Customer Reviews

Adam's Rib

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

"Adam's Rib' is arguably the greatest Tracy-Hepburn film, and is certainly the most popular of their teamings. Brightly written (by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin), it takes the premise of the trial of a wife (the sparkling Judy Holliday, in her film debut) shooting her unfaithful husband (Tom Ewell, establishing himself in the kind of role he'd reprise in The Seven-Year Itch), and turns it into a forum for sexual values in the '40s, and a showcase for the fabulous Tracy and Hepburn. The two were never better than as the battling D.A. and defense attorney. In the courtroom and out, the love they share, and tweaking of each other's egos, is a sheer joy to watch. That the story is also a knowing commentary about women's inequality under the law makes the film even more topical today, and doesn't reduce the film's enjoyment value at all. It is a VERY funny film, and can be enjoyed at MANY levels! David Wayne's smarmy songwriter-neighbor sings 'Goodbye, Amanda', a song written by Cole Porter for the film (In fact, Hepburn's character's name in the film was changed to Amanda, to fit Porter's song!) Favorite scenes include the 'home movie', which accurately reflects Tracy and Hepburn's own relationship; the infamous massage scene ("I know a slap...!"); and Tracy's licorice-gun confrontation, and crying-on-demand scene. A Classic that deserves it's reputation

Long acclaimed as one of Hollywood's finest comedies, Adam's Rib is arguably the best of the Tracy/Hepburn offerings. One can appreciate it fifty years after its debut. Any movie should be looked upon as a period piece, but the best ones are able to transcend their own time frames.

Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn play husband-and-wife legal beagles, so close personally that they share a nickname, who oppose each other professionally in a routine criminal trial. The circumstances of the case impel them to focus on their personal causes (feminism for her, honor for the law for him), and they quickly become competitors and antagonists in their marriage as well.

And this is a comedy? Yes - thanks to inspired scriptwriting, expert direction, and a good fast pace. The supporting cast is exceptional - Judy Holliday (who won an Oscar for her role) as the harrassed defendant, Tom Ewell as her sleazy philandering husband, and David Wayne as the lawyers' very, very weird neighbor. Jean Hagen has a small role as the "other woman" - she later played the obnoxious silent-movie diva in "Singin' in the Rain."

Watch - at least once - the apartment/hallway quarrel with the sound turned off. You'll see facets of movie-making brilliance you may not have noticed before. Adam's Rib is one of the few Hollywood films which proves itself, indeed, to be like a finely cut emerald.

Of all the films that Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy made together, this is my favorite. The two are absolutely brilliant as a husband and wife who are both lawyers on opposite sides of a case having to do with a woman defending her honor by shooting her husband when she finds him cheating on her. As great as the two leads are, however, this film is so rich and succeeds on so many levels that it would have been a great success even with two far less gifted performers. The film also features what was essentially the debut of three well known performers: Jean Hagen (who would shine only three years later in SINGIN' IN THE RAIN), Tom Ewell, and the absolutely magnificent Judy Holiday, arguably the greatest dumb blondes in the history of Hollywood (despite being by all accounts one of the most intellectually brilliant performers ever, once having scored over 170 on an IQ test). Holiday is especially great in the film, absolutely stealing every scene in which she appears. Her scene in the witness chair is my favorite scene in the film. David Wayne fills out a remarkable cast as Hepburn and Tracy's next door neighbor, a songwriter who pens the song "Farewell, Amanda" for Hepburn, who plays Amanda Bonner (Tracy is Adam Bonner, hence the title of the film). His constant bantering enlivens nearly every scene in which he appears.

George Cukor does his usual competent job directing, but the heart of the film, in addition to the acting, is the outstanding script by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin. The movie is stuffed with jokes, gags, emotional tension, and serious issues in a manner that is rarely successful. One of my few complaints with the film is the rather absurd handling of questions of women's equality, naively basing it on the ability of a woman to do anything a man can do, which is, of course, absurd in a variety of situations. For instance, they bring a Strong Woman into the court room, to demonstrate that a woman can be as strong as a man, though it is impossible to discern what legal point that is supposed to make, and leads to a moment of slapstick that is below the quality of the rest of the film. The silliness of this scene seems to undercut the seriousness of the issue of women's issues in the rest of the film. Also, one can see the wires used to make it appear the woman is lifting him over her head, making it seem even sillier.

