Woman of the Year

Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy were paired for the first time in director George Stevens's incisive 1942 portrait of a two-career marriage (long before these were common). Tracy plays Sam Craig, a laidback sportswriter who falls for social and political journalist Tess Harding (Hepburn), who lives and breathes her work. With a little juggling, workaholic Tess is able to squeeze in a few moments to marry Sam, but she also entertains guests on their wedding night. The marriage takes a nosedive as Tess's star continues to rise, and Sam is pushed to the periphery of her life. When the breakup finally comes, Tess decides that her marriage is more important. While this decision might disappoint some modern viewers, Tess's triumphant return does feature one of cinema's great comic sequences as Tess—a virtual illiterate in the kitchen—tries to make breakfast for Sam, with disastrously funny results. Hepburn was nominated for Best Actress, and Ring Lardner, Jr. picked up an Oscar for his witty and biting script. Making its high-def debut in a handsome Criterion Collection edition, extras include George Stevens, Jr.'s (the director's son) 1984 documentary George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey, the 1986 documentary The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn, new and archival interviews, and an essay by film critic Stephanie Zacharek. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (R. Pitman)