1949
Directed by George Cukor
This is an awesome movie. Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy have some of the best chemistry in all of cinema; you can tell they not only love each other but really like each other as well.
You can tell that this is going to be cooky film just by this brief synopsis: two lawyers represent different sides in a murder trial…and they are married!?!?!
This is an outstanding movie for a number of reasons. First of all, the fact that there is a smart female lawyer is pretty progressive, considering all the women in these movies recently have been sexy troublemakers. Did I just say sexy troublemakers? Maybe it is getting a little too late at night to be writing this.
Anyway, the acting is great of course and the dialogue is smart. There is also a great song in it called "Farewell Amanda". Little known fact: I inspired that song. Well, that is actually speculation but I am sure I am right.
One of the best romantic comedies of all time. This review would be a lot more thoughtful if I wasn't already asleep.
RATING: ****-
Interesting Facts:
Ranked #7 in AFI's top romantic comedies of all time.
Based on real life couple William and Dorothy Whitney.
Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy did many comedies together and some were better than this one. Only problem was that although Hepburn was always this liberated woman she always had to find her inner housewife and admit that Spencer was the man in the relationship. That always felt like a slap in the face and frankly unnecessary in otherwise great comedies.
ReplyDeleteHmm I don't think I have seen any other Hepburn/Tracy comedies. But it doesn't sound like I'm missing much.
DeleteOh, but you are. Hepburn and Tracy was one of the great comedy pair in the golden age. While you can argue about the gender politics they were always fun to watch.
DeleteA good place to start is "Woman of the Year"
Good morning Amanda.. I must say I think TS has a point . You would have thought better from Katherine H with the way, as he puts it, "she always had to find her inner housewife and admit that Spencer was the man in the relationship", regrettable they had to for a film in the times. Before the end however, boy did she give it some. Fast, powerful funny verbal jousting.
ReplyDeleteLoads of traps this film could have fallen into but mostly avoided them all. It's not an issue film as we would recognise it today, but it tackles the subject matter properly whilst still trying to be a comedy.
ReplyDeleteThis balance wouldn't have worked except they made the arguments a little more two-sided. For example, Katherine Hepburn did overstep the mark at times (EG: the hat) and Spencer Tracey did have a point when he said that the law was still the law and attempted murder was still a crime.
This, in turn, wouldn't have worked if the court verdict became the climax, as I feared it would do, because that leaves one fair point of view utterly undermined.
And so the film continues as the couple sift through their own frustrations with each other and reach a loving compromise that a binary court case cannot.
Spencer Tracey reminds me of someone I know, but I can't think who. Then again, maybe he's just that type of guy, which is part of his charm.
I think Amanda was more ideological than her husband, which I suppose would be frustrating, but I don't think that gave him the right to terrorize her like he did. I say, get the divorce Amanda and find a man who doesn't have to be right all the time....if anyone can do it, she can!
DeleteAs discussed elsewhere, I frequently watch happy endings and think "That relationship won't last long". But these two, despite having found an issue and situation they couldn't agree on, still understood once the red mist had subsided that the principles of acceptance and forgiveness were what matters most. They won't divorce.
ReplyDeleteDo I sound like a droning priest?
A little. But I think you're right so it's fine.
Delete