W is for Woman of the Year, a romantic comedy
from 1942 directed by George Stevens. The film is not rated and is in black and
white.
Sam Craig (Spencer Tracy) and Tess Harding (Katharine
Hepburn) are both columnists at the New
York Chronicle. Sam is a sportswriter, and Tess is an international affairs
correspondent. They come to each other’s attention quite accidentally, and a
feud between them in their columns develops. They had worked on different
floors of the newspaper, and met for the first time being reprimanded by their
boss. Attraction is instantaneous and the courtship begins.
Tess is a worldly woman, having lived in China, traveled
extensively, and she speaks several languages fluently. Sam is just a small
town kind of guy who decides to ask Tess to a baseball game for their first
date. One of the funniest segments of the film is Sam patiently attempting to
explain baseball to Tess while at the game, difficult in that she has never
attended a game in her life. It is truly comical as she is so very, very naïve.
Despite Tess inviting Sam to a party at her apartment where
he can interact with virtually no one due to language barriers between him and
the guests, he persists to woo her, and they eventually are married. No time
for a proper honeymoon due to their career commitments. The arrival of a Dr.
Lubbeck at Tess’s door on their wedding night escalates to their bedroom
filling with her friends, and then Sam’s friends that he invites in response to
the growing entourage of Dr. Lubbeck’s. This leads to some funny slapstick
humor involving Sam’s friends, one of whom has been a boxer.
They finally make a go of their relationship, not without
bumps in the road. Tess is chosen as “America’s Outstanding Woman of the Year,”
and Sam has really had it by this time with his assertive career woman. Whether
they will make it or not is something you’ll have to see for yourself.
Interesting about this film is the era, World War II, in
which it was created. I noticed an altered map in Tess’s office showing Europe,
outlining which countries Hitler had invaded and occupied. Women became part of
the workforce during World War II, and were becoming more assertive and
independent, characteristics that Tess possesses to the extreme. On the other
hand, she has no skill in the kitchen, and there is a really funny scene near the
end of the movie where Sam quietly reads the paper while she attempts to cook him
breakfast with disastrous and very amusing consequences.
Woman of the Year
won Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards for Michael Kanin and Ring
Lardner, Jr. It deserves the award, as the writing is clever, the comedic
situations really priceless, and it’s basically a sound story. This was the
first of nine films Tracy and Hepburn would star in together and the one said
to have launched their romantic relationship.
Hi Sue - sounds interesting ... especially Tracy and Hepburn ... but beyond that= not much I'm afraid ... but good to know about - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading my reviews! Tracy and Hepburn are quite the match!
DeleteThis is an excellent film that has not really dated when you think of the plot. I found even when he brought her home at first and they are kissing in the doorway, I found it very mature and able to get by the censors. I know they met during the making of this film and it did start their romantic partnering. Funny when they met on the grounds with the director, Hepburn said that he looked a bit too short for her and the direc5or said, “don’t worry Kate, he’ll cut you down to size.”
ReplyDeleteGreat stories of film legends. So much fun to find these tidbits online or in books!
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