I'm giving this item five stars simply because the disc itself is grand - you receive one of the greatest MGM musicals ever conceived and it's bolstered by quite nice extras. That much you can be assured of.

I'm writing this particular review because of Warner Bros. insistance on using fragile, cheaply made cardboard sleeves rather than the standard plastic dvd cases.

The problem with these Warner cases is that the pins holding the disc can break if even the slightest pressure is applied to the case, rendering it's capability the actually hold the disc useless. And unlike the plastic cases, the Warner ones cannot be replaced save for returning the disc to the original purchase place or attempting to contact the manufacturer (good luck with that, by the way).

Another problem lies with the fact that it's made out of cardboard - when you remove the anti-theft stickers almost invariably the sticker will peel some of the artwork off the cover. This can occur even when you're carefully attempting to slowly peel the sticker off.

The reason I feel the need to mention this is I own dozens of Warner movies, and well over half of them are damaged in this manner and irreplaceable outside of purchasing a new one (not likely, Greedy Bros.)

To be fair, Warner has finally began producing plastic cases with some of their newest releases - the top-notch Film Noir and Gangster collections offer the films in splendid little plastic cases. But titles like "Kiss Me Kate", "Rebel Without A Cause", "Broadway Melody of 1940", and even "Wizard of Oz" are still only available in these sad cardboard cases.

This is by far one of the very best musicals ever made. Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel displays Oscar worthy performances as Lilli and Fred. Sadly, this was Grayson`s last MGM film and she did only 1 more(at Paramount - The Vagabond King with Oreste).

In KISS ME KATE she shows us a depth and nuance and is right on target the whole picture through. Audrey Hepburn won that year`s Oscar for Roman Holiday - but Miss Grayson should deservedly have won it.
The same goes for Howard Keel. True, he is hammy at times - but it is a remarkable performance he gives(Mind u - he was a musical star). William Wolden`s Oscar for Stalag 17 should have gone to Mr Keel.

That`s Entertainment and its sequels payed deservedly homage to producer Arthur Freed and his genius in selecting and delegating crew and performers to the right project were uncanny.
Yet you shouldn`t negletct Jack Cummings who produced this film, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers and Three Little Words(to name but a few). It seems to me that MGM had an "MGM-look!" Can u really tell the MGM films from 1930-1960 apart and say which 1 was the director? Not really, unless u are Hitchcock or Fritz Lang.

What I mean to say that it`s high time Cummings, Joe Pasternak og Sol C. Sigel comes out of the cold and are giving honours for their splendid musical efforts(Bathing Beauty, Anchors Aweigh, In the Good Old Summertime, Summer Stock, The Great Caruso, Hit The Deck and High Society etc).

I must also pay may respects to Tommy Rall(soon 2 be one of the brothers in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers); he is a dancer`s dream come true:-)

Not that many people are aware of the Field Field Sequential 3-D .
This is a 3-D TV system that uses special shutter glasses that can be purchased here through Amazon in a set that includes 3 DVD's using this process. This system Is the only way to view a 3-D film effectively on TV to date. The result is about 90% close to the effect you will see in a theatre showing.. like IMAX and Disney and Universal.
These glasses are made of sturdy plastic and clear not these cardboard red and blue pieces of garbage, so you can view the film without constricted to seeing red and blue colors and with this system you will see more actual 3-D depth with the films true colors.. It's really amazing!
For some odd reason the big studios haven't adapted to include a separate version of a 3-D title in this great format.
Films like:
"House of Wax","Kiss Me Kate","Friday the 13th Part 3", "Robot Monster, "Cat Woman on the Moon", "Creature from the Black Lagoon" and "Jaws 3" are all now in 2-D DVD, but were originally shown in 3-D and could have been included using the Field Seqential 3-D system on the same disc with the 2-D version.
In Japan in the late 80's there were a few 3-D titles released using Field Sequential 3-D and can be found on e-bay converted to DVD and VHS.
Why aren't the studios producing these now!
I boycott any film DVD release that was originally intended to be seen in 3-D that's only presented in a 2-D version or anaglyph (Red and Blue Glasses).

The studios should really be awaken to this great 3-D system.

I write this review in honor of Howard Keel's 85th birthday.
"Kiss Me, Kate" is a lively, albeit dated musical with a slightly chauvenistic streak. It takes liberties with Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew", but is more fun than reading the actual play.
The estranged couple Fred Graham and Lilly Vanessi (Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson), have been divorced for a year at the time they take the lead roles in the Cole Porter musical. Based loosely on Alfred Lunt and his wife Lynn Fontaine, their behind-the-scenes bickering gets a little out of hand and occasionally, resulting in a well-defined lack of professional courtesy as they occassionally humiliate each other in full view of an audience.
But they also have their glorious moments, such as a reminiscence that leads to the number, "Wunderbar".As did their first number, "So In Love", this number reveals a certain wistfulness at their estrangement from each other at the end.
The subplot is the realationship between the play's secondary couple, Lois Lane(Ann Miller) and Bill Calhoun (Tommy Rall), a compulsive gambler who signs Fred Graham's name to an IOU.
The play begins. The number,"Another Opening, Another Show" is heard only as an instrumental piece beforehand. But the numbers, "We Open In Venice" and "Tom, Dick or Harry" kick the show off magnificently. As a big fan of the late Ann Miller's dance numbers,the latter is probably my favorite. As Gremio and Hortensio, Bobby Van and Bob Fosse thrill us with their trademark moves.
Keel sings a sumptuous ballad as his ex discovers that the flowers she thought were intended for her were intended for Lois. Through it all, Howard Keel is characteristically confident, uttering lines of unadulturated sarcasm as his ego occassionally gets the better of him. After being slapped by Lilly, he proves to be even more of a drama queen than any actress.Perhaps the sexiest scene in the film is when Graham removes the sausage links his ex-wife hides against her poitrine during one scne in the play.

Kathryn Grayson, with her porcelain skin and heart-shaped mouth, is a living Madame Alexander Doll in the part of Lilly/Kate. She is comically, firey and able to stand up to her ex-husband and to the thugs that he uses to keep her onstage(Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore) when she threatens to leave after Fred humiliates her. Lippy and Slug appear to collect they debt they believe Graham owes them, and while not althogether academically inclined, they display some knowledege of the Bard and his works, although they look ridiculous in their onstage costumes.
Willard Parks, as Tex Callahan offers Lilly a possible escape from her life in the theatre. But ultimately she is won back not by Fred's threats or humilation, but by the simple admission that he was wrong. While some may find the end to be disappointing, it should be remembered that it was Lilly who ultimately chose whether or not to give Fred a second chance, and Graham's beam of triumph and the twinkle in his eye at the end are worth more than any words-even those by the Bard himself-can say.

Grayson is good, but Howard Keel steals this show. He shines in the role of the egomaniacal stage ham. His voice and his presence are perfect for the role. Ann Miller and Tommy Rall provide all the dance moves you could ask for in a great musical. If you are a fan of musicals, this is a must for your collection. The DVD also provides some fun behind the scenes information.