Did you people see the same film I saw?

Absolutely the worst movie.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

In an eerie forecast of the disappearance of Amelia Earhart, the story of female pilot Cynthia Darrington and her love affair with an older married man (Colin Clive) is a haunting melodrama of one woman's search for independence and the revelation that her sins make her more dependent. She is the best friend of Clive's rebellious daughter (Helen Chandler), an amoral young woman also in love with a married man. Torn between her love for Clive and her own scruples, Cynthia is forced to make a drastic decision, especially after helping Chandler through her ordeal and being thanked for her kindness by Clive's noble wife (Billie Burke in a very serious part) who is disappointed by the lack of "nice" people in their social circle. Will Hepburn choose to break up this marriage in order to secure her own happiness, or will she break it off to prevent herself from becoming one of those selfish social nothings who don't care whom they hurt, as long as their own happiness is secure? In just her second film, Katharine Hepburn proves that she has what it takes to be more than just a one-hit wonder. She's simply breathtaking to watch, a plethora of emotions and in definite conflict with herself because of something which occurred that was beyond her control. Colin Clive is quite different here as the romantic older man she can't bear to be without, not at all like his mad doctor in "Frankenstein". This is quite a nice dramatic role for Billie Burke who didn't start acting all dizzy in her movies until after she had been established. With this and her outstanding bitchy role as the society woman planning "Dinner at Eight", she would have been the front runner for a Supporting Actress Oscar had they been given out in 1933.Wearing a gold lamé costume in one sequence which looks like something borrowed from MGM's "Madame Satan", Katherine Hepburn photographs gorgeously, and that voice is "rally" spectacular to listen to, obviously theatrically trained and truly nobody's fool as she takes over the male dominated world of early talking pictures. Her career would be a bumpy ride during her first decade of movie acting because her personality off screen and on was something nobody had seen before. But what makes a star? The ability to stand out on your own and create something that is like no other, and that is what the essence of the great Kate remains to this day. She remains, along with a few others, a truly great icon of entertainment, and that is what makes a legend most!

This film is Katharine Hepburn's second film and her first in a starring role. In her first film, 1932's "A Bill of Divorcement", Billie Burke had starred with Hepburn fourth billed. Here the situation has reversed itself, and Hepburn supplants Burke in more ways than one. Hepburn plays Lady Cynthia Darrington, a member of the British gentry whose family has lost its money. As a result, she pursues aviation for both her love of it and for money to try and restore the family fortune. She has forsaken love up to this point in her life, and as the result of a human scavenger hunt at a party attended by one of her friends, she winds up at the party because she is a virgin, and Christopher Strong (Colin Clive) winds up there because he is a faithful husband to Billie Burke's character. The two meet, fall in love, and eventually this leads to the loss of what distinguished both of them in the first place.There are several things that make this film interesting - not the least of which being that Hepburn's role turns out to be semi-autobiographical. In actuality Hepburn was an athletic and independent woman of aristocratic roots who fell for a married Spencer Tracy who also never technically divorced his wife. Then there's that metallic moth suit complete with antennae that Cynthia wears to a party - yikes! And the middle-aged Lord Strong doesn't even do a double take when she walks in wearing this outfit. So much for the stuffy image of the British aristocracy. The ending is odd since it doesn't seem consistent with Cynthia's strong independent streak. Her solution to her dilemma when she realizes that, although Strong loves her, he would only actually leave his wife out of a sense of duty to Cynthia, seems completely out of character. Also, Billie Burke does such a good job of playing the wronged wife who suffers in silence and dignity that it is really hard to sympathize with anyone but her. Finally, the title is a bit of a mystery. The title character, Christopher Strong, is really secondary to Hepburn's Cynthia Darrington, and I can't help but wonder why the film wasn't titled after Hepburn's character instead.Director Dorothy Arzner, the only female director in Hollywood during this time, certainly took some chances with this one. Some of the film worked and some of it didn't, but I don't think it would have had a chance without Hepburn in the lead. I recommend this film to anyone interested in the evolution of Hepburn's acting style.

The film does a wonderful job of integrating newsreel footage with its narrative. I assume that Lindbergh's triumphal Broadway procession after his return from Paris in 1927 was the basis for Darrington's ticker tape parade after her round the world flight. It was hard to believe that her aircraft insisted on such a dangerous entrance to its cockpit. The pilot had to climb in while only a couple of feet from a rotating propeller (or "airscrew" as the Brits would say). Hepburn is utterly convincing as an aviation obsessed and sexually neutral aristocrat. Her love affair with Strong is nicely contrasted with that of his daughter with her boyfriend. The film also shows how a missed appointment -- insignificant to one person but all the world to the other -- can have fatal consequences. Well-made, well-sequenced -- the kind of film they used to make in wonderful black and white.

Intriguing early flight scenes -especially as a woman flier challenged to set a distance record - then an altitude record. Exquisite cinematic techniques in the final scene which made up for the schmaltzy scenes scattered throughout. Fascinating scene of a man and a woman in bed together - but showing only her hand draped over the bedside clock (showing 3:20am) With the dialog unmistakeably depicting lovers..wow ! the Hayes office must have sizzled about it . Since I missed the opening sequence - I didn't yet realize it was a Hepburn movie - so it was a guessing game a few moments until that deep voice and quirky angular face resolved my question. Some trite arguments about life, love and marriage but I love Billie Burke so I handled it. Guys: please try to stay for the end- its worth it -- I cooked breakfast while it was on. Thanks TCM! Happy B-day Kate ! 8/5/05