The Great Katharine Hepburn

[Crimson]

I understand that she did not fit the glamour or exotic mold, so she was not like, say, Marlene Dietrich or Dolores del Rio, and she was not sexy like Jean Harlow, but she was quite beautiful.

I think she was too unconventional in her heyday for Hollywood, or society in general, to peg. Her casual nonchalance and tomboyishness didn't fit any standards of beauty of the 30s and 40s. When Dietrich wore slacks, it seemed naughty. Hepburn just seemed like she was on her way to play tennis. Not surprising, then, that Hepburn didn't really become beloved until the 1960s when unconventionality was becoming more conventional. I also think Hepburn grew into her looks. I find her more beautiful in her 30s and 40s than in her 20s.

 

[ClassyCo]

I think she was too unconventional in her heyday for Hollywood, or society in general, to peg. Her casual nonchalance and tomboyishness didn't fit any standards of beauty of the 30s and 40s. When Dietrich wore slacks, it seemed naughty. Hepburn just seemed like she was on her way to play tennis. Not surprising, then, that Hepburn didn't really become beloved until the 1960s when unconventionality was becoming more conventional. I also think Hepburn grew into her looks. I find her more beautiful in her 30s and 40s than in her 20s.

I can certainly agree there. Hepburn was very beautiful in the late thirties and early forties. Around the time of BRINGING UP BABY and THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, I believe she was at her peak.
​

​

 

[Seaviewer]

I've always loved Katherine Hepburn - drama or comedy, she could do it all. And even now she holds the record for Oscars.

 

[Barbara Fan]

"It takes too much energy to feel sorry for yourself; to regret things. I like movement. So does the earth; so does God; so do all the smart people. I want to be on good terms with the earth and God and the smart people, so I keep moving and changing. Whatever you don't like about the life you're living, you can change. And you should. And if you don't want to change things--if you haven't the guts to change things--then get comfortable with things as they are, and move in your own way. But don't complain. There is no reason, ever, to complain. You can stand up for something or someone, and you can demand things be made right for someone or something, but you can never complain. The soul dies when you complain." --Katharine Hepburn/Interview with James Grissom/1990/ #FolliesOfGod

 

[ClassyCo]

I think I would have loved it have Hepburn decided to take over for Crawford in HUSH... HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE when the producers finally got fed up with the latter's antics and delaying the production. I thoroughly enjoy that film, and it would have been intriguing to see Hepburn and Davis play off one another. But yet I understand Hepburn's decision not to stoop to those lows of hagsploitation.

Which I personally wish it could have all worked out an Crawford stayed on board. That film would be such much better, to me at least, had Crawford stayed on as Miriam. But that's coming from a viewer that has never been a major Olivia de Havilland fan.
​

 

[DallasFanForever]

Hepburn is one of those actresses I never could quite warm up to and I’m not sure why. She was undoubtedly a great actress and deserves all the accolades but I guess she was just never one of my favorites.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Hepburn was so committed to good taste that she ostentatiously kept a TV pulled-out and facing the wall, unplugged wire draped over it, in her Manhattan living room, and called it "the idiot box" (the TV, not the living room); Davis and Crawford both shot pilots for prospective weekly series that didn't sell, with Joan pining, "Oh, why don't they give me a series...?" but refusing the Joan Bennet role in DARK SHADOWS, Crawford unwilling to star in a cheapy daytime soap; while Stanwyck went on to play the lead in the hit-and-miss television western THE BIG VALLEY where she played the wealthy 1870s matriarch of a Stockton dynasty in the San Joaquin Valley of north-central California (a program that was in production for four years but has run ad nauseum for the last half-century in eternal repeats).

Hepburn wouldn't even allow herself the indignity of doing a television interview until charming, erudite Dick Cavett finally snagged her in 1973.

 

[Karin Schill]

I also love Katharine Hepburn.

I had posted an appreciation thread about her and Spencer Tracy but it disappeared in the big crash of '16 and I never restarted it after that.

Anyway my favorite movie with Katharine Hepburn is actually "Adam's Rib" (1949). It is hilarious and Hepburn-Tracy are at their best.

But I also love their final performance together in the movie "Guess Who's Coming For Dinner" (1967) where Kate's niece plays their daughter. It also had a great storyline that I think still resonates with people.

I have not watched all of Kate's movies yet. But I have also read some books about her. If you haven't read anything I could recommend you to start with her autobiography.

"Me, stories of my life" by Katharine Hepburn. It was very candid and reading it made me love her even more.

