeching (think i'd had enough of children screeching for the day!!!). I had watched Much Ado About Nothing the week before with the delightfully delectable Damian Lewis, but didn't watch this - how embarrassing!!! I even bought Much Ado About Nothing on DVD but didn't buy the whole box set because i couldn't be bothered with the others!!! Think of how much more delightful my life would have been this past year or so with Roof in it had i only watched Enjoy your Sunday afternoon xxx

[rueful]

That was a wonderful list, numbat! He was utterly charming in this role, which is amazing, because in the hands of a lesser actor, Petruchio could have come off as just childish. But Rufus made him childlike, which is different.

It helped that Shirley Henderson was also perfect. She and Rufus are a wonderful team. Oooh, oooh, sudden idea: remake of "The Thin Man" starring Rufus and Shirley! (Believe me, I would not lightly suggest a remake of that movie, which I love with all my heart!) The roles are totally different from TOTS, but you know those two could carry it off beautifully!

but didn't watch this - how embarrassing!!!

Don't feel bad, numbat. There has been a lot forehead-slapping around this site, since Eleventh Hour started and all of us late-to-the-party folks started showing up.

[numbat]

Rueful, you hit the nail on the head there - he was childlike (which we adore in a man) & not childish (which we hate in a man). Spot on!!!!

Haven't seen the Thin Man but will try & look it up - am looking forward to seeing them both in Charles II which is winging it's way here from Amazon UK as we speak - yay!!!!

[rueful]

Numbat, The Thin Man was a series of 1940s mysteries with a light comic touch about rich, sophisticated Nick and Nora Charles, played by William Powell and Myrna Loy. They were based on a story by Dashiell Hammett, so there is lots of noir atmosphere but also lots of witty repartee. Actually, the "thin man" referred to in the title of the first movie is not Nick, but someone else. The first movie was so popular that when they made the sequels (I think there are 7 films in all), they used the term for all, eg "After the Thin Man." That is probably more than you ever wanted to know about The Thin Man. In general I'm opposed to remakes of what I consider real classics, but I just think Rufus and Shirley would be fabulous as this bright, funny, crime-solving couple.

[rufluvr]

The Thin Man movies had great class and humor about them. Rufus and Shirley would do very well as Nick and Nora indeed. She is an actor who, like Rufus, has a lot of life and energy eminating from her performances, as varied roles as they can be--she is always compelling to watch. They are great together.
When I first got TOTS I watched it so many, many (did I say MANY) times because it was so delightfully done. Bet there are others out there who, like me know virtually all of the dialogue!

Numbat is about to get Charles II in the mail? Prepare yourself. It is arguably Rufus' best role/performance. Enjoy!!!

[numbat]

I cannot wait to see Charles II rufluvr!!!!!!

I have parcels coming from 3 different suppliers here & in the UK - they'll probably all arrive at the same time & i won't be able to leave the house for days.

"I want you to have all my babies" oh Petruchio - anything for you my love!!!

[francesca]

Have just watched TOTS for the umteenth time ( being my all time fav.) and have to add to numbat's list His quick wits and the underlying vulnerability make you fall for him over and over again

[numbat]

And francesca, since we've been listening to Nick Silver, i think that Nick has Petruchio's voice (esp from the first lift scene (i'm thinking about sex, in a lift) & the morning after in bed scene). Sigh.........................

[phyllis]

I can't imagine liking a man in women's clothes, but reading this I know I MUST see this movie and judge for myself. LOL