Baby Katharine

Baby Katharine is spelling her name the same way good 'ole Katharine Hepburn spelled her's.
I feel the need to pay homage to the late, great actress with an opinionated summary of her life and movies.

First of all, let's talk about Katharine Anne Carlander.
Here is a little video I took of the child, by accident, today...



Look at her screen presence! I mean, she's obviously a star!
She's going to have to think that way if she's going to be anything like Hepburn.


Katharine Hepburn was a grad A bad ass. She wrote a book titled Me.
I mean, that title takes cojones. I read the book and now that I'm writing about it, I may just read it again. She was a crazy lady who knew what she wanted, went for it and didn't give a hoot what anyone else thought. Her family was well off and she spent a lot of time at Martha's Vineyard. Speaking of that...my sister HATES when I imitate Hepburn (generally talk about life in MV with a Massachusetts accent while shaking my head), but I don't care because it is one of my favorite accents in the world.
She starred in many films including Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and On Golden Pond. These are just a few of her movies, but they are the ones that I would like to discuss right now.

Bringing Up Baby was not a good movie for Katharine.
Though it is now considered one of the best comedies of all time and a great screwball classic, it earned 'ole Kate a reputation of being "box office poison." This film sent her trekking back to New York City and starring on the stage, which provided great success, but I will get to that in a bit.
BUB is one of my favorite movies of all time and my favorite Katharine Hepburn movie. I love that both she and Cary Grant say the word "leopard" a zillion times in the film. They both have great accents and to hear them fight over a silly kitty is fantastic. I recommend it to anyone at any age.
If you have seen Martin Scorsese's The Aviator, you may note a similarity in the golfing scene between Leonardo DiCaprio and Cate Blanchett to the golfing in BUB.
Blanchett's characterization of Hepburn is dead on and she must have studied the film to realize the craftiness that Hepburn embodied, beyond the screen. Kate was known for her athleticism and if you doubt it, read her book... she'll change your worldview in a hurry.


Moving on, (as I assume Ms. Hepburn would have) now comes success. When Katharine Hepburn went to NYC, she was in a play called The Philadelphia Story.
She used some sense and bought the rights to the play in order to make some serious cash, if it were a success. Well, it turns out that she and the play did quite well during the run and the movie rights were discussed. Hepburn sold the rights and made a pretty penny off of the deal. It was her play, her movie and her big break. Though she was known, this movie sent her into stardom. She co-starred again with Cary Grant and also James Stewart. The movie is hilarious. It is well done: the acting as well as direction which was crafted by the genius, George Cukor. It is another famous "must see" that has since become a classic. I think this movie proves that Hepburn was an actress but she was also incredibly savvy, intelligent, manipulative and before her time.

When Jeff and I talk about her we always say "I liked to wear pants Howard"-- regarding her love of pantelones and distaste for wearing the traditional skirts. (If you want to know more about that, you'll have to read her book... I'm not even going to try!) She was a woman before her time.

^-- Pants

Jumping ahead to her later years...

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner was Hepburn's last film with her long-time sweetheart, Spencer Tracy.

Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn

Sidney Poitier, Katharine Houghton, Katharine Hepburn, and Spencer Tracy

The movie was released in 1967 and also starred Sindey Poitier and Hepburn's niece Katharine Houghton (just another Katharine!). This movie addressed social issues including interracial marriage and marriage in general. The movie was made when 14 of the 50 states still considered interracial marriage a crime. Katharine was not afraid to push the rules, actually I'd say it was a common theme in her life. Her mother and father were involved in the women's suffrage movement as well as birth-control activism, so it was sure she'd take on an active role with acting! She never saw this movie because she felt the pain from Tracy's death (which was 17 days after they stopped shooting) was too real.

The last movie I'd like to throw at you is On Golden Pond.

Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn

If you have a grandparent who has recently passed or someone who you feel might... or just cry easily... keep the tissues handy. I made the mistake of watching this movie too close to my Pop-pop's death... balled for hours!
The movie is HILARIOUS. Katharine Hepburn co-stars with Henry Fonda and Jane Fonda. It is a film about ageism and bridging gaps to have a good life. Hepburn is in full force in this movie. She plays a woman who I assume is very like the real Kate. She skinny dips, goes for hikes, pushes people around and speaks her mind. She calls Henry Fonda's character an "old poop" which is fantastic when said in her famous shaky, Bryn Mawr accent. The only film better than this in her old age is her documentary that was released around her book release. SEE THEM!

Katharine Hepburn died in 2003... I think she just decided to stop.

Baby Katharine is following in step with the name. Granted, she is really named after her Aunt Katie who also spells the name with an "A," but I assume is takes a special something to qualify.