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Pat and Mike
Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, screenwriters Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon, and director George Cukor first collaborated on the 1949 classic Adam's Rib. Since it was probably Tracy and Hepburn's biggest hit, it was no surprise when they all reunited for a 1952 comedy called Pat and Mike, which had a problematic screenplay but Tracy and Hepburn totally make the viewer look past it.
Hepburn plays Pat Pemberton, a world class golfer and tennis player who could go to the top but she always chokes whenever her fiancee, Collier, is present. A blissfully unaware Collier has no problem with this since he just wants Pat housekeeping and baby making. Enter Mike Conovan (Tracy), a sports agent who recognizes Pat's talent as well as the effect that Collier has on her and while agreeing to be her new manager, does whatever he can to keep Pat and Collier apart.
There are things that I liked about Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon's screenplay, particularly the Damon Runyon quality infused into the character of Mike Conovan and all of his cronies, but there were problems with the story that nagged at me throughout: There's a scene where Pat actually jumps off a moving train to get away from Collier and to see what Mike can do for her and we think it's over...why wouldn't their engagement have been over right then? Why would Collier want to stay with a woman who jumped off a moving train to get away from him and why would a woman who jumped off a moving train not break off the engagement before she did it? Did Collier really have no idea what his presence was doing to Pat's career and just didn't care? Why would Collier show up at that tennis match with a trio of females and let them sit there and laugh at Pat while she chokes?
Believe it or not, I was actually able to look past all of this for a couple of reasons. First of all, I can't think of a role that she's done where Katharine Hepburn looked more like she was enjoying herself than this one. Hepburn was a natural athlete IRL and this role fit her like a glove. I must credit film editor George Boemier for making sure that everything Hepburn did in this film looked authentic though I don't think he had to do that much. There were a couple of long shots during the tennis match with Gussie Moran where it looked like Hepburn had a stand-in, but most of the sport scenes were very believable. Second, I loved the extremely slow burn of the relationship between the title characters...they only share one kiss during the entire film and when Mike wipes the lipstick off his cheek might be one of my favorite movie "Awwww" moments ever. I loved that Mike's feelings for Pat were more about protection than affection.
Cukor's energetic direction never gets in the way of the very special chemistry between the stars. Aldo Ray also scores as a dim-witted boxer who is a client of Mike's who feels neglected after he meets Pat. There are also brief supporting turns from future stars like Jim Backus, Chuck Connors, and a very funny Charles Bronson (who is billed under his real surname, Buchinski). Further authenticity to the story is aided with appearances from real life athletes like Babe Didrickson Zaharias, Don Budge, Beverly Hanson, Frank Parker and Helen Detweiler. It's no Adam's Rib, but Tracy and Hepburn make anything they do "cherce."
Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, screenwriters Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon, and director George Cukor first collaborated on the 1949 classic Adam's Rib. Since it was probably Tracy and Hepburn's biggest hit, it was no surprise when they all reunited for a 1952 comedy called Pat and Mike, which had a problematic screenplay but Tracy and Hepburn totally make the viewer look past it.
Hepburn plays Pat Pemberton, a world class golfer and tennis player who could go to the top but she always chokes whenever her fiancee, Collier, is present. A blissfully unaware Collier has no problem with this since he just wants Pat housekeeping and baby making. Enter Mike Conovan (Tracy), a sports agent who recognizes Pat's talent as well as the effect that Collier has on her and while agreeing to be her new manager, does whatever he can to keep Pat and Collier apart.
There are things that I liked about Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon's screenplay, particularly the Damon Runyon quality infused into the character of Mike Conovan and all of his cronies, but there were problems with the story that nagged at me throughout: There's a scene where Pat actually jumps off a moving train to get away from Collier and to see what Mike can do for her and we think it's over...why wouldn't their engagement have been over right then? Why would Collier want to stay with a woman who jumped off a moving train to get away from him and why would a woman who jumped off a moving train not break off the engagement before she did it? Did Collier really have no idea what his presence was doing to Pat's career and just didn't care? Why would Collier show up at that tennis match with a trio of females and let them sit there and laugh at Pat while she chokes?
Believe it or not, I was actually able to look past all of this for a couple of reasons. First of all, I can't think of a role that she's done where Katharine Hepburn looked more like she was enjoying herself than this one. Hepburn was a natural athlete IRL and this role fit her like a glove. I must credit film editor George Boemier for making sure that everything Hepburn did in this film looked authentic though I don't think he had to do that much. There were a couple of long shots during the tennis match with Gussie Moran where it looked like Hepburn had a stand-in, but most of the sport scenes were very believable. Second, I loved the extremely slow burn of the relationship between the title characters...they only share one kiss during the entire film and when Mike wipes the lipstick off his cheek might be one of my favorite movie "Awwww" moments ever. I loved that Mike's feelings for Pat were more about protection than affection.
Cukor's energetic direction never gets in the way of the very special chemistry between the stars. Aldo Ray also scores as a dim-witted boxer who is a client of Mike's who feels neglected after he meets Pat. There are also brief supporting turns from future stars like Jim Backus, Chuck Connors, and a very funny Charles Bronson (who is billed under his real surname, Buchinski). Further authenticity to the story is aided with appearances from real life athletes like Babe Didrickson Zaharias, Don Budge, Beverly Hanson, Frank Parker and Helen Detweiler. It's no Adam's Rib, but Tracy and Hepburn make anything they do "cherce."