Monday, May 9, 2011

Monday Movies ~ Katharine the Great!









Feature Presentation...
MONDAY MOVIE MEME



Katherine Hepburn and her family lived in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, which happens to be where The Bumbles celebrated Mother's Day! Katharine Hepburn was an amazingly talented and wonderful actress. The American Film Institute calls her the greatest female star in the history of American cinema. Molly and Andy also shared that a new theater was dedicated to her memory and bears her name in Old Saybrook. Katharine Hepburn is a favorite actress of mine and I've seen many of her films, many times. It's difficult for me to choose one absolute favorite so I've listed a few I love but there are many more! Share on your blog your favorite moments, memories or films featuring Katharine, linking your post back to The Bumbles Blog. If you don't have a blog, list your choices in the comment section of The Bumbles Movie post!


Bringing Up Baby (1938) ~ termed a screwball comedy, this film also starred Cary Grant as a paleontologist, and a beautiful leopard, Baby. This film wasn't a success at the time but is now listed on AFI's top 100 films in the last 100 years and their list of top 100 Laughs in 100 Years.


The Philadelphia Story (1940) first produced as a play, Howard Hughes purchased the film rights for Katharine Hepburn (she was also in the play). The film, also starring Cary Grant and James Stewart, was Hepburn's first hit following several major flops that actually had movie theater owner's labeling her "box office poison". Considered a "comedy of remarriage", a popular genre at the time, this film was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning Best Actor for James Stewart and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Adam's Rib (1949) one of the many Spencer Tracy/Katharine Hepburn films this movie was also features Judy Holliday in one of her first substantial roles. I love this film not only because of it's two wonderful stars but also because Tracy portrays a prosecutor whose wife, Hepburn, is also a lawyer. Hepburn decides to defend the female defendant in Tracy's current case. As you can imagine, the tension in the courtroom soon carries over to their home!

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? (1967) this American drama stars Spencer Tracy and Sidney Poitier in addition to Hepburn. The controversial subject of interracial marriage is at the heart of this film. In the year the film came out, 17 American southern states still had laws against interracial marriage until June 17of that year when the Supreme Court legalized interracial marriage. This movie is also the ninth and final of the Tracy/Hepburn films. Spencer Tracy died 17 days after the filming was complete. He never saw the film released.
Katharine Hepburn won an Academy Award for Best Actress.


The Lion in Winter (1968) a historical costume drama based on the Broadway play and starring, along with Katherine Hepburn, Peter O'Toole, Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton. Hepburn also won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Queen Eleanor. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning a total of three as well as numerous other awards!

9 comments:

  1. Of her billions of movies, I had only seen two, so I passed this week. I still posted but talked about something else movie-ish. I guess I need to brush up on my Katharine movies!

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  2. I've only seen 3 or 4 of her movies. I know I've seen part of The Philadelphia Story, but don't think I've seen the whole thing.

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  3. Hi Amy,

    I rate Katharine Hepburn as one of my all time favourites.

    Of the films you mention, 'Bringing Up Baby' would be my favourite, although I would also put 'The African Queen' with Humphrey Bogart and 'Rooster Cogburn'with John Wayne, right up near the top of my hit list.

    Yvonne

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  4. I think Adam's Rib was the funniest Tracy-Hepburn movie. But as I look over her fabulous career (and she's my favorite actress, so I've seen them all but one) I realize I like her best with Cary Grant. Love that you have Bringing Up Baby listed.

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  5. I love these old movies. You just reminded me I need to watch a few of these again.

    Hope u r having a great week Amy.

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  6. I have never actually seen any movies that star Hepburn, but it's something that I have always meant to explore. Thanks for giving me a few new titles to choose from!

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  7. Oh -- you're referring to Hepburn!! I thought you were talking about me! :)

    Seriously, what a great woman!

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  8. I need to see Adam's Rib! I;m thinking about watching my way through her movies!

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  9. The Philadelphia Story is one of my very favorite movies and Hepburn one of my fav actresses! I also love "Holiday," "The African Queen," and "A Lion In Winter."

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