But the first book I read about her was actually "Tracy & Hepburn" an intimate memoir by Garson Kanin. It was a great book because it was written by one of their friends and had a lot of stories that you might not have heard about before. So I can really recommend both of those books.

P.S. Back in 2017 when we spotlighted Katharine Hepburn for our Movie Top Ten these were my favorite films with her:

1. Adam's Rib (1949)
2. The African Queen (1951)
3. Guess Who's Coming To Dinner? (1967)
4. On Golden Pond (1981)
5. Woman of The Year (1942)
6. Desk Set (1957)
7. The Philiadelphia Story (1940)
8. Bringing up Baby (1938)
9. Suddenly Last Summer (1959)
10. Summertime (1955)

D.S.

 

[Seaviewer]

I would put The African Queen at the top, but, yes, Adam's Rib is probably the best of the Tracy-Hepburn comedies.
I've read Me, too. Entertaining and revealing.

 

[Brewerd]

Love Kate! Hard for me to pick a favorite. I would say Desk Set is a fav with Spencer, The Holiday with Cary, African Queen, and Rooster and the Lady are also tops for me.

 

[Crimson]

My Top 10 Hepburn films

1. ADAM'S RIB
2. STATE OF THE UNION
3. THE LION IN WINTER
4. BRINGING UP BABY
5. STAGE DOOR
6. HOLIDAY
7. THE AFRICAN QUEEN
8. LOVE AMONG THE RUINS (TV-movie)
9. WITHOUT LOVE
10. MRS. DELAFIELD WANTS TO MARRY (TV-movie)

 

[ClassyCo]

Hepburn was so committed to good taste that she ostentatiously kept a TV pulled-out and facing the wall, unplugged wire draped over it, in her Manhattan living room, and called it "the idiot box" (the TV, not the living room); Davis and Crawford both shot pilots for prospective weekly series that didn't sell, with Joan pining, "Oh, why don't they give me a series...?" but refusing the Joan Bennet role in DARK SHADOWS, Crawford unwilling to star in a cheapy daytime soap; while Stanwyck went on to play the lead in the hit-and-miss television western THE BIG VALLEY where she played the wealthy 1870s matriarch of a Stockton dynasty in the San Joaquin Valley of north-central California (a program that was in production for four years but has run ad nauseum for the last half-century in eternal repeats).

Hepburn wouldn't even allow herself the indignity of doing a television interview until charming, erudite Dick Cavett finally snagged her in 1973.

Davis appeared in a lot of would-be pilots to the best of my memory. I hadn't any idea Crawford was asked for DARK SHADOWS, but refused the role.

 

[ClassyCo]

GRACE QUIGLEY looks like a movie that would be right up my alley. I like those cheesy movies, and since Katharine Hepburn is the star, I know I'd enjoy myself.

Has anyone seen it? Your thoughts?​

 

[Crimson]

GRACE QUIGLEY was one of those movies that was endlessly on basic cable in the 80s, so I watched it a lot of as a kid. I really have no specific memories of it, but it's reputation isn't good; not even as so-bad-it's-good.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I think it was originally called THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION OF GRACE QUIGLEY but the studio chopped up the title -- and the film. Possibly for good reason.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Davis appeared in a lot of would-be pilots to the best of my memory. I hadn't any idea Crawford was asked for DARK SHADOWS, but refused the role.

Bette's and Joan's unsold pilots from the '60s:

Bette Davis vs. Joan Crawford | Page 15 | Forums for television shows past and present (tellytalk.net)

 

[Seaviewer]

Grace Quigley was made-for-TV, wasn't it? I vaguely remember seeing it when it was first on but not since.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

In my alternative DYNASTIER world, she's Alexis' unmarried, patrician and disapproving aunt, who remarks frequently of her niece, "The girl is a slut -- that's all there is to it."

 

[Crimson]

In my alternative DYNASTIER world, she's Alexis' unmarried, patrician and disapproving aunt, who remarks frequently of her niece, "The girl is a slut -- that's all there is to it."

Your fantasies are so lofty. Even with my tendency towards mental re-casting and what-if guest appearances, I feel Kate would be scornful of an imaginary TV appearance.

 

[Grant Jennings]

GRACE QUIGLEY looks like a movie that would be right up my alley. I like those cheesy movies, and since Katharine Hepburn is the star, I know I'd enjoy myself.

Has anyone seen it? Your thoughts?​

I like cheese but that trailer is enough to make me lactose intolerant.

I think it was originally called THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION OF GRACE QUIGLEY but the studio chopped up the title -- and the film. Possibly for good reason.

The Ultimate Solution is too similar to "final solution", I can understand why they ditched it as the title.