This is one of those movies that improves upon reviewing, partly because a first viewing isn't sufficient to unveil all the excellences contained within it. It remains one of my favorite films by all of the principles involved.

Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy movies are sometimes thin on plot, but always loaded with their unique chemistry. Few, if any, movie duos ever possessed the magic these two emanate from the screen. Tracy is perhaps the greatest screen actor of them all, and Kate plays off him to perfection. Their interplay here is engaging, witty and makes you realize that no one working in movies today can hold a candle to these two giants.

The plot here is a trifle unbelievable and there are parts of the film which drag, especially the scenes with David Wayne who is really superfluous to the action. If you are a stickler for a smooth plot and lots of action, then this movie won't be your cup of tea. However, if you appreciate the brilliance of Spencer Tracy and enjoy the unparalleled chemistry between Tracy and Hepburn, then you'll adore this movie.

ADAM'S RIB is a great example of intelligent, beautiful and thought-provoking cinema, with two of the most gifted individuals to ever grace the screen, Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Amanda (Hepburn) and Adam (Tracey) Bonner are married lawyers who are on opposite sides of a case, involving a woman (Judy Holiday in her film debut) who shot her abusive husband (Tom Ewell). While Amanda and Adam stand on opposite sides in the courtroom, their genuine love and respect for each other balances the sparks that fly in their professional lives.

I believe that this is one of the most progressive films made at its time. It took on hard hitting issues like domestic violence, gender equality (or the lack thereof) in society and on the job. Katherine Hepburn's character challenges every stereotype of the commonplace depiction of the "model" 1950s woman. She has a career, brilliant and anything but a pushover. I applaud all the actors, the director, the producer, and all parties involved in bringing this film to fruition all those years ago. It continues to shine today.

This movie caused me to take an interest in the law as a young girl. I am now a successful lawyer and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the movie all over again. Sparks, fun, ambition, relationships, wise-cracks and everything you would expect from Hepburn and Tracy. Outstanding

Seven years into their screen partnership, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn made what is arguably their best effort together, the sixth of nine movies they made together. The zingy repartee and old-shoe comfort in their relationship are in full bloom in this 1949 comedy classic directed by George Cukor. Written by the legendary husband and wife writing team of Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon, the plot focuses on a headline-grabbing court case involving Doris Attinger, a dim-witted wife who shoots her philandering husband Warren just as he is caught with his blowsy mistress Beryl Caighn. Representing the wounded husband is Assistant DA Adam Bonner who is looking for a quick conviction of the wife. However, his proto-feminist attorney wife Amanda sees the alleged crime as an act of justifiable defiance and decides to defend the wife.

This potentially tense set-up leads to a trial where Amanda sets out to prove that a double standard exists for women and that Doris was merely defending her family and home. Adam, however, believes that the law is the law no matter the gender of those involved and that a murder was indeed attempted. Consequently, the story is not so much about Adam's inherent sexism as it is about Amanda's single-minded determination to prove her point even as the case degrades into a media sideshow. Over half a century later, Amanda's arguments sound rather dated, one-note and frankly ill-conceived with many of her lines simply polemics. At the same time, Hepburn plays such a convincing litigator that her case actually sounds persuasive at times. Tracy is also in top form as he brings his unique combination of sympathy and combustible bluster to a man who respects his wife deeply but becomes increasingly disillusioned with her unlawful stance.

Together, they banter terrifically throughout, but it's in the domestic scenes, for instance, the home movie of their Connecticut farm and the late night meal preparation, where you feel their natural chemistry the most. As Doris, Judy Holliday delivers in her first significant screen role, bringing a deeper pathos to the scorned wife than you would expect. Several years away from "The Seven Year Itch", Tom Ewell plays Warren for the smarmy, sexist cheater that he is, while Jean Hagen expertly plays Beryl as a media-hungry floozy. As the Bonners' next door neighbor Kip, David Wayne acts rather fey for someone who supposedly wants to run away with Amanda, but I suppose the approach was intentional to ensure nothing would really threaten the Bonner marriage except the case. However dated some of the sexual politics feel, the film is still one of the most smartly played of romantic comedies. Unfortunately the 2000 DVD has no extras.

