Woman of the Year

The "woman of the year" in 1941 was Katharine Hepburn. Strangely enough, she may be the woman of the year for 2004, or at least Cate Blanchett's interpretation of her. Woman of the Year was the first time Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn starred together in a movie, and for those of you who saw The Aviator, you would know that this came soon after her breakup with Howard Hughes. I've never more enjoyed watching either of them than in this movie. Hepburn is one of a kind and there will never be another like her. But honestly, I've never really liked Spencer Tracy. He is often lauded for the quiet dignity he gives to his characters, but what some call quiet dignity, to me, comes across as superiority. He's smarter than us and there's no use trying to talk to a bunch of idiots, so he just stays quiet and nods his head as if to say "they just don't get it and probably never will." Granted, that may sound a bit harsh, and I'm obviously reading between the lines here, but that's often how it comes across to me. All that is to say, I liked him in this film. He seems more toned down. The chemistry between the two is undeniable and a joy to watch, but don't get the impression that this is a great film. It's not bad, but it's by no means great. George Stevens was a good studio director, and he did just that, made good movies, but only one or two great ones, of which, this was not one. Katharine Hepburn has a kind of beauty that takes some getting used to. She was never a knock-out, but after watching her for a while, you just learn to love her style. But she never been more lovely than in this film and she gives probably her most openly sexual performance. Notice the way that each of their faces lights up when the other enters the room. I haven't said much about the film or the story, because neither of them are the reason you should see it. The two leads work well together, and that's why it's worth watching.