WOMAN OF THE YEAR

US, 1942, 114 minutes, Black and white.
Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, William Bendix, Reginald Owen, Fay Bainter.
Directed by George Stevens.

The first of the many films Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn made together. They worked well immediately and the partnership was off to a very good start. The film was directed by George Stevens who had directed Katherine Hepburn in such films as Alice Adams and Quality Street. They were then to go on to make Keeper of the Flame, directed by George Cukor who was to direct them also in Adam's Rib and Pat and Mike.

The film has the tone of so many of the comedies of the thirties - the battle of the sexes, the witty interchange, the romance of the professional man and the professional woman. It is all done very stylishly in the M.G.M. manner of the forties. There is good support from Fay Bainter and an early performance by William Bendix. The material was very similar to that used in Designing Woman in 1957 with Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall. The film received several Oscar nominations.

1. The perennial appeal of this type of comedy romance? The traditions of the romantic comedies of the thirties? The atmosphere in the early forties with the war? The greater sophistication in film-making? Impact now?

2. The reasons for audience response to the teaming of Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy? Their working well together, their interaction? Their particular styles and blending? Romance, comedy? The American man and the American woman? The battle of the sexes American style?

3. The production values? director, black and white photography, sets etc.?

4. The plot and its plausibility? establishing the world of Sam and that of Tess? Bringing these two worlds together? The. possibility of love between such disparate personalities? Their separate careers and yet their falling in love? The hasty marriage and its not working out? The adoption? The views of outsiders? Success and failure? The resolution? Audiences identifying with the characters - at least in admiring them?

5. Tess and her world? The Katherine Hepburn professional type, her work on the paper? The criticisms of Sam and the encounter with him provocation and sparring? Her going to the baseball game and the comic routines of his explaining it to her? Her inviting him to her parties and their failure? The sequence at the airport and kissing goodbye? The build-up of interaction of the love/hate style?

6. Sam and his world? Spencer Tracy’s personality and style? The clash with Tess? Their meeting and his eyeing her off - and her provocation and allure? his taking her to the baseball game and his exasperation? The jargon of sport and her trying to write his column? His going to the party and the comedy routines in trying to make communication with upper class types, people who didn't speak English or only 'yes' etc.? His being drawn to her nonetheless?

7. Why were they drawn to each other? Was it possible that they could fall in love? The give and take in their outings? Their decision to marry? its haste, the disparate personalities, the ceremony itself in the middle of the night? The celebration and the arrival of the refugees?

8. The film's building up the deterioration of the relationship and the breaking of the marriage? Sam and his pals, their world, party, drinking? Tess and her career? Her family and the women's crusade? The feminist statements? Their apartment? The decision to adopt the Greek orphan? the effect on the boy, the effect on each of them?

9. The irony of the build-up to Tess being Woman of the Year and Sam's separation? Who was to blame?

10. The impact of Tess's father's wedding his relationship with the woman he loved, his final decision to marry? His character, the ceremony, her listening to the words and the realisation about her own marriage?

11. The attempted reconciliation and the comedy routines of Katherine Hepburn trying to cook breakfast?

12. The supporting cast - especially Tess's aunt and her causes, understanding of Tess? William Bendix as the man at the bar and his sympathetic ear and advice?

13. The battle of the sexes as good material for comedy and romance and the success of it Hepburn and Tracy style?