STATE OF THE UNION

US, 1948, 110 minutes, Black and white.
Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Adolphe Menjou, Van Johnson, Angela Lansbury, Lewis Stone, Howard Smith, Raymond Walburn, Charles Dingle.
Directed by Frank Capra.

State of the Union was one of the very successful Tracy-Hepburn? films. However, Claudette Colbert was at first contracted for the role of the wife of the Presidential candidate. The film is based on the play by Lindsay and Crouse, authors of such plays as Life With Father. It was Pulitzer Prize-winning. The adaptation and direction is by noted director Frank Capra. He had a succession of famous and enjoyable films in the '30a, winning several Oscars e.g. It Happened One Night, Mister Deeds Goes To Town, Mister Smith Goes To Washington, You Can’t Take It With You. This film is in that vein - of integrity especially in social and political situations.

However, World War Two had intervened and there is a greater sophistication about this film than the films of the '30s. The hero is ambiguous - a Presidential candidate who finds that he can stoop to hypocrisy but who is challenged to integrity. Spencer Tracy is convincing in this central role. Katharine Hepburn is expert and sensitive as his long-suffering estranged wife. There is strong support by Angela Lansbury as a ruthless newspaperwoman and Adolphe Menjou as a politicker. Van Johnson also has a good role as press reporter. The film screenplay is very much anchored to its time e.g. in the references to President Truman. However, its political insight and presentation of political dishonesty and integrity is timely for the '70s and the film lasts.

1. An interesting and enjoyable film? The work of Frank Capra and his interests in the ordinary man, the social situation, politics, integrity? The serious tones of the film, its humour?

2. The impact of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn? Their individual status, their working together? Their impact for the message of the film and its persuasion? The supporting cast and their strength?

3. How evident was it that the film was based on a play - the use of interior locations, rooms? The long speeches especially by Grant? The verbal melodramatics? The build-up to the final sequence and the broadcast? The transition of stage material to the screen and its impact?

4. Audience interest in American politics? The Constitution, freedom, the role of the Presidency, the serious side of the campaigns as well as the ballyhoo, the backers, finance, manipulators? The importance of issues? The reference to the tradition of American politics especially in the 20th century, the experience of World War Two, President Truman and his presidency? The traditions of Democratic and Republican stances? The impact for an American audience? International? The title of the film and its American tone? The musical score and its use of American themes?

5. How satisfying was the film as a character study? The personality of Grant, his American background, business and skills, the possibility of his role in politics and influence on a country? An ordinary man faced with the prospect of influence and power as the President of the United States has? The pressures and influences, the response to manipulation? Personal and private crises? The call for integrity and the possibility of overriding honesty?

6. Themes of power, manipulation? How well were these communicated in the performances and in the strength of the dialogue? The dramatic tensions of the various influences on Grant, on Mary? Idealism versus realism? The communication of issues and the power of persuasion? The media? The influence of newspapers and their readership, formulating policies? Personal appearances and speeches? Arranged tours and the impression given to the public? The visual and the audio media? The power of the media in the '40s? Changes now?

7. The initial focus on Kay Thorndyke and her relationship with her father, his death and his leaving the paper to her? The impact of old Thorndyke and his power with the paper? Kay and her toughness? Her liaison with Grant and her love for him - even to sacrificing that for his political future? Her strength of character and dominance? Her relationship with the press and interviewers? Her power of persuasion over Grant, suggesting his candidacy and pressurising him? Her alliance Conover? Her overall plan, her push, her clash with Mary and her suppressing her personal feelings? Her private influence on Grant and the visit to the hotel and
changing his mind? Her ruthlessness in pursuing her goals? Her plans being shattered? Audience interest in her? Sympathy? Conover and his influence, suave style, know-how in persuasion?

8. Audience response to Spencer Tracy? His character, business background and skills? His family and his relationship with his children, with Mary? The reason for the estrangement? His love for his children - the phone calls? His liaison with Kay? Man of principle? His resistance to the suggestions, his automatic speech-making? The influence on his decision and the reasons for it? Mary's presence and her decision to support him? His observation of the clashes with Kay? His being influenced more by Mary as he went round the United States? His vulnerability to Kay's persuasion? His relationship with Spike and the discussions about honesty? His carrying out of the campaign, the tiredness after so much travelling and speeches? His speeches as a vehicle for communication of political ideals - what stances did they represent in economics, foreign affairs, national policy, big business?

9. The picture of campaigns and efforts, ballyhoo? The various local authorities and their trying to limelight themselves, meet the candidate, the various styles of the American states? The content of the campaign, the reaching out to people, powers of persuasion?

10. Katharine Hepburn's presentation of Mary - the background of the estrangement and yet her love for her husband, her tolerance of Kay? Her coming to her husband's aid? The tension with the arrangements of the rooms at the beginning? Her travelling with him, enjoying the exhilaration of the campaign? Her standards and insistence that they be kept? The support from Spike? Her suspicions of Kay and Conover? Her skill at going through the formalities? Her power of persuasion on the public in standing by her husband? Her disappointment when he changed his attitude, and her puzzle? The build-up to the showdown and her joy in his final honesty? An idealised American woman?

11. Spike and Van Johnson's pleasant comic style, the ironic comments and chorus throughout the film? His character? His cynicism and change? His handling Grant's situations, handling the press? The build-up to the final broadcast and his being on Grant's side?

12. Adolphe Menjou's style as Conover - suave, influential, pulling strings, using the phone and the media, behind the scenes? His own political views? His relationship with Kag, Grant and Mary? His trying to influence Grant? The arranging of the final moment of the campaign with the elaborate broadcast? His anger at the loss of control?

13. How well did the film build up the campaign dramatically - the tours, speeches,. hotels? The influence of Kay? The build-up for the final broadcast and its ballyhoo? The tension?

14. How well did the film present Grant's crisis of conscience - the pragmatic reasons for his continuing to mouth the platitudes and the ideas of his backers? His realisation of how he had changed, how he had altered his policies? The promises made to various individual people that he had met during the tour and the personal response that he had given them? His awareness that he could not go on with integrity? The atmosphere of the broadcast - the dramatic change in his speaking out genuinely? The content as well as the dramatic impact of his final speech? The triumph of integrity?

15. The optimism of the film in its time? In relation to American politics in subsequent decades? The scandals of the '70s and the move towards greater integrity? The value of films like this in reminding us of the past, in idealism?