Ok, even though these movies aren't in my personal collection I had just watched them last night on Turner Classic Movies and felt I must comment. The movies in question, being Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, and Summertime, feature that regal star of the ages, Katharine Hepburn. Seeing these movies back-to-back, it was interesting to see the variety of movies she did and roles she portrayed. What I do note is that, besides the interesting way she speaks, another signature of hers is that every character she played was a strong-willed, independent woman.
Bringing Up Baby is a classic romantic-comedy that I find so enjoyable and would watch anytime. Ironically enough, this was probably one of the first black-and-white movies I ever saw and liked, and it was before I knew who Hepburn even was. Hepburn and the dashing Cary Grant made such a wonderful pair and truly made their characters likable. In general, I don't consider Hepburn a beautiful woman since her features are so strong and harsh, but in this movie she does look quite glamorous. Then again I find every woman in the 30's and 40's glamorous; they just knew how to work it (present day girls should take a note). I was shocked to find out that at the time of it's release (1938) it had bombed in the box office and had ended Hepburn's movie career for a couple of years, especially now that the movie is considered one of the best in its genre. The point I need to get at is when the film was made, the 31-year-old Hepburn didn't have much experience with comedy, yet in the film she seemed like such a natural and she portrayed the flighty, accident-proned Susan perfectly, being the most soft and feminine than in any other movie I've seen her in. Even though her next movie, The Philadelphia Story, was made only two years later, there was such a transformation about her. She even seemed physically different, I think deriving from how she carried herself. Even her costar, once again being Grant, seemed different. This movie is also a romance-comedy, but with the absence of slapstick-gag humor that Baby had. And Hepburn herself is not funny. She's stern and statuesque, almost untouchable, which describes her character Tracy Lord to a T; hence her being a phenomenal actress. The last movie, Summertime, is quite the shock to see right after Philadelphia because there's a 15 year difference in the movies, so we see the actress immediately go from her early 30's to her mid-40s. Wow. It's kinda weird to see a star go from black-and-white to technicolor. It's kinda like the first time seeing Lucille Ball's bright red hair when all during I Love Lucy you're just told it is so. By the fifties, Hepburn had gone from young heroine roles to middle spinster ones, Summertime being one of them. However it doesn't take away from the romance of the story. Unlike her other romance movies where her characters are a little more foolhardy, in this movie her character Jane Hudson is aged and knows life, and seemingly has everything viewed in black-and-white, of course until she falls in love with Renato, played by Rossano Brazzi. My favorite part of the movie is the scenery. It was actually shot in location in Venice, which at the time (1955) it was very rare. Just to see the city in all of its authenticity, the real architecture and the real city life. The movie was actually shot during the summer, so the crowds of tourists were real too. And if it was that crowded back then fifty-five years ago, then I can only imagine how it is now. It's shot so beautifully, it's like taking a small vacation without even leaving your home. Just breath-taking. Than again I have a thing for Italy (and Italians).
After watching these movies, I think you really get a good understanding of Hepburn as a person. I feel she's the kind of actress who can truly embody her roles because she's just like them herself, and if that's true, no surprise.
For more information on the movies I've mentioned, I suggest visiting the Internet Movie Database website, or just click on the links below:
Bringing Up Baby: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029947/
The Philadelphia Story: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032904/
Summertime: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048673/
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