“Bringing Up Baby” is a classic screwball comedy which stars Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. The story revolves around a heiress, Susan Vance (Hepburn), who has a pet leopard and a paleontologist David Huxley (Grant). The major highlights of the movie centers on the search for the missing bone, the upcoming marriage of David with his fiancée Alice, the probable one million dollars donation for David’s project and the search for the leopard. The two characters meet at a golf outing for the possible benefactors of David’s museum. It is in this meeting that Susan gets attracted to David and decides that she should have him. Susan then uses her pet leopard, Baby to convince David to drive him to her aunt’s place in Connecticut. Unfortunately, while in the estate, Susan’s dog George gets an important fossilized bone from David’s exhibit and buries it somewhere they do not know. Everything goes haywire every time the two characters have an encounter but they eventually fall in love.
The female lead in the movie is Susan, the heiress with a pet leopard. Her personality is the usual rich woman who insists on getting what she wants. She is the stubborn female protagonist in this screwball comedy. She is a spoiled and conceited brat. David, on the other hand is a clumsy, accident-prone paleontologist.
Both characters are portrayed perfectly by Grant and Hepburn. They handled their roles well. It is quite surprising to see Hepburn in this kind of role but she was able to pull it through. Meanwhile, Grant is has always been good at comedy movies and this one is just a perfect example. One cannot think of other actors who can make the roles more believable than these two. One does not get bored watching the two because their roles fit them to a “T”. Their portrayals are believable, succeeding in putting the characters to life. Their chemistry in the movie is clearly exhibited.
The movie is a typical screwball comedy which is full of slapsticks and crazy mishaps between the two characters. Another factor that makes this movie a typical screwball movie is the case of mistaken identities. In this case however, the mistaken identity is the tame leopard of Susan being mistaken for another leopard who escapes from the zoo. Another aspect of a screwball comedy present in the movie is the mismatch of the couples. Susan is a free-spirited heiress belonging to the high society. On the other hand, David is a nerdy paleontologist whose only desire is to get a one million dollar grant for his museum. For Susan however, her only desire is to be with David. David’s personality is the exact opposite of Susan’s, which one might consider a perfect mismatch.
It is seldom that movie goers see this type of film nowadays. It is very light-hearted and pure fun. Although there are some slapsticks, one still enjoys watching the movie because there are no green jokes which one often observes in the comedy films of today.
The movie can also be considered a romantic movie but without the usual sexual innuendos. This old-fashioned film does not need to include bed scenes to make the audience aware of the unobvious romantic connection between David and Susan. The romance between the two characters is presented in a way that it is almost ironic or satirical, but the audience does not lost track of the “love” between the two characters.
With regards to the technical aspects of the film, one finds the dialogues used in the film as very appropriate. The dialogues are funny, sometimes even hilarious, which adds to the entertainment value of the film. The sound, lighting and music used by the director are suitable to the theme of the movie. The movie is fast-paced which one thinks is fitting for the plot and the type of comedy presented.
One’s favorite scene in the movie is when Susan imitates a gunmoll. One finds it really funny especially since it is seldom that Hepburn portrays such gags.
The overall rating that one can give for this movie is an A. One finds the movie very entertaining and amusing. After finishing the movie, the movie goers will feel good and light. It serves as a good respite from life’s difficult moments. Although the slapsticks were not so much to one’s liking, the characters and dialogues more than made up for it. One believes that the major factor in making this movie enjoyable is the animated performance of the two lead characters. It may not have been as funny if other actors played the roles of Susan and David. The plot of the movie may be quite out of this world, almost not believable but it is full of wit that makes it comical and makes one appreciate it. It is a light portrayal of the usual battle-of-the-sexes theme that modern movies show. Movie goers do not have to think hard to like this movie. One can just seat back and relax and have a grand time laughing at the crazy antics of the film’s characters. This movie is highly recommended.
Works Cited
Bringing up baby. Dir. Howard Hawks. Perf. Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. 1938.
