Stage Door 1937

Stage Door was Katharine Hepburn‘s 13th film. It has an all star cast with Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Monjou, Lucille Ball and many others.
It is a story that takes place at the Footlights Club, a theatrical boarding house for women. Everyone living at the club arel trying to make it on the stage or in some form of show business. Terry Randell (Hepburn) comes to the club to try her hand in acting. Jean Maitland (Rogers), her fast talking, wise cracking roommate and her don’t get a long right away. Terry lands the lead in Enchanted April, the new play that Anthony Powell (Monjou) is producing. Terry goes into rehearsals with the thought that acting is just common sense. She soon discovers it takes more than that to be a great actor. It isn’t till Kaye (Andrea Leads), one of the other girls living in the Footlights Club, commits suicide, that Terry is able to rise to the emotional level required to play the part.
This film is hilarious. The wise cracks & one liners among the girls make it totally worth watching if for no other reason. This film was nominated for 4 Academy Awards. I have been a fan of this movie since I was in Jr. High School and is my second favorite Hepburn film. I purchased the play by Edna Ferber & George Kaufman hoping to get all the dialog from the film. A lot of the movies that Katharine Hepburn played in that were based off of plays, use the dialog almost word for word. I was disappointed to discover that the play is almost a completely different story. There is very little that is the same between the play and film. I didn’t enjoy the play because of my love for the film. It is a better story and much funnier. If you, like me, are looking for the dialog found in the film, do not read the play. Read the screenplay. I would highly recommend this film to all. Watch the movie trailer here. Listen to the Radio show here.

This Can’t Be Love 1994

This Can’t Be Love was Katharine Hepburn‘s 49th Film and her 7th made for TV film. This was her 3rd to last film and her last major role. She only did cameo’s in her last two films.

In this film Hepburn plays Marion Bennett, a retired actress who spends her days doing the things she enjoys best. Her chauffeur, Grant (Jason Bateman probably best known as Michael Bluth from the TV Show Arrested Development), ends up running into Sarah (Jami Gertz best known as Judy Miller from the TV Show Still Standing) who pretends to be a big fan of his employer. She ends up being the writing agent of Michael Reyman (Anthony Quinn) who is writing his biography and was once married to Marion. Sarah reconnects them which at first looks like a big mistake. After all the hurt and angry starts to settle they find they are still in love.

This was a very charming film and I really enjoyed it. Hepburn largely plays herself so I’m sure it was an easy film for her to make. They even have a slide show of photos from her real movies & plays during the opening credits. This is a delightful movie and I would recommend it to all. This movie was only released on DVD in box set with two other movies, The Last Dance starring Maureen O’Hara & Family Secrets starring Melissa Gilbert, on Granada International (See Photo).

Spitfire 1934

Spitfire is Katharine Hepburn‘s fifth film. It didn’t do well in the box office and is the the film that most fans agree is her worst. Even Hepburn kept a photo of herself from this film framed in her house to remind herself that everyone can fail once in a while. This film was based off the play Trigger by Lula Vollmer.
This is the film takes place in a village in the Ozark Mountains. Trigger (Hepburn) is an out cast among the superstitous people of the village. She has to take in laundry to be able to survive. She gets a hold of prayer cards that she uses to talk to God and pray for others. Trigger is disillusioned when she falls for Stafford (Robert Young), who comes to the Ozarks to build a dam, and then learns that he lied to her about being married. Trigger ends up sealing a baby that was dying and nurse it back to health. Once the baby is returned to it’s parents it quickly dies and Trigger is blamed. Believed to be a witch, she is saved from the attack of the villagers by Fleetwood (Ralph Bellamy), Stafford’s boss. Trigger accepts the exile of the village but vows to return to Fleetwood whom she has fallen in love.
I expected to hate this movie but it was not bad. It is not her best but defiantly not her worst. It is an unusual film for Hepburn. This film was released on DVD through the Warner Archive Collection.

Grace Quigley 1984

Grace Quigley is Katharine Hepburn‘s 45th film. It co-stars Nick Nolte.
Plot: Grace Quigley (Hepburn) nearing the end of her life becomes lonely and tired of living. One day while sitting across the street from her apartment complex she witnesses hit man, Seymour Flint (Nolte) kill her horrid apartment manger. She finds out where he lives and approaches him about nocking her off. At first he is horrified but later agrees. She convinces him to take out one of her friends, another lonely person willing to pay for his death, as well to help with the cost of her death. Soon Quigley talks Flint into starting their own business of “Mercy Killing” to put old looney people out of their misery. The response is overwhelming.
This film sounds morbid and is a dark comedy but it is funny too. I would recommend it to all. This film is not available on DVD. Watch the Movie Trailer here.

