8 movies that defined Katharine Hepburn’s career

By the end of her career, Katharine Hepburn was considered one of the greatest actresses Hollywood had ever seen, but this was not the case throughout her life. For many years, Hepburn had to fight to be taken seriously at the box office and recognized for her significant contributions to film. But as soon as producers and studios began to realize she was a star, Hepburn began appearing in some of the greatest films of the 20th century. With a career that spanned decades and included many great creative collaborators, Hepburn left behind an unforgettable filmography.

Whether these films were awards season picks or made a huge cultural impact, these were the projects that propelled Hepburn’s career forward and are remembered to this day. Many of Katharine Hepburn’s best films helped her develop as a performer. But there are also underrated classics that influenced the roles she was cast in and changed the public’s perception of her. Today, Hepburn retains an iconic legacy and is considered an influential part of film history.

8 Little Women (1933)

role of jo march

Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women has been made into films many times, with Hepburn, one of its early stars, playing the iconic protagonist Jo March. Although more recent stories have portrayed Joe’s tomboyish personality more fully, 1933’s Little Women was in many ways period-appropriate. It’s a more romantic story than the latest film version, the 2019 project that Greta Gerwig launched with Saoirse Ronan. However, there are still recognizable modern elements to Hepburn’s portrayal of Joe.

Director George Cukor frequently collaborated with Hepburn and cast her in many films that greatly advanced her career. Starring in a film like Little Women was a wise choice for Hepburn, as the novel was widely loved and connected with a large audience. Additionally, the film premiered just one year after Hepburn made her screen debut in the theatrically successful Divorce Papers. This made Little Women one of Hepburn’s important early works.

7 Raising a Baby (1938)

Role of Susan Vance

Although underrated upon its release, Bring Up Baby has gone on to be hailed as one of the greatest screwball romantic comedies of all time, thanks to Hepburn and Cary Grant. Although Hepburn was a force of nature in her own right, her chemistry with her co-stars set her apart from the rest of the cast, and her dynamic with Grant was incredible. The slapstick humor and quirky setting created the perfect backdrop for the witty banter that broke out between Grant and Hepburn.

The film was a huge hit at the box office, so it didn’t help Hepburn at all in terms of career advancement. But that legacy is what makes it so important in Hepburn’s work. It’s always nice when a film is reevaluated and considered influential, but Bring Up Baby deserved it more than any of Hepburn’s other films. If you look at Bring Up Baby today, it rivals most modern rom-coms because these projects try to capture the spirit of the 1938 film.

6 The Philadelphia Story (1940)

as tracy lord

Hepburn, Grant, and Jimmy Stewart made up the motley trio in The Philadelphia Story, the most successful film of Hepburn’s career up to that point. Hepburn originally originated the role of Tracy on stage in the Broadway play The Philadelphia Story, and the screen version of that story proved equally captivating to audiences. The film was so popular that it was remade as the musical film High Society in 1956, starring Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra.

There was a time in her early years when Hepburn was considered box office poison and not taken seriously as an actress (via BFI). This trend gradually began to wane as she took on better projects throughout the late 1930s, but The Philadelphia Story was a huge hit and no one ever questioned Hepburn’s box office success again. . The Philadelphia Story, for which Hepburn was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won the Stewart Award for Best Actor, was a turning point for Hepburn.

5 Woman of the Year (1942)

role of Tess Harding

Hepburn and Spencer Tracy were one of Hollywood’s greatest movie acting duos during the Golden Age, and their first appearance together in the 1942 romantic comedy Woman of the Year made them a notable pair. We have established a solid position. Because Hepburn was dedicated to expressing her social and political views throughout her career, she typically chose roles that allowed her to play a strong, independent woman. Woman of the Year is significantly ahead of its time in terms of gender politics, with its conclusion that opposing leaders need to forge equal partnerships rather than playing traditional male and female roles. I am witnessing that we are reaching this point.

