Pat and Mike

Katharine Hepburn has said this deceptively casual 1952 comedy is her favorite of the nine on screen pairings with longtime partner Spencer Tracy, and one can see why as the film takes advantage of her natural athletic prowess. Directed by the redoubtable George Cukor and written by the husband-and-wife team of Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon ("Adam's Rib"), this is not so much a rollicking screwball farce as a sly opposites-attract love story set in a world pitched between professional sports and the street-slang and pinstripe suits of Damon Runyon. It's not a complicated plot. Mike Conovan is a dem-and-dose sports promoter who already manages a punch-drunk fighter named Davie Hucko. On a country club golf course, he sees a great golfing talent in Pat Pemberton, a college physical-education instructor who turns out to be accomplished in a number of sports including sharp-shooting and tennis. Mike immediately sees the financial possibilities of promoting a "lady athlete", and a mutual attraction develops.

However, he also discovers Pat's one major Achilles' heel – her self-doubt is such that she cannot perform to her world-class standards under the patronizing eye of her selfish fiancée Collier. Naturally, this impediment gives rise to the movie's funniest sight gags, including a particularly hilarious tennis match with real pro Gussie Moran where Pat's tennis racket gets smaller, Moran's get larger, and the net grows higher. The rest of the film consists of scenes highlighting Pat's ascending trajectory as a pro star, and consequently, the fortyish Hepburn's impressive physical talent facing off with the likes of Olympic champion Babe Didrickson Zaharias in a pro golf tournament. The Tracy-Hepburn team shows a genuine rhythm to their banter here, and Tracy seems to be having fun playing a street-savvy huckster. I find it amusing how Hepburn's character - with her crisp New England-based diction – is supposed to be from Oakland. Aldo Ray makes a memorable impression as Davie, while a young Charles Bronson can be seen as one of the hoods subject to Pat's masterful judo moves. There are no extras offered with the 2000 DVD.

In this disappointing follow-up to the excellent "Adam's Rib," Hepburn plays a multi-sport athlete who is managed and promoted by Tracy. There are two funny scenes: one involving a tennis match and another where Hepburn slugs a couple of goons to protect Tracy. The other ninety percent of this supposed comedy is devoid of laughs and there is little plot. Cukor can't overcome the witless script by Gordon and Kanin. In fact he makes matters worse by inserting extended sport sequences, particularly golf, that are neither funny nor exciting. The film provides early roles for Bronson, Backus, and Connors, as well as the opportunity to see various famed tennis and golf stars.

Pat and Mike must have been a pleasure for Katharine Hepburn to make because she got to show off her athletic ability which was considerable. Had she not decided to pursue a thespian career, Hepburn could have gone into either tennis or golf, she was good at both or any of the other sports named which she actually played. Later on as she entered the ranks of senior citizens, health problems curtailed her athleticism.

But she's having a whale of a good time her and playing with some of the best women athletes of the 20th century.

Hepburn's a college professor who's leading a rather dull life with a rather dull bore of a sweetheart in William Ching, who in a subtle way, belittles her.

In a rather unorthodox way she meets Spencer Tracy, a sports agent who very narrowly treads the line between the legal and the illegal. She makes a believer out of him that you actually can make decent money legally.

The usual Tracy/Hepburn charm is running on all cylinders. Pat and Mike ranks in the upper division of their screen teamings. I'd say that this was more her film than his though.

A lot of familiar faces are in the cast. Look for Charles Bronson playing a hood and Chuck Connors playing a small town sheriff. Both of them make themselves noticed here which led to long careers for the two of them.

Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon specifically wrote this screenplay because of Katharine Hepburn's real sports ability.

This is a terrific comedy and a great vehicle for Hepburn and Spencer Tracy....this gives Tracy a chance to play a Brooklyn sports thug. Very funny.

Also, this is a rare chance to see some famous Women golfers of the early 1950's on film...not mention a great performance by Jim Backus.

George Cukor's direction is relaxed and natural.

There's also a funny set-piece with Hepburn having a panic attack during a tennis match.

A great movie.

Have loved a lot of Spencer Tracy's and Katharine Hepburn's performances, both had their fair share of great films and performances, and their partnership/chemistry spanning twenty five years on and off screen is nothing short of legendary. Have never been able to get enough of seeing them together. Also like to love quite a number of the films directed by George Cukor.

Tracy and Hepburn did nine films together, starting with 'Woman of the Year' in 1942 and ending with 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner' (and Tracy's death) in 1967. For me, all of them are watchable and above and most are good and more, 'Keeper of the Flame' and particularly 'The Sea of Grass' were disappointments but still had enough good things to make them watchable. Cukor directed three of the nine, of which 'Pat and Mike' is the last after 'Keeper of the Flame' and my personal favourite Tracy/Hepburn film 'Adam's Rib'. As far as their films go when ranking from best ('Adam's Rib') to worst ('The Sea of Grass'), 'Pat and Mike' is somewhere in the lower middle. It's entertaining and well performed, a treat for those who are fans of the stars and their chemistry, but the battle of the sexes/romantic comedy theme was handled even better in 'Adam's Rib' with even more wit and class than seen here.

'Pat and Mike' takes a little too long to find its rhythm, some of the early scenes lack momentum.

Maybe there could have been less of the sport sequences, some engrossed and are well staged but not all of them excited or added as much as others and the pace gets bogged down as a result.

On the other hand, Tracy and Hepburn really do shine here and so does their chemistry. Really did get the sense that they were in love, and 'Pat and Mike' was one of the films where that feeling was most strong. Hepburn was simply born for her role here and she is in her element in what is actually the more interesting and more prominent role. Tracy's subtlety and charm is on full display too and it is very difficult not to appreciate either of those qualities. The supporting cast aren't as strong but still make good impressions, notably Aldo Ray.

Cukor directs with ease and control on the most part, although it takes a while to settle, while the production values are slick and stylish and the music pleasantly seductive in spots. Enough of the sport sequences are charming and exciting and the script sparkles in wit and sophistication at its best (which of course is when Tracy and Hepburn are on screen). The story is slight but is easily amiable and generally the pace is more than competent.

In summary, pretty decent. 7/10 Bethany Cox