Break of Hearts was Katharine Hepburn‘s 7th film.
Plot: Franz Roberti (Charles Boyer), a world famous composer & womanizer, falls in love with Constance Dane (Hepburn), an aspiring composer. They are soon married and travel all over Europe on their honeymoon. On their return to New York, Franz gets sucked back into going to dinner with his old friends and lies to his wife about it. She finds out and leaves him. Franz is devastated and begins to drink. It looks like his career is over for good but Franz & Constance are able to patch things up and they get back together.
This was a simple little love story. Although not one of my favorites it was a good film. It is interesting to note that John Beal (who played the Little Minister in the movie “The Little Minister”) played Franz’s best friend and tried to marry Constance when they where seperated. This film was released on DVD through the Warner Archive Collection.

Mrs Delafield Wants To Marry 1986

Mrs. Delafield Wants To Marry is Katharine Hepburn‘s 46th film and her 4th made for TV movie.
Plot: Dr. Marvin Elias (Harold Gould) a Jewish Doctor, helps to revive Mrs. Delafield (Hepburn) a weathly widower, when she is rushed to his hospital. She ends up falling in love with him much to the dismay of both their families. Each of there children try to talk their parents out of the relationship but by the end of the movie they become supportive.
This was a heart warming film about over coming our prejudeces. I would recommend it to all. This movie is avalible on DVD.

Undercurrent 1946

Undercurrent is Katharine Hepburn‘s 21st Film. It is a drama that borders on a Thriller. This is not her normal type of film. It is the only film she did with Robert Taylor.
Plot: Alan Garroway (Taylor) comes to the Hamilton home to visit Professor Hamilton (Edmund Gwenn best known for is role as Santa Claus in Miracle on 34th Street). He falls in love with his daughter, Ann (Hepburn). After they are married, Ann, finds out that Alan has a brother that he not only doesn’t want to talk about but when the subject comes up he flies into a rage. All the secrecy causes Ann to do more and more research which puts her life in danger.
This movie is also one of my favorite Katharine Hepburn movies. It is based on the book “You Were There” by Thelma Strabel. I have found a number of books online by Thelma but I haven’t been able to find a single copy of “You Were There.” I would highly recommend it to all. Watch the trailer here.

The Iron Petticoat 1956

The Iron Petticoat is Katharine Hepburn‘s 29th Film. It is the only movie that she did with Bob Hope.
When Russian Pilot, Captin Vinka Kovelenko (Hepburn) comes to the USA, she is held by the American air force. Major Charles Lockwood (Hope) is assigned to show her around and teach her about America. While he shows her around she is trying to convert him to Communism. Lockwood convinces her to travel to London so he can hook up with his fiancee. Vinka Kovelenko is being followed by people from her country who think she is a trader to her country. They kidnap her and take her back to Moscow for punishment but not before she and Charles fall in love.
This was a delightful comedy. A pleasant surprise. I didn’t expect to like it. Bob Hope has some funny lines and Katharine Hepburn has a great Russian accent. The film was originally written for Hepburn but when Hope came on board he gave the script to his writers that gave it the Bob Hope work over. Hepburn’s best scenes where cut and became a Bob Hope film. Hepburn and Hope did not end of friendly terms. They never worked together again.
The film was enjoyable and I would recommend it to all. Today was the first time I have seen it. It has never been released on DVD but you can watch it here.

Love Among The Ruins 1975

Love Among The Ruins was Katharine Hepburn‘s 40th Film and 2nd made for TV movie.
Plot: Jessica Medlicott (Hepburn) a famous British stage actress who’s husband of 40 years has passed away, is swept away in a romance with a man much much younger than she. After she realizes what she is doing she quickly breaks off the engagement. The young man and his mother sue Mrs. Medlicott for damages. She hires Sir Arthur Glanville-Jones (Sir. Lauernece Oliver), the best lawyer in town to defend her. Glanville-Jones, as it turns out, was one of Mrs. Medlicott’s suiters from years past and has never really gotten over her. Mrs. Medlicott doesn’t remember but by the end of the film it all comes back to her.
This was a delightful little movie. It is a romantic comedy. The court room offers some pretty funny scenes. I had never seen it before today but had always wanted to. It has never been released on DVD in the USA. I happened to find it on youtube last night and was able to watch it today for the first time. I loved it. I would highly recommend it to all. You can watch it by following the links below:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8

The Lion In Winter 1968

The Lion In Winter was Katharine Hepburn‘s 35th film. The movie is based on the play by James Goldman. I know I say it a lot but this film is one of my favorites by Hepburn.
Plot: King Henry II (Peter O’Toole) lets his Queen, Eleanor (Hepburn) out of jail and rounds up his sons and hold Christmas Court to name a successor to the throne. He invites Prince Phillip (Timothy Dalton) King of France as well to settle a dispute. It is a battle of wits as they try to out do each other. The movie also stars Anthony Hopkins.
It is a great case study of a dysfunctional family. This is a very moving film and I would recommend it to all. The movie was critically acclaimed and won 3 Oscars Including one for Katharine Hepburn for Best Actress. I recently read the play and the play was pretty much the script for the movie. Here is the movie trailer here.