"Adam's Rib"
Reviewed by Heather Picker
Directed by George Cukor. Written by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin. Starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, with Judy Holliday, Tom Ewell, Jean Hagen and David Wayne. 1949, 101 min., Not Rated.
Battle of the sexes films have become a comedic staple. "Adam's Rib" is one of the earliest examples of the best of that sub-genre. The film opens with a woman (Judy Holliday) following a man (Tom Ewell). She barges into a room to find him with the woman he is having an affair with (Jean Hagen), and, unsteadily holding a pistol, fires repeatedly, wounding him (he survives). Cut to Adam and Amanda Bonner (Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn), Assistant District Attorney and attorney-at-law, respectively. Shortly after he wakes up she reads a newspaper article to him about a woman named Doris Attinger who shot her two-timing husband, Warren. They talk about it, and it is clear that the argument over whether or not the situation would be considered different had it been a man assaulting his cheating wife, will not be settled for quite some time.
Adam goes to his office to find that he has been assigned the dreaded case. When Amanda hears of this she does a bit of ambulance chasing and winds up defending Doris, who is more than a bit ditzy. Husband and wife prepare to go to court, unaware of just how troublesome the duration of the trial will prove to be for them, both professionally and personally. Assigned to the case because the District Attorney thinks he is the only man who can get the conviction, Adam firmly believes that no one has the right to break any laws. Amanda presents a different story to the jury, making the case more about sexual politics than actual law. The courtroom becomes a circus, and her strategy the bone of contention in their marriage.
The married screenwriting duo of Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin crafted a witty script that provides many laughs, but also tries to focus on gender equality issues. Tracy and Hepburn, in their fifth film together, have unparalleled chemistry that makes their scenes together jump off the screen with immense believability. They are supported by one of the greatest comedic casts of the 1940s. Judy Holliday is marvelous as the light-headed, sarcastic Doris, Tom Ewell is appropriately whiney and smarmy as Warren (and very funny as seen in a dress during Amanda's closing statements), Jean Hagen is perfect as his mistress, Beryl Caighn, and David Wayne steals every scene he is in as Kip Lurie, a songwriter and singer who lives in the apartment across from the Bonners and is smitten with Amanda. (His ode to her is provided by Cole Porter.) George Cukor's direction, as usual, is confident and mostly seamless. Many funny parts of the film take place off-screen, with dialogue and/or background noise being our only indicator as to what is occurring, and I think it takes a true pro to make those types of scenes work. The only parts of "Adam's Rib" that weren't necessary were the questioning of women that Amanda brought into the trial in order to prove that women can do anything men can.
For you trivia buffs: Famous collaborations are abound in "Adam's Rib." Director George Cukor worked frequently with Katharine Hepburn, who in turn made eight movies with Spencer Tracy. Screenwriter Kanin's brother, Michael, co-wrote "Woman of the Year," Tracy and Hepburn's first film (1942, directed by George Stevens) together, and Kanin himself wrote the play "Born Yesterday," which made Judy Holliday a star. Gordon and Kanin, three years later, wrote another Tracy/Hepburn classic, "Pat and Mike."
DVD Details: MGM brings another one of their classics to DVD with little fanfare. The only supplementary feature is the original theatrical trailer. The actual film is presented standard, full-frame format "preserving the aspect ratio of its original theatrical exhibition." The transfer is outstanding, very sharp and with nice contrasts between the different variations of gray tones. The mono sound suits the movie well, as the dialogue is crisp and clear. English and French language tracks, English, French, and Spanish subtitles, and English captioning for the hearing impaired, as well as scene selections. The main menu is very simplistic, using a design seen throughout the movie as it's backdrop. Snapper case.
Notes: Available on video and DVD.
The Verdict: "Adam's Rib" is a delightful, occasionally daring, battle-of-the-sexes screwball comedy with a witty script and superlative performances. Recommended for screwball, classic, and/or Tracy/Hepburn aficionados, best viewed on DVD.
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