Sunday, June 06, 2021
Keeper of the Flame
- Commentary: This is a curious Tracey/Hepburn production, initially badly reviewed but its reputation improved greatly over time; just check out the Reception section of the Wikipedia write-up for it. That section is detailed in its explanation of the film being revived in the view of critics. I think its reassessment has a lot to do with the times we live in right now and the furor over anti-fascism that the recent Trump Presidency brought us.
When I initially acquired it, I wasn't thinking specifically of its anti-fascist slant. For some months I had been vividly remembering scenes from it without bothering to consider why those scenes continued to reappear in my memory. I'm quite sure, even without a specific memory of my first viewing, that I initially saw the movie before 2008 when my mother was alive and we had a streaming service that featured TCM, and haven't watched it since. I think, this time, my interest was revived by a wayward waltz, over the last few weeks, through all my Tracey/Hepburn and Hepburn movies, which ignited interest in those I either hadn't seen or didn't own. At any rate, a few weeks ago my interest in this movie became so great, and I found a price so low, that I decided to acquire it.
I'll write more about my reactions to this movie, later. Right now, I'm going to create a post (which will appear immediately above this one) about how it also triggered my interest in anti-fascist movies, of the early 20th century through now, and explore that, a bit.
More on this specific movie later, I'm sure, including my offense at the ending, where I attempt a stab at why it ended as it did and whether the ending was stupid, or merely inevitable because of the time in which it was made.
P.S. This movie is mentioned in the review I wrote for Undercurrent.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Spencer Tracy Steven O'Malley Katharine Hepburn Christine Forrest Richard Whorf Clive Kerndon Margaret Wycherly Mrs. Forrest Forrest Tucker Geoffrey Midford Frank Craven Doctor Fielding Stephen McNally Freddie Ridges Percy Kilbride Orion Peabody Audrey Christie Jane Harding Darryl Hickman Jeb Rickards Donald Meek Mr. Arbuthnot Howard Da Silva Jason Rickards
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 1942
Directed by George Cukor.
Labels: anti-fascist, dramaD, katharine-hepburn, melodramaA, spencer-tracy, tracy-hepburn
