Always Classic Katherine Hepburn
Katherine Hepburn is a legend of classic films, who ultimately had a career that spanned over six decades, even though she was once labeled box office poison.
She made her file debut in 1932’s “A Bill of Divorcement” at the insistence of her soon to be lifelong friend George Cukor. She received critical acclaim for her role, and continued to make dramatic movies until “Bringing Up Baby” in 1938 – a wonderful screwball comedy.
It is hard to believe that “Bringing Up Baby” was the movie that got her labeled as box office poison, these days it is appreciated for the wonderful movie that it is, but that was not the case at the time of it’s original release. The film came in over budget and late due to the stars constantly laughing – and it is easy to see why.
Of course, Cary Grant is worth going a little crazy for. Grant plays a paleontologist, David who is looking for grant money and Katherine plays a socialite, Susan, that ruins his chance of getting the money, Susan is smitten, so she tries – in her own way – to help him but often just gets him into more trouble.
At the start of the movie is a scene when she basically steals his car, and he helps her all while trying to explain to her that she is in the wrong car – makes me laugh every time I watch it. And when her dress is torn and they walk together through the busy nightclub – and steal another ladies purse before they leave.
The real star of Bringing Up Baby is the leopard aka “Baby,” who will only come to the song “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love.” My favorite is when they are singing to the leopard on the roof while the people inside are trying to sleep, and don’t believe that there is a leopard on their roof. (I’m laughing even while I type this.)
Her next movie also co-starred Cary Grant, “Holiday”, a much lesser known movie, also released in 1938 was not a financial success, though it was a critical success. This movie has such an odd plot, Hepburn plays Linda, the sister of Julia, Grant’s fiancée, they got engaged after barely knowing each other and he’s shocked to find out she’s from a wealthy family. Julia agrees to let her family throw them a fancy engagement party, but Johnny (Grant) spends the majority of the party up in the playroom with the Linda, and a few other odd characters that stop by.
The movie has some strong themes about class and happiness, as the romance unfolds in the playroom, between Linda and Johnny. The idea that when Cary Grant’s character walks into the house and meets Katherine Hepburn’s character, he knows he’s about to marry the wrong sister is also a theme that is still being used in movies today.
Of course in the end, Julia realizes that she doesn’t want to live the life Johnny envisions, so Linda is there to step in, and they lived happily ever after.
The next film released once again paired Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant for The “Philadelphia Story” released in 1940 – a box office and critical hit. The lead roll was written for her, by the same playwright who penned Holiday, Philip Barry, so it played to all of Hepburn’s strengths. This film ended up being a comeback of sorts – it helped get the box office poison label dropped
There are so many silly scenes in this movie and so many sweet scenes. I think the best and funniest moments come the “morning after” the big champagne filled engagement party. The characters are all piecing together the events of the evening and you watch as the details fill in, the expressions on Hepburn’s face, she is just perfect. And Jimmy Stewart won an Oscar for his sweet, lovable Mike – smitten by Tracy and willing to do anything for her, even offering to marry her when she is left at the alter.
“Woman of the Year” released 1942 paired her with her soon to be most frequent co-star Spencer Tracy. They ultimately made 9 movies together including “Adam’s Rib” released in 1949 and another favorite of mine “Desk Set” released in 1957 – which also shows off the size of the old computers.
Ultimately, she is know for also appearing on stage and television, as well as her strong opinions and advocacy for women’s rights. She was one of the first high profile women to wear pants – or slacks when most women only wore dresses.
You can find some great wall art prints of Katherine Hepburn on Amazon
Hepburn was married once, to Ludlow Ogden Smith, but the marriage ended in divorce. Her romance with co-star Spencer Tracy was well known, though she didn’t speak of it until after his death. She lived a private life and was known for her reclusive nature in later years, though she did make one last movie late in her life – “Love Story” with Warren Beatty and Annette Bening. She remains an iconic figure in American cinema.
She won four Academy Awards for Best Actress, a record that still stands, and was nominated for a total of 12 Oscars throughout her career. She also wrote a book about her experiences titled “The Making of The African Queen: Or How I Went to Africa with Bogart, Bacall and Huston and Almost Lost My Mind” that I haven’t read, but the title makes me want to :).