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State of the Union (1948)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
30 April 1948 (USA)
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Tagline:
How's the State of the Union? It's GREAT!
Plot:
An industrialist is urged to run for President, but this requires uncomfortable compromises on both political and marital levels. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Industrialist
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Compromise
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Politician
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Marriage
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Hotel
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NewsDesk:
(18 articles)
Ice Cube Goes On A Ride Along
(From Cinema Blend. 30 November 2009, 1:02 AM, PST)
John King 'to replace Lou Dobbs on CNN'
(From digitalspy. 12 November 2009, 1:41 PM, PST)
(From Cinema Blend. 30 November 2009, 1:02 AM, PST)
John King 'to replace Lou Dobbs on CNN'
(From digitalspy. 12 November 2009, 1:41 PM, PST)
User Comments:
Tracy and Hepburn fight dirty politics...
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Spencer Tracy | ... | Grant Matthews |
 | Katharine Hepburn | ... | Mary Matthews (as Katherine Hepburn) |
 | Van Johnson | ... | 'Spike' McManus |
 | Angela Lansbury | ... | Kay Thorndyke |
 | Adolphe Menjou | ... | Jim Conover (as Adolph Menjou) |
 | Lewis Stone | ... | Sam Thorndyke |
| Howard Smith | ... | Sam I. Parrish |
| Charles Dingle | ... | Bill Nolard Hardy |
| Maidel Turner | ... | Lulubelle Alexander |
| Raymond Walburn | ... | Judge Alexander |
| Margaret Hamilton | ... | Norah |
| Art Baker | ... | Radio Announcer |
| Pierre Watkin | ... | Sen. Lauterback |
| Florence Auer | ... | Grace Orval Draper |
| Irving Bacon | ... | Buck Swanson |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
The World and His Wife (UK)
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
124 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
UK:A (original rating) |
UK:PG (re-rating) (2005) |
Canada:PG (Ontario) |
USA:Approved |
USA:Passed |
Finland:S |
Sweden:Btl
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Gary Cooper was originally chosen for the role of Grant Matthews.
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Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Adolphe Menjou's name is also misspelled, but only in the opening credits, where he is credited as 'Adolph'. In the closing credits, however, his named is spelled correctly.
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Quotes:
Mary Matthews:
Another thing - he used to hate to hear me swear. Whenever I'd let with something, he'd smack me on my sitter, hard. I've done a lot of swearing on this trip.
Jim Conover: And no smacks?
Mary Matthews: It's a small request, but I'd give anything for a good smack on my south end.
Jim Conover: I wish there was something I could do about that.
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Jim Conover: And no smacks?
Mary Matthews: It's a small request, but I'd give anything for a good smack on my south end.
Jim Conover: I wish there was something I could do about that.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997) (V)
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (19 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for State of the Union (1948)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| WHAT?! Remake with Richard Gere | eldnepm |
| The Original Sazerac Cocktail | bobe-4 |
| Is this already on dvd? | capra_corn |
| improvised???? | junglered269 |
Recommendations
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Related Links
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It's ironic that this is probably the least well-known of the Tracy/Hepburn collaborations--and yet, it's among their best as far as performances and overall content is concerned. Everyone, including KATHARINE HEPBURN and SPENCER TRACY, looks good in this film. VAN JOHNSON has one of his most engaging roles as the good guy who sees through the manipulations of corrupt ANGELA LANSBURY and ADOLPHE MENJOU.
And so, dirty politics is the theme of this film taken from the stage play by Howard Lindsey and Russel Crouse that starred RALPH BELLAMY and RUTH HUSSEY. Unfortunately, as directed by Frank Capra, it has a certain staginess about the proceedings with actors making entrances and exits as if on cue in rather static situations. But it's a pretty polished script and it's amusing to see the wonderful ANGELA LANSBURY (all of 23) playing a sophisticated woman in her 40s with such ease and perfection.
Spencer has a role tailor-made for his abilities, a man whose integrity is so challenged that he refuses to play by the rules of the game and play party politics. Hepburn, as the wife aware of his affair with Lansbury, is forthright and honest in her performance and, thankfully, less mannered than usual.
Still timely in the way it talks about Republicans and Democrats, it's worth seeing for the marvelous cast and what they manage to do with the stage material. The title, of course, refers to politics as well as the marital union of Tracy and Hepburn.