Dynamic Duos in Classic Film: Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant

This post is written in conjunction with the Dynamic Duos in Classic Film blogathon hosted by Once Upon a Screen and the Classic Movie Hub. This article and many like it can be found on margaretperry.org.

HOLIDAY (1938)

Katharine Hepburn had the privilege of playing with some of the best leading men of her day, from Humphrey Bogart to John Wayne. She is perhaps best known for the nine films she made between 1942 and 1967 with her long-term lover Spencer Tracy. Hepburn also worked with director and friend George Cukor on a remarkable ten movies, starting with her Hollywood début picture, A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT (1932), until THE CORN IS GREEN (1979) just a couple years before his death.

These two Hepburn teamings may be the most well-known, but we must not forget that Hepburn made four films with sex-pot Cary Grant before she ever met Tracy, and three of these four movies were directed by Cukor.

BRINGING UP BABY (1938) or "Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant Go Leopard-Hunting in Connecticut"

Friends often ask me which Katharine Hepburn film is my all-time favorite. I usually hem and haw and feed them a line about how there is a Hepburn film for every occasion. Sometimes I say that the one I saw last is my favorite. Other times I'll list a top five and watch as their eyes glaze over. Basically, when people ask me about my favorite Katharine Hepburn film, I lie.

Because I do in fact have an ultimate favorite Katharine Hepburn film. My favorite Katharine Hepburn film of all time and in all universes is... Howard Hawks's BRINGING UP BABY (1938). Please, don't judge me.

This week marks the 75th anniversary of BRINGING UP BABY. It's a movie I can watch a million times and still pee myself laughing. I could recite every single line in every scene, but I still demand absolute silence, waiting with baited breath for each familiar punch line. This is the film I force on all my newby-classic-movie-fan-friends. All right, to be perfectly honest, I did force this movie on practically everybody in my college dorm. If I missed you, you're gonna have to come over this weekend so we can remedy that.

Dear Katharine Hepburn...

This post is written in conjunction with the Letter to the Stars Blogathon hosted by Marcela (another Hepburn fan!) at Best of the Past.

"Write a letter to your favorite dead star. What did you always want to tell them? How did they change your life? What's your favorite thing about them? How did they impact the world and what legacies did they leave? Write about anything you like, as long as it's addressed to your favorite dead star. Pretend they can hear you: It's your chance!"

Dear Katharine Hepburn,

Just want to say thank you for what you've taught me. Although we didn't properly meet until after your passing in 2003, sometimes I feel like I know you better than my oldest friends. I probably spend more time with you on average than with any other single person. That would be sad, if you weren't such an awesome dame.

Our Miss Fantastic on TCM this Friday: Katharine Hepburn on SUTS

This post is written in conjunction with the Summer Under the Stars Blogathon hosted by Sittin' on a Backyard Fence and ScribeHard on Film. A full day of Katharine Hepburn films will air on TCM on August 17.

Turner Classic Movies had selected an amazing line-up of movies for Miss Hepburn's day on Summer Under the Stars this year. As the self-proclaimed KH aficionado in the blogosphere, I'm going to rate Friday's movie selection to help the plebes decide which Hepburn films to DVR. You're welcome!

1.) ADAM'S RIB (1949)

POLL: What is your favorite 1930s Katharine Hepburn movie?

1.) HOLIDAY (George Cukor, 1938)

Although Johnny (Cary Grant) is crazy about his fiancee Julia, Julia doesn't seem crazy about Johnny's plans for their future. Her sister Linda (Hepburn), on the other hand, feels more than sympathy for the young energetic dreamer engaged to her beloved sister.

And the winners are...

Over the past month or so I've posted four polls about Katharine Hepburn movies and co-stars. Although you can continue to cast your votes on those polls, I thought I'd give all those who have already voted a run-down on the scores.

What's your favorite Katharine Hepburn classic? has 20 votes so far and they are pretty evening distributed across the board. BRINGING UP BABY (1938) is in the lead with five votes, followed by LITTLE WOMEN (1934) with four votes. THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1940) and AFRICAN QUEEN (1951) are both tied for last place with three votes each. The remaining five votes selected "other" and that list includes to votes for THE LION IN WINTER (1968), and one each for HOLIDAY (1938), ON GOLDEN POND (1982), and CHRISTOPHER STRONG (1933).

15 people have voted on What's your favorite Katharine Hepburn Oscar win? GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER (1967) and THE LION IN WINTER (1968), for which Katharine Hepburn won back-to-back Oscars, are tied for the lead with six votes each. MORNING GLORY (1933), Hepburn's first ever Oscar nomination and win, is trailing with only two votes and Hepburn's final Oscar win, ON GOLDEN POND (1982) brings up the rear with a single vote.

Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn made four films together and you can vote for your favorite in What's your favorite Cary Grant/Katharine Hepburn movie? Nine of the fourteen votes went to the ever-popular BRINGING UP BABY (1938). THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1940) has only three votes and HOLIDAY (1938) only two. Unfortunately, SYLVIA SCARLETT (1935) brings up the rear without a solitary vote.

The most recent poll Who's your favorite of Hepburn's leading men? gives several options, but so far people have only voted on two: six votes have gone to Cary Grant and five to Spencer Tracy. John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Henry Fonda, and Peter O'Toole are also listed, but no one seems overly impressed with their performances, apparently!

These are all running polls, so feel free to cast your vote at any time. If you don't see the answer you would like, you can always enter your own in the "other" option. Let me know if you have an idea for a poll question and I will post it for you. You can see all the existing polls under the "Polls" tab at the top of the blog, and there is also a link to each individual poll in the Table of Contents. Thanks for voting!

Poll: What's your favorite Cary Grant/Katharine Hepburn movie?

Poll: What's your favorite Katharine Hepburn classic?