Spencer Tracy and
Katharine Hepburn costarred for the first time in the delectable romantic comedy
Woman of the Year.
Tracy plays New York sportswriter Sam Craig, who becomes incensed at
comments about the uselessness of sports made by foreign correspondent
Tess Harding (Hepburn). Sam and Tess subsequently use their respective
columns to carry on a feud-at least, until they finally meet face to
face. After Sam takes Tess to her first baseball game (one of the
funniest scenes ever committed to celluloid), the two fall in love. Once
married, however, their happiness is threatened by their wildly
divergent lifestyles (Sam hadn't intended to spend his honeymoon helping
to hide a prominent European refugee from the authorities, nor is Tess
prepared for her husband's rowdy sports-oriented pals). When Tess is
voted "Woman of the Year", a jealous Sam walks out on her. She endeavors
to win him back by cooking him breakfast-with disastrous results.
Despite their oil-and-water relationship, Sam and Tess are made for each
other, and they're back together for the final fadeout. A hands-down
winner at the box office,
Woman of the Year earned a "best original screenplay" Oscar for
Ring Lardner Jr. and
Michael Kanin. Nominated for an award was director
George Stevens,
an RKO contractee brought to MGM at Hepburn's insistence. And need we
remind you at this late date of the subsequent lifelong romance between
stars Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn?