Although Hepburn and Tracy’s off-screen relationship sparked many rumors, their chemistry and undeniable dynamic on-screen was undeniable. This is what “Woman of the Year” caught the attention of viewers and is part of the reason why it is still fondly remembered today. Hepburn, again nominated for Best Actress, is witty and speaks her lines at a mile per minute, rivaling Tracy in every way. Woman of the Year marks the beginning of their great partnership in film.

4 African Queen (1951)

Role of Rose Thayer

Based on the novel by C.S. Foster, The African Queen brought together two of the best actors of their generation, Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. Bogart is best known for his film noir films, but he also excels here. Their characters are an unexpected pairing, but their chemistry and budding romance is believable thanks to the work of the veteran performers. These two are the only characters for much of the film, and while other actors might have succumbed to this pressure, especially given the action and adventure elements of the project, this pair never did.

Bogart and Hepburn were by no means at the end of their careers, but witnessing a love story between two slightly older characters in the early 1950s was ahead of its time. This is a project that is fondly remembered and helped bridge the gap between different stages of Hepburn’s career. Although she was no longer acting, Hepburn remained in the spotlight and proved how many great roles there were for women in middle age and beyond, starting with The African Queen.

3 Last Summer, Suddenly (1959)

The role of Violet V. Venable

Elizabeth Taylor, who had just made a career out of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, is a fitting scene partner for Hepburn in the tragic film Last Summer, based on Tennessee Williams’ play of the same name. It proves that. Although the film received mixed reviews, it was generally agreed that Hepburn and Taylor were the best roles on the project. Hepburn’s roots are in the theater, and Taylor has starred in other film adaptations of Williams’ work, so it’s no surprise that they would star in this project.

Hepburn received an Oscar nomination for her role as Vi, and Taylor also received a nomination for her role as Cassie. Despite lukewarm reception from critics, The Last Summer was a huge success in theaters, proving how undiminished Hepburn’s star was. Furthermore, the role of Vi was a new type of character for Hepburn, who had rarely played villainous roles. Her portrayal of Vi was terrifying and sad. The plot of “Last Summer, Suddenly” does not provide a happy ending, but it does provide Hepburn and Taylor with plenty to work with.

2 Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)

role of Christina Drayton

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner is a far from perfect movie, as it seemed to push the envelope for its time. The film’s depiction of racial politics, while well-intentioned, is outdated by today’s standards. However, one of the film’s shortcomings is the cast, with Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, and Sidney Poitier making up the ensemble, and their performances are all captivating. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner doesn’t always speak with perfect eloquence about the complex issues of interracial relationships during this period. But this was a high-profile project that tackled such an important topic.

Another reason why Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner was so shocking to Hepburn is that it was the last film she and Tracy would produce together, as Tracy passed away a few weeks after the film ended. Hepburn won the Oscar for Best Actress for Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, one of a total of four Academy Awards she won during her lifetime. Although this was not the first time Hepburn starred in a project with a political message, it was one of her most important.

1 At the Golden Pond (1981)

Role of Ethel Thayer

Hepburn’s love of the stage continued late in her career, appearing in numerous film adaptations of classic plays, including On Golden Pond. Co-starring Henry Fonda and Jane Fonda, they play father and daughter in the film, which mirrors their relationship in real life. A sentimental story about growing older and coming to terms with the fleeting yet beautiful nature of life, On Golden Pond finds two aging stars, Fonda and Hepburn, as accomplished as they were early in their careers. It is depicted as being full of vitality.

But they are seasoned with age and wisdom, making their performance even more believable. A box office and critical success, On Golden Pond was nominated for several Academy Awards. Hepburn won her last Oscar for “The Lion”, but before that she tied Barbra Streisand for the Oscar for “The Lion in Winter”. Hepburn starred in Golden Pond, one of the last few films of her career, and a wonderful way to remember her irreplaceable talent.