Pat und Mike

Katharine Hepburn has said this deceptively casual 1952 comedy is her favorite of the nine on screen pairings with longtime partner Spencer Tracy, and one can see why as the film takes advantage of her natural athletic prowess. Directed by the redoubtable George Cukor and written by the husband-and-wife team of Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon ("Adam's Rib"), this is not so much a rollicking screwball farce as a sly opposites-attract love story set in a world pitched between professional sports and the street-slang and pinstripe suits of Damon Runyon. It's not a complicated plot. Mike Conovan is a dem-and-dose sports promoter who already manages a punch-drunk fighter named Davie Hucko. On a country club golf course, he sees a great golfing talent in Pat Pemberton, a college physical-education instructor who turns out to be accomplished in a number of sports including sharp-shooting and tennis. Mike immediately sees the financial possibilities of promoting a "lady athlete", and a mutual attraction develops.

However, he also discovers Pat's one major Achilles' heel – her self-doubt is such that she cannot perform to her world-class standards under the patronizing eye of her selfish fiancée Collier. Naturally, this impediment gives rise to the movie's funniest sight gags, including a particularly hilarious tennis match with real pro Gussie Moran where Pat's tennis racket gets smaller, Moran's get larger, and the net grows higher. The rest of the film consists of scenes highlighting Pat's ascending trajectory as a pro star, and consequently, the fortyish Hepburn's impressive physical talent facing off with the likes of Olympic champion Babe Didrickson Zaharias in a pro golf tournament. The Tracy-Hepburn team shows a genuine rhythm to their banter here, and Tracy seems to be having fun playing a street-savvy huckster. I find it amusing how Hepburn's character - with her crisp New England-based diction – is supposed to be from Oakland. Aldo Ray makes a memorable impression as Davie, while a young Charles Bronson can be seen as one of the hoods subject to Pat's masterful judo moves. There are no extras offered with the 2000 DVD.

"Pat and Mike" is one of the many collaborations between Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, and it is, of course, a romantic comedy. As everyone knows, Hepburn and Tracy were real-life lovers, and the chemistry between them lights up the screen in this as in their other movies. Since everyone also knows the formula, it's obvious, long before they do, that Hepburn and Tracy will wind up together. "Pat and Mike" is one of Hepburn's better comic turns as a professional athlete unafraid to step into the middle of a fight to protect tough guy Tracy from gangster associates when they try to rough him up because he hasn't persuaded Pat to cooperate with their crooked gambling scheme. As in most of the Hepburn/Tracy movies, the premise doesn't much matter. The magic is between them, no matter the characters, no matter the story, and it is wonderful to watch since I can think of no present day movie couples who generate this kind of electricity and deliver this much fun.

Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon specifically wrote this screenplay because of Katharine Hepburn's real sports ability.

This is a terrific comedy and a great vehicle for Hepburn and Spencer Tracy....this gives Tracy a chance to play a Brooklyn sports thug. Very funny.

Also, this is a rare chance to see some famous Women golfers of the early 1950's on film...not mention a great performance by Jim Backus.

George Cukor's direction is relaxed and natural.

There's also a funny set-piece with Hepburn having a panic attack during a tennis match.

A great movie.

According to film lore, writers Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin were inspired to write PAT AND MIKE when they realized that Katherine Hepburn was a near-professional-level golfer and tennis player. The result is a sprightly tale of a college physical education teacher named Pat (Hepburn) who turns pro with the help of a slightly shady promoter manager named Mike (Tracy.)

As always, Tracy and Hepburn make for an engaging pair, and the supporting cast is crammed with memorable faces, including Jim Backus, Chuck Conners, a very young Charles Bronson, and even Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer--and every one plays with the same charming touch. The sports scenes also gives sports fans a glimpse at such legendary athletes as Babe Didrikson Zaharias. But the real interest here is the script itself: in an era noted for sexism, PAT AND MIKE is flatly feminist, and the story finds Hepburn first rebelling against fiancé William Ching's "little woman" mentality and then straightening out Spenser Tracy on the same point--and in one of the film's most memorable scenes, Hepburn effectively shoves Tracy aside to beat up two men who threaten him!

Given the nature of its story, PAT AND MIKE spends quite a lot of time on the golf course and the tennis courts, and those who have little interest in sports may not find it to their taste; that said, in spite of its many charms, the film isn't really in the same league with Tracy and Hepburn's ADAM'S RIB. Still, fans of the screen team will enjoy it quite a bit, and even purely casual viewers will have a good time.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Have loved a lot of Spencer Tracy's and Katharine Hepburn's performances, both had their fair share of great films and performances, and their partnership/chemistry spanning twenty five years on and off screen is nothing short of legendary. Have never been able to get enough of seeing them together. Also like to love quite a number of the films directed by George Cukor.

Tracy and Hepburn did nine films together, starting with 'Woman of the Year' in 1942 and ending with 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner' (and Tracy's death) in 1967. For me, all of them are watchable and above and most are good and more, 'Keeper of the Flame' and particularly 'The Sea of Grass' were disappointments but still had enough good things to make them watchable. Cukor directed three of the nine, of which 'Pat and Mike' is the last after 'Keeper of the Flame' and my personal favourite Tracy/Hepburn film 'Adam's Rib'. As far as their films go when ranking from best ('Adam's Rib') to worst ('The Sea of Grass'), 'Pat and Mike' is somewhere in the lower middle. It's entertaining and well performed, a treat for those who are fans of the stars and their chemistry, but the battle of the sexes/romantic comedy theme was handled even better in 'Adam's Rib' with even more wit and class than seen here.

'Pat and Mike' takes a little too long to find its rhythm, some of the early scenes lack momentum.

Maybe there could have been less of the sport sequences, some engrossed and are well staged but not all of them excited or added as much as others and the pace gets bogged down as a result.

On the other hand, Tracy and Hepburn really do shine here and so does their chemistry. Really did get the sense that they were in love, and 'Pat and Mike' was one of the films where that feeling was most strong. Hepburn was simply born for her role here and she is in her element in what is actually the more interesting and more prominent role. Tracy's subtlety and charm is on full display too and it is very difficult not to appreciate either of those qualities. The supporting cast aren't as strong but still make good impressions, notably Aldo Ray.

Cukor directs with ease and control on the most part, although it takes a while to settle, while the production values are slick and stylish and the music pleasantly seductive in spots. Enough of the sport sequences are charming and exciting and the script sparkles in wit and sophistication at its best (which of course is when Tracy and Hepburn are on screen). The story is slight but is easily amiable and generally the pace is more than competent.

In summary, pretty decent. 7/10 Bethany Cox