The Films of Katharine Hepburn

This is a very fine study on Katharine Hepburn's films, loaded with photos plus cast (and role) credits, crew credits, synopsis, and quotes from contemporary reviews to Hepburn's films. An excellent opening biography chapter is included as is a credits and photo section detailing Hepburn's stage career. The book is capped with a complete list of Hepburn's Oscar nominations (and fellow nominees for those years) and an additional photo gallery. This book was first published in 1971 so many editions go only up to 1969's "The Madwoman of Challiot" with a photo of her latest project (1971's) "The Trojan Women" - this edition was not updated until the late 1980's. This is a wonderful book to have at your side when watching a vintage Hepburn film and wanting to know more about the film or who played what role. Homer Dickens was easily the best writer in the Citadel "Films of" series in my opinion.

What I most appreciate about this particular volume as a reference book on the film career of Katharine Hepburn is that it is richly illustrated with both professional and candid photographs, provides a complete list of the cast and crew for each of her films, and extensive excerpts from contemporary reviews. "The Films of Katharine Hepburn" is a wonderful companion volume to my almost complete tape collection of Katharine Hepburn films (Hey! I even tracked down "The Iron Petticoat"!). The introductory "Rebellious Lady: A Biographical Capsule" is only two-dozen pages long but it covers Hepburn's professional career in a complete but concise manner. The photographs included in the essay are the best collection of Hepburn shots you are likely to find, including: a rare shot of Hepburn with her husband, FDR and her gibbon monkey Amos. There is also a watercolor of Hepburn by Ginger Rogers, a bust by Robert McKnight, Alexander Brooks famous 1938 painting, and even Hepburn's first appearance with Spencer Tracy...in the 1938 Mickey Mouse cartoon "Mother Goose Goes Hollywood" (he is one of the three men in a tub along with Charles Laughton and Freddie Bartholomew and she is Little Bo Peep, who has lost her sheep and doesn't know where to find them... "rheally I don't.") The main portion of the volume is just what the title says, Hepburn's films. For each film Dickens provides the cast, credits, a synopsis, commentary from the "Critic's Circle," and notes on the film, along with at least a half-dozen photographs. The synopsis tend to run towards the short side, but that just underscores that this is a supplementary text and is not intended to substitute for the films. The excerpts from the reviews, which focus specifically on Hepburn for the most part, are the most fascinating part of the volume. In keeping with this you find that even in his own notes Dickens tends to use the words of others--Hepburn, her co-stars, her director--to provide insights into the film and her performance. Dickens' book ends with a stage chronicle of Hepburn's career, a gallery of Hepburn in each of her film roles, and a list of not only Hepburn's Oscar nominations but her competition for Best Actress each year as well. This format serves Dickens well, not only in this volume but in the other ones he has produced.

What I most appreciate about this volume as a reference book on Katharine Hepburn is that it is richly illustrated with both professional and candid photographs, provides a complete list of the cast and crew for each of her films, and extensive excerpts from contemporary reviews. "The Films of Katharine Hepburn" is a wonderful companion volume to my almost complete tape collection of Katharine Hepburn films.The introductory "Rebellious Lady: A Biographical Capsule" is only two-dozen pages long but it covers Hepburn's professional career in a complete but concise manner. The photographs included in the essay are the best collection of Hepburn shots you are likely to find, including: a rare shot of Hepburn with her husband, FDR and her gibbon monkey Amos. There is also a watercolor of Hepburn by Ginger Rogers, a bust by Robert McKnight, Alexander Brooks famous 1938 painting, and even Hepburn's first appearance with Spencer Tracy...in the 1938 Mickey Mouse cartoon "Mother Goose Goes Hollywood" (he is one of the three mem in a tub along with Charles Laughton and Freddie Bartholomew and she is Little Bo Peep, who has lost her sheep and doesn't know where to find them... "rheally I don't.")The meat of the volume is just what the title says, Hepburn's films. For each film Dickens provides the cast, credits, a synopsis, commentary from the "Critic's Circle," and notes on the film, along with at least a half-dozen photographs. The synopsis tend to run towards the short side, but that just underscores that this is a supplementary text and is not intended to substitute for the films. The excerpts from the reviews, which focus specifically on Hepburn for the most part, are the most fascinating part of the volume. In keeping with this you find that even in his own notes Dickens tends to use the words of others--Hepburn, her co-stars, her director--to provide insights into the film and her performance. Dickens' book ends with a stage chronicle of Hepburn's career, a gallery of Hepburn in each of her film roles, and a list of not only Hepburn's Oscar nominations but her competition for Best Actress each year as well. This format serves Dickens well, not only in this volume but in the other ones he has produced.