Adam's Rib (1949)

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Ruth Gordon (screenplay) and
Garson Kanin (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 November 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

It Will Tickle Your Funny Bone !

Plot:

Domestic and professional tensions mount when a husband and wife work as opposing lawyers in a case involving a woman who shot her husband.

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer | Prosecutor | Marriage | New York City | Massage

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Spencer Tracy	...	Adam Bonner
Katharine Hepburn	...	Amanda Bonner
Judy Holliday	...	Doris Attinger
Tom Ewell	...	Warren Attinger
David Wayne	...	Kip Lurie
Jean Hagen	...	Beryl Caighn
Hope Emerson	...	Olympia La Pere
Eve March	...	Grace
Clarence Kolb	...	Judge Reiser
Emerson Treacy	...	Jules Frikke
Polly Moran	...	Mrs. McGrath
Will Wright	...	Judge Marcasson
Elizabeth Flournoy	...	Dr. Margaret Brodeigh
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Bastin	...	Young District Attorney (uncredited)
Joseph E. Bernard	...	Mr. Bonner, Adam's Father (uncredited)
Madge Blake	...	Mrs. Bonner, Adam's Mother (uncredited)
Harris Brown	...	Court Attendant (uncredited)
David Clarke	...	Roy (uncredited)
Harry Cody	...	Criminal Attorney (uncredited)
Dick Cogan	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Paul Cramer	...	Stenographer (uncredited)
Bert Davidson	...	Subway guard (uncredited)
Roger Davis	...	Paul Hurlock (uncredited)
Janna DeLoos	...	Mary, Maid (uncredited)
Sidney Dubin	...	Bobby, Amanda's Assistant (uncredited)
Rex Evans	...	Fat Man in Elevator (uncredited)
John Fell	...	Adam's Assistant (uncredited)
Norman Field	...	Courtroom Bailiff (uncredited)
Glen Gallagher	...	Criminal Attorney (uncredited)
Danny Harvey	...	Office Boy (uncredited)
Marvin Kaplan	...	Court Stenographer (uncredited)
Kenner G. Kemp	...	Man in Courtroom (uncredited)
Michael Kostrick	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Nancy Laurents	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Gracille LaVinder	...	Police Matron (uncredited)
DeForrest Lawrence	...	Adam's Assistant (uncredited)
Lester Luther	...	Judge Poynter (uncredited)
George Magrill	...	Subway Conductor (uncredited)
Dwight Martin	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Louis Mason	...	Lloyd, Elevator Operator (uncredited)
John Maxwell	...	Court Clerk (uncredited)
David McMahon	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Walter Merrill	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Frank Mills	...	Juror (uncredited)
Ralph Montgomery	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Anna Q. Nilsson	...	Mrs. Poynter (uncredited)
James Nolan	...	Dave (uncredited)
Tommy Noonan	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Gil Patric	...	Criminal Attorney (uncredited)
'Snub' Pollard	...	Man in Courtroom (uncredited)
Dan Quigg	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Tom Quinn	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Paula Raymond	...	Emerald, Kip's Girlfriend (uncredited)
William Self	...	Benjamin Klausner, Jury Foreman (uncredited)
Will Stanton	...	Taxicab Driver (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Courtroom Extra (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Court Clerk (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Ray Walker	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Marjorie Wood	...	Mrs. Marcasson (uncredited)
Wilson Wood	...	Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by
George Cukor

Writing credits
Ruth Gordon		(screenplay) and
Garson Kanin		(screenplay)

Produced by
Lawrence Weingarten	....	producer

Original Music by
Miklós Rózsa		(as Miklos Rozsa)

Cinematography by
George J. Folsey

Film Editing by
George Boemler

Art Direction by
William Ferrari
Cedric Gibbons

Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis

Makeup Department
Jack Dawn	....	makeup creator
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair styles designer

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joel Freeman	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Jack Greenwood	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Henry Grace	....	associate set decorator (as Henry W. Grace)

Sound Department
Douglas Shearer	....	recording supervisor
Douglas Shearer	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
A. Arnold Gillespie	....	special effects

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Walter Plunkett	....	costume designer: Miss Hepburn

Music Department
Eugene Zador	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Loew's

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1949) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1950) (France) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1950) (France) (theatrical) (16 mm)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1964) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vidéo (2003) (France) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD) (as MGM/UA Home Video)
• Moskwood Media (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Man and Wife (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:15 | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:Approved (certificate #14029) | UK:U | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G (alternate rating) | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Bayard Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

In the scene in which Amanda is driving Adam to work, he tells her, "Oh, you're giving me the Bryn Mawr accent". Bryn Mawr College was Katharine Hepburn's alma mater, where she claimed to have gained her distinctive voice.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Adam confronts Amanda and Kip in his apartment with the licorice gun, the handkerchief in his suit pocket keeps changing lengths between shots.

Quotes:

Beryl Caighn: She tried to shoot me.
Adam Bonner: How do you know that?
Beryl Caighn: Because she did.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 76th Annual Academy Awards (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Farewell, Amanda

Sparring attorneys

"Adam's Rib", directed by George Cukor, and with a screenplay by Ruth Ford and Garson Kanin, was one of the happiest films the two stars did together. Mr. Cukor knew how to direct this couple, and it shows. There are no false moments in a movie.

The rivalry between Adam Bonner and Amanda, his wife, comes to a head as they both get involved in a criminal case. Adam, as an Assistant D.A. is assigned to it. Amanda, as a successful trial lawyer, decides to get involved in it because she believes Doris Attinger acted in a moment of madness.

This film was ahead of its time because Amanda questions the right of a woman to be judged the same way as a man, something the penal system seemed to ignore. Doris Attinger is a woman that has had enough with the philandering husband that appears to have fallen out of love with her. Warren Attinger doesn't care who he hurts, until Doris decides to take the matter into her own hands.

Katherine Hepburn shows an impeccable delivery as Amanda Bonner. She has an inner beauty that shines and make her glow. Ms. Hepburn was at the top of her career just about then and it shows. Spencer Tracy is Ms. Hepburn's match as the D.A. prosecuting the case. Mr. Tracy is delightful to watch in their scenes together. He has such a mischievous presence that endeared him to us in anything he played.

The revelation in this film was Judy Holliday. As Doris, the accused woman, she shows talent beyond imagination. In a way, it is sad to realize this amazing actress didn't live to make it even bigger in the movies. She was a natural and she is a joy to watch in the film. Lucky are we to be able to see her best work preserved for posterity.

In minor roles David Wayne plays Kip Lurie, a Broadway composer. He is an annoying neighbor who admires Amanda, much to Adam's chagrin. Kip has written a song that becomes popular, "Dear Amanda", that is heard throughout the movie. Also, in the cast Jean Hagen, Eve March, and Hope Emerson who are effective in their roles.

Thanks to George Cukor, Ruth Ford and Garson Kanin for bringing this enjoyable comedy to the screen. Above all, thanks to Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn for playing the Bonners.