Customer Reviews

Katharine Hepburn: Star as Feminist (Film and Culture Series)

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This is a superb critical evaluation of all of Hepburn's film roles until 1984. It is the only book about Hepburn that did not disappoint me. Hepburn biographies and studies have often tended to "normalize" Hepburn (eg. Kate - Charles Higham) or rationalize some contradictory aspects of her personality (eg. A Remarkable Woman - Anne Edwards) based on *conclusions drawn from* material that is in media circulation. Andrew Britton, in refreshing contrast, meticulously examines the implied beliefs and thought processes *behind* such material. Hepburn, through Britton's book, emerges in an arena all her own, resisting all attempts at conventional compartmentalization.

I absolutely agree with his views on many movies, say, "Woman of the Year", where Hepburn's presence in the title role suggests an independence and authority which the film's contrived, though expertly acted, ending, tries (unsuccessfully) to suppress. His views on the "violence of the performance" in "Summertime", which makes "the film's project untenable", are also very apt.

Apart from a thorough examination of Hepburn's roles with Tracy, Grant and others, this book makes pointed comparisons between the spinster roles of Bette Davis and Hepburn. It also has a very original discussion on The Philadelphia Story (Hepburn), Ninotchka (Greta Garbo), and Destry Rides Again (Marlene Dietrich), which according to Britton, were attempts to humanize (and hence compromise) its three female stars, who had previously been labelled "box-office poison".

For fans of Hepburn, for serious followers of films, and for all those who are concerned about the hidden ideas that films (sometimes inadvertently) propagate into the filmgoer's mind, this is an objective, insightful book which should not be missed.

This book is probably one of the only books on Kate to not focus on her life, but on her movies. The author analyzes each one so intricately and finds how Hepburn was a premiere feminist in each one. It's interesting when you read about his analysis of several Tracy/Hepburn movies, as well as "The Philadelphia Story." The movies, according to the author, try to teach Hepburn a lesson and make her conform to the standards of the patriarchy. Interesting to note, the author also compares and contrasts several films of Bette Davis, Bacall/Bogart, and Astaire/Rogers with Hepburn's films as well. Excellent read- very professional. The best part about this book probably is that it's loaded with glossy, beautiful pictures from almost every movie Kate made.

The book has interesting information, but the writing style is so convoluted it is not enjoyable to read. The photographs in the book are good reproductions.