Adam's Rib (black and white; running time 101 minutes; not rated) stars two of the greatest Academy Award winning actors of our time, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. This movie was directed by George Cukor in 1949 for Metro Goldwyn Mayer. In a very comical and humorous way, Adam's Rib explores equal rights for women and the question of who wears the pants in a marriage.

When a wife is accused of the attempted murder of her unfaithful husband, Assistant District Attorney Adam Bonner (Spencer Tracy) lands the case. Little does he know that soon his wife, Amanda Bonner (Katharine Hepburn), who is also an attorney, will be defending the accused wife and using equality for women as the main defense. Amanda Bonner wants to know, "What's the difference?". She submits that if the accused had been a man whose wife was being unfaithful, everyone would believe he was attempting to save his marriage, while her client is accused of trying to kill her husband. As the trial progresses, so does the animosity and competitiveness between the attorneys, which in turn causes a strain on their otherwise happy marriage. The sparing between the two attorneys culminates in the hilarious closing arguments of the trial. The accused wife is found not guilty and Amanda Bonner has won her case--or has she? Adam Bonner is able to use his wily ways to get Amanda back which will leave unanswered the question, "Who wears the pants?".

This film is rated five stars (*****). This classic romantic comedy will leave you with a smile on your face. The comic interaction between Tracy and Hepburn is engaging and unforgettable.

Probably the best of the Tracy-Hepburn movies, Adam's Rib is very funny and enjoyable. Excellently written, well directed by George Cukor, and (most of all) featuring great chemistry between Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn, this is the ultimate "battle of the sexes" movie and a must-see.

Basically, Adam's Rib starts out with a wife who shoots at her husband (Judy Holliday, who does an excellent job with her important, if small, role) after finding him with another woman. At the trial, Holliday is represented by Amanda Bonner (Katherine Hepburn) who just happens to be opposed by her own husband (Spencer Tracy) who is the prosecuting attorney. The movie creatively uses the premise of the trial as a springboard for witty, funny conversations between the Bonners' about equality and the double standard (if Holliday had been a man, would she be judged so harshly).

Anyhow, Adam's Rib is a fantastic film which discusses many relevant issues and is, contrary to what you might think, really quite modern in its outlook. There may be some points in the film that reflect its age but, overall, the main issue - the ever ongoing battle of the sexes - is still as relevant today as it was 60 years ago.

Furthermore, the movie is so witty and well done that it would be a joy to watch even if the content was clearly irrelevant now. It features several scenes that are especially noteworthy - for instance, the scene in which Hepburn humiliates Tracy in court and the resulting scene where Tracy scares Hepburn with the licorice gun. So, overall, this film still sparkles with wit and with the chemistry between its stars...highly recommended!

Two New York lawyers, husband Adam Bonner (Spencer Tracy) and wife Amanda Bonner (Katharine Hepburn), work out the marital tension and fight the sexual wars in the courtroom on opposite sides of a wife (Judy Holliday) shoots cheating husband (Tom Ewell) case. Adam's masculinity is seemingly challenged and his sense of justice offended by his wife's insistence on showing how smart she is while furthering her feminist agenda at the expense of the law. Will their public confrontation destroy their marriage, or will it ultimately make the bond stronger?

This still plays mainly because of the charisma of Hepburn and Tracy and the fine chemistry they create together. The script by Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon is profound and shallow by turns, yet ultimately witty and pleasing. Judy Holliday as the lower middle-class Doris Attinger (on her way to her signature role in Born Yesterday (1950)) and David Wayne, as the song-writing neighbor who adores Amanda, shine in supporting roles. George Cukor's direction is clear, crisp and always focused. In the end we can see that Adam can be as feminine as Amanda can be masculine. The bit where Tracy cries real tears to win her back and then tells her, "We all have our tricks" is classic. It's his clever answer to her outrageous courtroom theatrics. Memorable as it illuminates their contrasting personalities is the early scene where the unsophisticated Doris is interviewed by Yale law school grad Amanda.

As a political movie, was Adam's Rib ahead of its time as a vehicle for feminist expression, or was it just another apology for male chauvinism, or was it balanced and fair? I'll give you a hint: the title is ironic. One of the things that made the Tracy/Hepburn romance work so well for so long was the creative balance they maintained in the battle of the sexes. The script by Kanin and Gordon carefully continues that profoundly true equilibrium.