Adam's Rib
1949 Directed by George Cukor
Synopsis
Funniest Picture in 10 Years!
Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn play Adam and Amanda Bonner, a husband-and-wife attorney team, both drawn to a case of attempted murder.
Cast
Studios
Popular reviews
More-
The David Wayne character is a reminder that, for every circle of friends going back through all eternity, there’s always that one guy making incessant, annoying comments. Mostly though this character feels pulled in from another movie, and drags this one to a halt whenever he appears. I understand the desire for narrative parity but the visible plot mechanics here and elsewhere, making for too many lumpy and overdramatic scenes, explain why this one never comes together, despite its refreshingly modern gender politics.
-
Adam's Rib is often hailed as the best "battle-of-the-sexes" comedy on celluloid, but it's beset with the same problems as the bulk of these Tracy-Hepburn vehicles: dated social observation that's tricky to navigate today, a lack of laughs and dramatic sequences that are just too heavy. The leads are a blissfully married couple who clash when they take opposing sides in a murder trial: assistant DA Spence leads the prosecution of wronged wife Judy Holliday (who is magnificent), while crusading feminist Kate leaps to her defence. Holliday plugged philandering husband Tom Ewell, you see, then fired wildly around the flinching floozy he was nuzzling up to, Jean Hagen.
The acting is absolutely stunning - universally superb - and there's smart…
Recent reviews
More-
Directors like George Cukor are easy to underrate. They work diligently within the Hollywood system, making the choices that best serve their stories, and their movies are often overwhelmed by the consummate performers they are filled with.
Adam's Rib isn't exactly the most nuanced depiction of genders clashing that I've seen - although it's hard to put aside the fact that many of the arguments seen within are still going on today - but Cukor directs with a light touch, making it infinitely re-watchable. The material never threatens to become too serious, even though there are unexpectedly sombre moments between Tracy and Hepburn's characters, but it also never becomes throwaway. The tone strikes a perfect balance between frothy enjoyment and…
-
Fine, but hugely dated and comes nowhere near to meeting expectations. Hepburn and Tracy work well enough together, but the film spends too much time trying to convince us that they're some dream couple we should be rooting for. Boring.
-
The David Wayne character is a reminder that, for every circle of friends going back through all eternity, there’s always that one guy making incessant, annoying comments. Mostly though this character feels pulled in from another movie, and drags this one to a halt whenever he appears. I understand the desire for narrative parity but the visible plot mechanics here and elsewhere, making for too many lumpy and overdramatic scenes, explain why this one never comes together, despite its refreshingly modern gender politics.
-
This is one of what I found out today was nine films made with the real life couple of Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn. This film was one of the stack of movies that I am currently attempting to watch. They are all classics that I have meant to see many times over the past few years, but for one reason or another hadn't made it around to yet. With the death of a beautiful/amazing woman/actress I decided that there would be no better time to see Adam’s Rib than the present.
Adam’s Rib is about two stories tied in together. At home they are a couple. Very happy with their lives and very loving to each other. However, a…
-
Everyone involved has been better, but all the same, Adam's Rib is a clever feminist film. And any opportunity to watch Cukor director Hepburn or Hepburn interact with Tracy is a joy.
-
One of the better battle of the sexes type movies. Plus it features one of the great on screen couples Tracy and Hepburn.
-
I like it.
-
I not a fan of Hepburn's in general but the script definitely does her no favors here. Moreover, it's not a very funny film. The Hepburn-Tracy pairing brings a certain energy, though.
-
Saw this for Cavell's Pursuits of Happiness.