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Special Features
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The Capra flavor is here, in the paeans to liberty and the American Way, and in the crackling pacing of dialogue scenes. Capra's affection for supporting players is also evident, with standout stuff from Menjou, Van Johnson (as a cynical aide), Lewis Stone, and Raymond Walburn. But the film's roots as a hit play (by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse) are a little too evident, and the film as a whole doesn't feel as bracingly Capraesque as the director's 1930s work. Having said that, the political satire is as relevant today as it was in 1948, although the rapid-fire topical references might be puzzling to non-campaign buffs. Note for bloopers collectors: Hepburn's name is spelled "Katherine" in the opening credits. --Robert Horton
Product Description
Customer Reviews
Based on the Pulitzer-prize winning play by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, you can still get a sense of the original three-act structure of the story. Act I in a Washington, D.C. bedroom in the house of political operative Jim Conover is where Matthews is convinced to try running for President and his wife is persuaded that this is as much a chance to save her marriage as it is to advance her husband's campaign. Act II in a hotel room in Detroit is where Matthews begins sacrificing principles for political expediency in his quest to gain the White House. Act III takes place in the Matthews home on the night of a national radio address, when everything finally comes to a head. From this perspective you have to credit scenarists Anthony Veiller and Myles Connolly with have done an excellent job of adapting the play to the screen. There are a lot of little jokes at the expense of the politicians in both parties in 1948, which will probably be lost on contemporary audiences; in fact, while on Broadway the political jokes were updated weekly. Certainly the particular brand of "Republicanism" offered by candidate Matthews, with his belief in the ultimate formation of a United States of Earth, sounds much more like what we would consider left-wing politics today.
As with most Capra films the acting is a delight from top to bottom. Tracy has several of those earnest speeches about America that make you shake your head when you look at Bore and Gush, while Hepburn tries to deal with both her husband's political amibitons and the other woman in his life. Lansbury's cold and calculating performance foreshadows the monstrous creature she plays in "The Manchurian Candidate." Van Johnson as Spike McManus is pretty much the weatherwave of the story and there is a marvelous moment when Johnson makes a sarcastic quip and Tracy turns and says, "I haven't quite made up my mind about you yet." Howard Smith, Margaret Hamilton and Lewis Stone all have marvelous bit parts as well. Capra was always more concerned with the people who played his characters more than art direction or shot composition. "State of the Union" is rarely considered one of Capra's best works simply because he had less of an impact than usual because it was based on such a successful play, but it is certainly in keeping with the ideological perspective of more celebrated Capracorn films such as "Meet John Doe" and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."
Final notes: "State of the Union" was originally slated for Capra favorite Gary Cooper and Claudette Colbert. Tracy was signed instead of Cooper and when Colbert pulled out at the last moment Tracy suggested Hepburn, who had been rehearsing with him, as the obvious replacement. There are a few suspicious souls who believe that Ronald Reagan lifted his infamous "I'm paying for this microphone' line in the 1980 primaries from Tracy's final outburst in "State of the Union." Make up your own mind on that one.
Based on the Pulitzer-prize winning play by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, you can still get a sense of the original three-act structure of the story. Act I in a Washington, D.C. bedroom in the house of political operative Jim Conover is where Matthews is convinced to try running for President and his wife is persuaded that this is as much a chance to save her marriage as it is to advance her husband's campaign. Act II in a hotel room in Detroit is where Matthews begins sacrificing principles for political expediency in his quest to gain the White House. Act III takes place in the Matthews home on the night of a national radio address, when everything finally comes to a head. From this perspective you have to credit scenarists Anthony Veiller and Myles Connolly with have done an excellent job of adapting the play to the screen. There are a lot of little jokes at the expense of the politicians in both parties in 1948, which will probably be lost on contemporary audiences; in fact, while on Broadway the political jokes were updated weekly. Certainly the particular brand of "Republicanism" offered by candidate Matthews, with his belief in the ultimate formation of a United States of Earth, sounds much more like what we would consider left-wing politics today.
As with most Capra films the acting is a delight from top to bottom. Tracy has several of those earnest speeches about America that make you shake your head when you look at Bore and Gush, while Hepburn tries to deal with both her husband's political amibitons and the other woman in his life. Lansbury's cold and calculating performance foreshadows the monstrous creature she plays in "The Manchurian Candidate." Van Johnson as Spike McManus is pretty much the weatherwave of the story and there is a marvelous moment when Johnson makes a sarcastic quip and Tracy turns and says, "I haven't quite made up my mind about you yet." Howard Smith, Margaret Hamilton and Lewis Stone all have marvelous bit parts as well. Capra was always more concerned with the people who played his characters more than art direction or shot composition. "State of the Union" is rarely considered one of Capra's best works simply because he had less of an impact than usual because it was based on such a successful play, but it is certainly in keeping with the ideological perspective of more celebrated Capracorn films such as "Meet John Doe" and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."
Final notes: "State of the Union" was originally slated for Capra favorite Gary Cooper and Claudette Colbert. Tracy was signed instead of Cooper and when Colbert pulled out at the last moment Tracy suggested Hepburn, who had been rehearsing with him, as the obvious replacement. There are a few suspicious souls who believe that Ronald Reagan lifted his infamous "I'm paying for this microphone' line in the 1980 primaries from Tracy's final outburst in "State of the Union." Make up your own mind on that one.
