Woman of the Year (1942)

Woman of the Year is the first on-screen pairing of the legendary actors Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracey and it's too bad the film itself couldn't be as timeless. The story begins with Tracey's no-nonsense sports reporter, Sam, getting into a written (and radio broadcast) argument with Hepburn's Tess, a lofty international news reporter from the same newspaper. When their boss brings them face-to-face for an apology, their chemistry is irrefutable. Sadly, it goes downhill from there.

Tess and Sam get married in typical-movie-way-too-fast-for-the-real-world time and their new conflict arises from combining their lives with the expected husband/wife roles. It isn't just that this part of the story won't resonate with today's audience. Beyond that, it's supposed to be a 1940's comedy but it isn't so funny - frustrating is more apt. Several awkward lighting, directorial, editing, and stylistic choices only disconnect the viewer even more. And to top it off, the ending doesn't quite fit (which makes sense as it was added after test audiences didn't like the original, now lost, ending).

Hepburn and Tracey still manage to shine through the muck. She flies through like a kite while he tries to keep a firm grip to prevent her from being swept away. And a silent close up of Hepburn in the last quarter of the film as her character is hit with a revelation is truly moving not only showing her acting talents, but also reminds us that despite other evidence to the contrary in this film, director George Stevens was a talented director.

Rating: 2/5
Recommended for: Anyone who wants to see the beginnings of the Hepburn/Tracey partnership - and even then the first twenty minutes or so should be sufficient

Alice Adams (1935)

Katharine Hepburn stars in this 1935 film about a family divided by social aspirations. Father, Virgil, and son, Walter, are complacent with their middle-class status while daughter, Alice, quietly yearns to have the life of her richer friends, and her mother is quite vocal about Alice deserving those "better" things.

Despite a history of being snubbed due to her socio-economic status, Alice manages to attract the attention of the well-to-do Arthur Russell. Alice's mother is determined to impress Arthur to make sure he doesn't run away - even if it means pushing the family past the brink of patience. Hepburn shines in this role and practically floats through the film. It's almost hard to believe any man would walk past her without looking. Despite the strong materialism and fixed gender roles, it's rather easy to have sympathy for Alice; she's trying so hard to be liked. And despite all her efforts, everything hinges around a dinner that leaves everyone sweating - figuratively and literally.

Rating:3.5/5
Recommended for: People ages 18 and up - not because of anything obscene... it just might bore younglings.

Extended Review: The dinner scene makes the film. You know going into it that it won't go that well. Yet as one thing goes wrong on top of another, each makes you cringe a little more. Alice sees it all too and walks the thin line of trying to save the day, and thus the relationship with Arthur, and giving in all together. Because of the time period, it's pretty hard to tell if Arthur's being silent to let her speak or if he really appreciates the out being handed to him. You find out soon enough though.
Nothing special to report on the cinematography. Additionally, the black and white film itself left me wanting more. I felt like the differences between the Adams and the other families cold have really been highlighted with color. Of course, at that time it wasn't really an option and the film succeeds in still physically illustrating the difference.