“WOMAN OF THE YEAR”
SHE worked well with Cary Grant in four films, was the "It Actress" in Hollywood in the early 30's,
and labelled “Box Office Poison.”
HE worked well with a number of 1930’s leading ladies. 1942 introduces the first of several pairings of what is to become one of Hollywood’s great screen teams:
Spencer Tracy and
Katharine Hepburn. I admit I go back ‘n forth with my admiration for
“WOMAN OF THE YEAR” depending on where I am in my own life. I get my back up over that falling strap in her outfit or those damned waffles. ( I’m a french toast gal myself. )
But the last time I saw the movie I was amazingly calm about its last ten minutes because something clicked with me re: the first two-thirds of the film. I got a different slant on things this last time.
I usually am annoyed by the feminization of Hepburn’s ‘Tess Harding.’ Her having to subjugate her ambition to keep her husband. It pains me to see her acquiesce her position as role model to hundreds of the new generation of women; gals hitting the job market to make a meaningful and self-fulfilling contribution to the world and not just sit idly under the apple tree waiting for Johnny to come marching home. ( Oooh, am I mixing my World War metaphors? )
Oy vey! My aching high horse. What am I kicking about? Lemme get over myself.
I was seeing the glass half-empty when it was actually half-full.
You're right Red, this is a romantic comedy-drama and Stevens has the right touch to seamlessly weave the two genres. We slowly slide into their conflicts until we have a full-on blow-out. There's cracks in this marriage and she tries to keep up appearances for the press.
The full-on schism concerns the little Greek war orphan Hepburn wants to adopt without consulting Tracy. She walks out into the night alone losing that battle not only to Tracy, but to the little orphaned boy himself. ( Ahhhh...
he knows what
he wants even if Hepburn doesn't. ) That's one of my favorite shots of Hepburn in her career, coming out into the night with her slacks and long camel-haired coat, pulling up her collar and walking into the darkness. And I loved seeing Tracy & Hepburn battle, crossing swords, standing toe-to-toe with each other as man & woman, and as actors. Hepburn is confident, competent in a role that fits her like a glove. I think she understand this woman. Tracy...meat and potatoes, doesn't sweat anybody. Comes in does his thing, hits a homerun and goes home. For me their chemistry is not sexual, but I get off on their mutual respect for each other...as equals. ( Awwwwwright Spence,
you can have top billing!
)
For two-thirds of “Woman of the Year” I get to see Hepburn
in her glory...in full command; in charge, juggling, organizing - not giving advice to the love-lorn or being a Suzy Homemaker, but being a mover and a shaker on the world stage. And if I’m being honest, what I saw for two-thirds of the movie is a woman who is
uncompromising, who wants it all on her terms...her way. I liked the gentle switch in gender identification between the two of them, where Tracy takes on the more feminine posture (
“You didn’t notice my new hat” ) while Kate gets to “act like a man” ( my way or the highway. ) Look, I’m making grand generalizations here. What I used to think was assertiveness on Kate’s part, was moreso unfair steam rolling. She learns a thing or ten from
her mentor: the wonderful Fay Bainter.
At least until this last go 'round with the movie, I thought Hepburn was going to have to turn into a housewife. Even saying that is insulting to "housewives" because they're the ones with the big job of keeping home and family together. ( Truth be told, they're running things more times than not...but they let their husband think he is. ) It finally dawned on me the impact of what Tracy tells her at the end of the movie before the happy fade-out. He wants her to be Tess
Harding Craig. ( L0L! "Craig's Wife" as it were, but that's a different movie about an obsessive. ) He's not giving her an "either/or" choice. I think he was giving her permission to be both a wife/partner...and the chance to continue to "save-the-world." ( Flying saucers would come in the 50's. )
And he is not giving her HIS permission. He is assuring her that she could give HERSELF permission to be all that she could be.
