Adam's Rib (1949)

There are two great husband-wife teams (one on-screen, the other off) involved in this classic 1949 comedy. Not only do Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy throw comedic sparks as a married team of lawyers on opposing sides of a high-profile case, but their exquisite verbal jousting was scripted by the outstanding team of Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon. Leading all of this stellar talent was director George Cukor at the prime of his career. The result is one of Hollywood's greatest comedy classics, still packing a punch with its sophisticated gender politics. Arguably the best of the Tracy-Hepburn vehicles, Adam's Rib shows the stars at their finest in roles that not only made their off-screen love so entertainingly obvious, but also defined their timeless screen personas--she the intelligent, savvy, rebellious woman ahead of her time, he the easygoing but obstinate modern man who can't help but love her. Screen teams don't get any better than this. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com essential video

Just Too Great Comedy!

I love this movie. I've seen more time than I can count and still have a great time with it. Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn follow up their comedy Woman of the Year with another great movie. Both husband and wife are lawyers and they come upon a case where a woman shoots a man who was cheating on her. The wife is played by Judy Holliday and the other woman is Jean Hagen from "Singin' In The Rain. The entire cast is wonderful and the writing is superb. It was written by Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon at the height of their careers. Just a wonderful movie and you'll love it. It's so fun! July 6, 2008

Average Film, Mediocre DVD!

This was billed as a comedy but most of the jokes don't age well at all. They belong in the "may raise a smile here and there" category but you'll rarely find yourself capable of raising even a polite laugh throughout. The only "joke" that I thought was good was when Kip tells Amanda that lawyers should never marry lawyers because it eventually leads to more lawyers. Otherwise, it's just another one of the arguments for equality of the sexes which I found boring and barely entertaining. I you want to find a good film with both Hepburn and Tracy doing an excellent acting job together you'll have to look for "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" which ironically happens to be Tracy's last film. As for this film, it doesn't age well and I found myself impatiently waiting for it to end.

To make things worse, this DVD version hasn't been restored and so picture imperfections abound throughout the film where we frequently get an irritating black circle that keeps popping up around the top right hand corner of the screen in addition the the white spots everywhere else. The sound quality is very, very poor as well and coupled with no Special Features worth talking about as well makes this a poor value proposition indeed.

If you are a die-hard Hepburn/Tracy fan and still want to get this farce then I would recommend waiting for a much better restored version to surface. As it is here, I wouldn't recommend this DVD as worthy of being a coaster for your coffee cup.

Not recommended! April 17, 2008

I DON'T WANT A COMPETITOR, I WANT A WIFE!!

The story begins with Doris Attinger (Judy Holliday) waiting outside her husband's (Warren Attinger - Tom Ewell) office to follow him when he leaves to what she believes will be a romantic tryst. We get an idea of her motive when she drops her purse and a small revolver spills out. Her hunch is right, and after reading the directions how to use the weapon, she closes her eyes and starts shooting, wounding but not killing, her husband. The story shifts to a stylish apartment building where a servant is bringing breakfast to the bedroom of Adam (Tracy) and Amanda (Hepburn) Bonner. They scan the lead stories as they eat and prepare for work, noting the attempted murder story. Adam arrives at his office (Assistant District Attorney) and discovers he has been assigned to the case which he assumes will be a 'slam dunk'. He calls to tell Amanda, an attorney in private practice, the news and rub it in how he will put this one away quickly. Amanda hangs up on him, determined to defend this woman, believing women are treated differently than men and that this woman was justified in her actions. The movie shifts to the courtroom where the action and the fun begins. Each night the trial carries over into their personal life. A little dated now, it was somewhat shocking in 1949 that a woman could, heaven forbid, compete in the 'men's domain'. Where are there inequities today that need to be corrected? The chemistry between Tracy & Hepburn is at its best and makes for a very funny, romantic comedy that deserves its place in AFI' Top 100 Laughs. Enjoy! WWW.LUSREVIEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM

January 12, 2008

Classic comedy

Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn are characteristically great in this tale of two lawyers. The married couple end up on opposite sides in the courtroom, one defending the sympathetic injured wife who shot her slimebag husband, the other prosecuting the would-be murderess. This leads to marriage tensions and to plenty of entertaining wit and (sometimes painfully) amusing situations to keep the audience enthralled. And in the end, we see who was really right in the case.

I've enjoyed this movie since I was a teen, and am delighted to get it on DVD. I recommend it highly to anyone who prefers a good plot and some civilized wit over gags and cheap humor. August 23, 2007

witty, sharp and intelligent look at gender issues in society (in the 1950s)

ADAM'S RIB is a great example of intelligent, beautiful and thought-provoking cinema, with two of the most gifted individuals to ever grace the screen, Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Amanda (Hepburn) and Adam (Tracey) Bonner are married lawyers who are on opposite sides of a case, involving a woman (Judy Holiday in her film debut) who shot her abusive husband (Tom Ewell). While Amanda and Adam stand on opposite sides in the courtroom, their genuine love and respect for each other balances the sparks that fly in their professional lives.

I believe that this is one of the most progressive films made at its time. It took on hard hitting issues like domestic violence, gender equality (or the lack thereof) in society and on the job. Katherine Hepburn's character challenges every stereotype of the commonplace depiction of the "model" 1950s woman. She has a career, brilliant and anything but a pushover. I applaud all the actors, the director, the producer, and all parties involved in bringing this film to fruition all those years ago. It continues to shine today. August 22, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...