Woman of the Year (1942)
Woman of the Year is famous for many reasons, all of them falling under the heading of the off-screen romance it spawned. Katharine Hepburn, the famous feminist pioneer, and a married Spencer Tracy fell in love on the set, and their twenty-five year affair was one of the most famous Hollywood romances ever. Rumor has it that Katharine Hepburn’s first words to her costar were that she was too tall for him, and Joe Mankiewicz reassured her, “Don’t worry, honey. He’ll soon cut you down to size.” That quote sums up Woman of the Year perfectly.
In the film, Kate and Spence clash during their first meeting. They work for the same newspaper and have different worldviews. Then, of course, they fall in love. In one famous scene, Spence takes her to a baseball game, and while he starts out having to explain every little detail to her about the rules, by the end, she’s yelling herself hoarse and rooting for the right team. The meat of the film is a dramatic battle-of-the-sexes, much like their off-screen personas. Kate is a feminist at heart and doesn’t want to change, even after she switches her role from woman to wife. Spence is an old-fashioned man and likes the gender roles the way they are. As the pair strives to remain a couple, they expose 1940s moviegoers to a new societal struggle: feminism.
There are lots of reasons to rent this classic if you haven’t yet seen it. It’s a classic romance—films that involve an off-screen couple are always fun to watch—and it represents a very interesting cultural shift in the twentieth century. When the men were off fighting in WWII, women stayed home and, in essence, took over. They learned they could be breadwinners and have careers, and they enjoyed their independence. Gender roles and romantic responsibilities would never be the same again. Woman of the Year introduces that concept before the end of the war, warning audiences of the impending change.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Katharine Hepburn movies here!
More Spencer Tracy movies here!
In the film, Kate and Spence clash during their first meeting. They work for the same newspaper and have different worldviews. Then, of course, they fall in love. In one famous scene, Spence takes her to a baseball game, and while he starts out having to explain every little detail to her about the rules, by the end, she’s yelling herself hoarse and rooting for the right team. The meat of the film is a dramatic battle-of-the-sexes, much like their off-screen personas. Kate is a feminist at heart and doesn’t want to change, even after she switches her role from woman to wife. Spence is an old-fashioned man and likes the gender roles the way they are. As the pair strives to remain a couple, they expose 1940s moviegoers to a new societal struggle: feminism.
There are lots of reasons to rent this classic if you haven’t yet seen it. It’s a classic romance—films that involve an off-screen couple are always fun to watch—and it represents a very interesting cultural shift in the twentieth century. When the men were off fighting in WWII, women stayed home and, in essence, took over. They learned they could be breadwinners and have careers, and they enjoyed their independence. Gender roles and romantic responsibilities would never be the same again. Woman of the Year introduces that concept before the end of the war, warning audiences of the impending change.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Classic Cinema Central Seleus B" for posting!
More Katharine Hepburn movies here!
More Spencer Tracy movies here!