10 Things I Hate About You (1999) William Shakespeare, Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, & Letters to Cleo!

Book Vs. Movie: 10 Things I Hate About You
The Taming of the Shrew & the 1999 Heath Ledger Film

10 Things I Hate About You (1999) is a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, reimagining the story in a high school setting. In both works, the plot revolves around two sisters—one desirable and another perceived as problematic. In The Taming of the Shrew, the younger, more attractive Bianca cannot marry until her older, strong-willed sister, Katherina, finds a husband. Similarly, in 10 Things I Hate About You, Bianca Stratford can only date if her rebellious, sharp-tongued sister, Kat, does too. The character of Petruchio in Shakespeare’s play, who is hired to "tame" Katherina and make her marriageable, is mirrored in Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger), who is paid to date Kat (Julia Stiles) so that Bianca can start dating.

Despite the initial financial motivation, Petruchio and Patrick develop genuine feelings for their partners. While The Taming of the Shrew ends with Katherina seemingly submitting to societal expectations, 10 Things I Hate About You gives Kat more agency. She remains independent but opens up to love, showing a more modern and feminist take on Shakespeare’s story.

 Between the play & the film--which did we prefer? Listen to find out! In this ep, the Margos discuss:

• The teen comedies of the late 1990s  
• The work of Heath Ledger
• The differences between the play and movie
• The cast includes Julia Stiles (Kat), Heath Ledger (Patrick Verona), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Cameron James), Larisa Oleynik (Bianca), Larry Miller (Walter Stratford), Andrew Keegan (Joey Donner), David Krumholtz (Michael Eckman), Daryl “Chill” Mitchell (Mr. Morgan), Susan May Pratt (Mandella), Alison Janey (Ms. Perky), David Leisure (Mr. Chapin), Gabriele Union (Chastity Church), Letters to Cleo, and Save Ferris. 

Clips Featured:

• “Hey there, Girlie!”
• 10 Things I Hate About You (1999 trailer)
• “You see that girl?”
• “Rock bar scene”
• “Kat dances”
• “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You”
• “The poem scene”
• “Bianca beat down scene.”
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