The movie that saved Katharine Hepburn’s career: “My life would have been very different”
During the Golden Age of Hollywood, many classic stars emerged to instant success, enduring as unforgettable screen icons. They defined an era of cinematic progression, with the medium becoming a dominant art form – one where actors were not only performers but celebrities, too. These stars had reputations to uphold, and for Katharine Hepburn, the pressures of Hollywood soon became apparent when a string of box office failures put her reputation on the line.
With her breakout role in A Bill of Divorcement in 1932, Hepburn became a sensation, subsequently dominating the decade with astounding performances. She appeared in films like Morning Glory and Little Women, however, by the end of the 1930s, many of her movies were bombing at the box office. Movies like The Little Minister, Sylvia Scarlett, and Mary of Scotland were just some of the titles that failed to find her success, resulting in Hepburn slipping from the top of Hollywood’s ranks.
Even the movies she appeared in that we now deem as classics of the era, particularly Bringing Up Baby, were seen as box office failures. The movie, directed by Howard Hawks, is a classic screwball comedy co-starring Cary Grant, with Hepburn playing a charming young woman who causes chaos with the help of a leopard, resulting in a romance between her character and Grant’s palaeontologist. The pair initially clash with each other, but the movie soon goes down the enemies-to-lovers route, and it remains one of the most celebrated romantic comedies of all time.
While critics praised the film upon its release, the movie failed to turn a profit, which put Hepburn in a precarious position. Hepburn’s career was hanging in the balance – she was even dubbed as “box office poison.” Thus, with a few other box office setbacks under the belt, like Holiday, she decided to take some time away from the camera and appear on stage instead.
This proved to be the right decision for Hepburn, who performed several hundred shows on Broadway as Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story. Here, she found widespread success, but she knew that she could use this as a way to get back to her standing as one of Hollywood’s biggest film stars. Written by Philip Barry, the play was then turned into a film, with Howard Hughes buying Hepburn the rights as a (rather expensive) gift.
“Without The Philadelphia Story and Phil and Howard, my life would have been very different. It would have gone on, but maybe my career wouldn’t have,” Hepburn once revealed via I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography.
The movie starred Grant and James Stewart, two of cinema’s biggest male stars, and became a hit. Made on a budget of $914,000, it grossed several million and even won a few Oscars. The Philadelphia Story is considered one of Old Hollywood’s greatest romantic comedies, with the chemistry between Hepburn and her co-stars making for a fantastic love triangle that has gone on to influence many movies in its wake. It was even remade as High Society in 1956, proving its success as a box office hit. Hepburn’s tenure as a financial flop was finally over.
