Bringing Up Baby

Starring: Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Charles Ruggles, Walter Catlett, Barry Fitzgerald, May Robson, Fritz Feld, Leona Roberts, George Irving, Tala Birell
Directed by: Howard Hawks
Rating: Passed
Genre: Drama, Thriller
1938

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An absentminded paleontologist (Cary Grant) is exasperated by a socialite (Katherine Hepburn) who uses her pet leopard as an excuse to spent more time with him.

Review:

Tim: I knew that Bringing Up Baby was generally regarded as one of the top comedy classics of all time, even before sitting down to watch it. I might have had a bit of skepticism about how good it was going to be. I didn't need to worry about that. This is an incredible film, a superb comedy, and a truly great film.

I have to admit that the movie probably shouldn't work. The plot is absurd. Cary Grant is a bumbling paleontologist trying to secure $1 million for his museum. He also spends most of the movie trying to track down a bone to complete a dinosaur skeleton. There's an annoying women who thrusts herself into his life despite his protestations, and she has a pet leopard. I mean, honestly, where did this story come from? It's already ridiculous. It helps that the movie treats its story with good-natured humor. It might be silly, but it's all played for laughs anyway, so let's have fun with it.

There's a few things that really set this movie apart. The first is the script. It's a quintessential 1930s comedy script, with so much fast back-and-forth dialogue that it almost makes your head spin. The film is consistently funny and the dialogue just crackles throughout the film. Howard Hawks is one of the best directors of all time and he had this ability to capture banter like few others. So much of why I loved this movie was just sitting there, letting the dialogue wash over me. It's surprisingly funny, which is all the more impressive, as the humor has held up for 80+ years. There is something truly joyous about watching these characters circle around each other, try to move apart, get pulled back together, and along the way, experience a ludicrous, unforgettable comedic adventure.

Now, none of this works without Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant in the lead roles. Hawks obviously deserves tons of credit, as does the script, but Hepburn and Grant are remarkable in their roles. They elevate the film with their performances and they are a big reason why this is such a great film. I've read multiple reports that this was the first time Hepburn had done comedy and she needed a lot of coaching and assistance from experts to get her performance right. Whatever the case, it worked. At times, Hepburn doesn't always feel comfortable within her character, but these moments are few and far between. Hepburn is one of the greatest actresses of all time and she was delightful here. At times, she's annoying and exasperating, but always in an endearing way. She's routinely very funny in this larger-than-life performance. I really loved her performance and it further solidifies her as one of the all-time greats. She has a great partner in Cary Grant. Grant's performance is occasionally a bit forced and over-the-top, but he also does some truly remarkable things. He's obviously more comfortable in this zany, screwball comedy situation. Grant works incredibly well with Hepburn. They have chemistry together, but even more importantly, they feel connected even when he's aggravated and impatient with her. This is one of the best aspects of the film. It's genuinely so fun to see Grant get worked up and lose his temper. He's incredible as well. Hepburn and Grant make this movie so remarkable with their wonderful performances.

Now, as much as I loved this movie, the first 2/3 of the movie are really the best. Whether it's the leopard following Grant down the street, him accidentally ripping Hepburn's dress and having to follow her, the craziness with the parked cars, or any of the other incredible comedy, it just works. The story does tend to drag a bit in the last third. There's a number of things that the story needs to wrap up and it goes into "story advancement" mode and takes the focus off the comedy. I liked the last third, but I didn't love it. Thankfully, the first two acts more than make up for it.

Bringing Up Baby is absolutely classic comedy. Howard Hawks has long been one of my favorite directors and that was before seeing this incredible film. This is another terrific movie on his resume. Hepburn and Grant are also all-time greats and they were wonderful here. It took me a long time to get around to watching this film, but I'm so glad I did.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: His Girl Friday, The Philadelphia Story