Garson Kanin (1912–1999)

Garson Kanin (and his wife, Ruth Gordon) was a close friend and confidante of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, a writer of two of their films together, and uniquely positioned to write this memoir of the legendary couple and the times shared with him and his wife. The book is witty, revealing and personal. As much as I enjoyed reading these stories of my favorite film couple, I had to wonder if it caused any rift in the friendship with the very private Hepburn (Tracy was deceased by the show more time of publication, but I have no doubt he would have opposed the book's publication). Anyway, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn were probably not the easiest people to be close to; both could be prickly and had numerous foibles one was bound to respect. But Kanin no doubt felt that the rewards of the friendship made it worthwhile. show less

A touching and compassionate play, in which a well-to-do American couple living in France in 1954 must face issues of quality of life and right-to-die as the husband faces the fact that his cancer is terminal and will soon end him. Played by Henry Fonda and Olivia de Havilland on the stage, this is an intelligent and touching treatment of how a loving couple faces the end we all must, just with a bit more foreknowledge in their case. The wife's final words to her husband had me quietly show more weeping as I read. I think these issues were more taboo in those days, but it's still a potent punch of ideas and emotions. show less

A widower remarries, then finds out his first wife isn't dead.

Funny. I don't usually like comedies with this sort of people-forced-to-lie-to-each-other premise, but this cast makes it work.

Concept: D
Story: C
Characters: B
Dialog: B
Pacing: B
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: C
Acting: B
Music: C

Enjoyment: C plus

GPA: 2.3/4

Whiny, nasal Anne Heche is definitely no Katherine Hepburn and Amy Pietz’s no Judy Holliday, but I enjoyed the battle of the sexes that is Adam’s Rib. The film from which this dramatization was adapted was released in 1949, and, consequently, even with the adaptation, remains a bit dated. But I enjoyed the banter.