Woman of the Year (1942)'s comments

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Torgo

For me, this started like a promising, classic comedy in the first 30 minutes and transformed into a misshapen result not unlike Hepburn's attempt at a waffle by the final third. Uh.

1 year 8 months ago

Woman of the Year marks the first film in what would become a long onscreen partnership between Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy and there's tangible chemistry already, though it's perhaps not the easy, witty romance we've come to expect from later efforts. Hepburn is great as an international affairs journalist at the top of her profession (the title woman), incredibly independent even in small mannerisms, who nevertheless falls for Tracy, a sports writer who initially wants to set her straight after she makes dismissive comments about baseball in an interview. The romcom basics are there, but this soon turns into a drama (despite some light comedy shenanigans), covering more steps in the relationship than usually allowed. Can his ego, in fact, live in the shadow of her accomplishments? To its credit, Tracy does not come off as a macho jerk despite his troubles, so it's really down to the closing act. What is should do is allow them to find a compromise somewhere between extremes without them (and especially her) compromising who they ARE. Unfortunately, the barest hint of that is given (in a line of dialog), but the film wants to end with the wives in the audience thinking they shouldn't have ambitions beyond the home. And that's not a message that has aged well. It's not even a message that's internally consistent with the rest of the picture. Oh well. At least the actors'll get to play opposite each other in more equitable relationships in the future.

5 years 3 months ago

elesay

Was it common in the 40s for people to think that a 5 year old is old enough to be left at home alone for several hours? I certainly know that things were different back then, but this appears insanely irresponsible. Perhaps this was the point, but I just want to ensure I'm not judging unfairly.

7 years 1 month ago

mondovertigo

Pretty stale, but the kitchen scene towards the end is funny.

8 years 3 months ago

Celluloid Jam

Hepburn and Tracy's chemistry can't save this strange, strange film. Bizarrely paced, with a third-act kitchen scene that's one of the weirdest physical comedy bits I've ever seen.

9 years 2 months ago

neocowboy

The issue with the marriage is not that Tess is a strong independent woman in a 'man's world' it's that she can't find a balance between work and home. She tries to compensate at the end by trying to become the polar opposite, the ideal 40's 'domestic goddess' which Sam says he doesn't want. He just wants an equal balance between her home and work life.

This film was quite ahead of its time and has not dated badly like its sister film, Adam's Rib.

10 years 12 months ago

BadFluffy

I think the "no chemistry" argument is more between the characters. The actors have wonderful chemistry in spite of the script which makes her cold and unfeeling, using a kid as a prop and him the sensitive victim of her career.
I'm on the fence about the movie. I think they pushed it a little far to make it "obvious" and other movies deal with the issue much better, like All About Eve, without making the female character look like she's surrendering to the little wife's lifestyle but it's not a bad movie for that.

11 years 9 months ago

flaiky

The ending really isn't that bad (and I say this as a woman) - Sam says he *doesn't* want Tess to be a simple housewife, he just doesn't want her to be so completely focussed on her career either. Why do people always call it sexist? That's just...reasonable!

12 years 5 months ago

Timec

It's fine not to like the film, but I've gotta agree with fake_plastic - No chemistry?!?!?!

ICheckMovies users say the darnedest things.

12 years 7 months ago

AdGuzman

I also think that there was no chemistry even tho they were a real couple what I really couldn't handle at all was the ending, the terrible misogynistic ending, I know it was the 40's, also know that it would be the ending even from the beginning I was just hoping Katharine would defend her character at some point but I supose it was just matter of "this is the 40s women belong in the kitchen" but was pretty funny aside the ending.

12 years 7 months ago