When you look at that picture, can you tell which woman Johnny (Cary Grant) should be with? Is it his fiance Julia with the fantastic hat? Or is it her "black sheep in the family" sister Linda (Hepburn)? Is this even a question? From the moment Johnny and Linda meet they are joking and having the best time of their lives. And I spent the whole movie watching them wanting to climb into the tv and shake Johnny.
Johnny and Linda are confused for so long... Although maybe more Johnny than Linda. Linda is just too good of a sister to try to woo away her sister's fiance. Johnny is the one who can't see that maybe he is not in love Julia who he has known for a week and with whom he does not seem to be able to carry on a meaningful conversation. Johnny wants to quit his job and take an amazing holiday to find himself and discover the world while he's still young. Julia wants him to sit down at a desk and make millions for the rest of his life. Johnny completely misses the fact that not only do he and Linda understand each other completely, but that she is the one he always seeks out when he needs to talk and that she is the one he is head-over-heels happy with. (Is that a phrase?) They do backflips together!!! See how much fun they're having?
Everyone needs someone who makes them want to do backflips.
1 comment:
Just watched this again and here is the thing: Katherine Hepburn does a lot of agonizing in this movie. She agonizes over her sister, over her drunk brother, over their dead mother and their over-serious father. She agonizes over how she doesn't get to have her party in the room she wants to have it in and not getting to do the sandwiches her way. And she talks a lot about the Importance of the Room and its Significance.
The problem is really the writing - it's so stagey-dramatic designed for an Actress to deliver a Monologue.
I just wanted to cut those parts because there are a lot of wonderful scenes of physical comedy and natural cuteness between KH and CG, as always.
But I confess there were moments when, like Julia, I just wanted to take Kate aside and say "oh, GROW UP!"
Maybe it's because I myself am prone to Monologues. ;) Or maybe it's because, like bringing up Baby - this movie sings when Kate and Cary are zinging each other with fast exchanges or saying nothing at all - they have a great rapport. Waiting around for Kate to finish her speech was just torture.
Upon review, three stars (I know!) but will watch again and reserve the right to revise.
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