"There is no exquisite beauty," Edgar Allen Poe once wrote, quoting someone else if memory serves, "without some strangeness in the proportions." Katharine Hepburn had Poe's strangeness in spades: that long, angular body; severe cheekbones; flaring nostrils. Hers was not the utterly nondescript prettiness of a Britney Spears (who iconifies a quintessentially American aesthetic) but something more akin to the winsome beauty of a young Audrey Hepburn, whose own disproportionally large mouth, slightly crooked teeth, and stick-out ears miraculously combined to create a picture of surpassing loveliness.
She wasn't only beautiful, though; Katharine Hepburn was also smart. There are some Hollywood actors who deliver brilliant lines for the camera, but are painfully inarticulate in RL. They do just fine as long as they are heavily scripted by screenwriters, agents, and PR personnel (it's not hard to think of a few politicians who fit into this category as well). But Hepburn was every bit as smashing and regal in candid interviews as she was on the silver screen. Her unique brand of intelligence was almost palpable.
She will be missed.
Posted by karik at June 30, 2003 1:45 PM | TrackBackI'm so glad to hear there are other Katharine Hepburn fans out there. Some neat things I learned looking over a biography of her. Hepburn's parents were radical liberals. Her mother, a suffragist, even testified before Congress on behalf of birth control legislation. Afraid that her outspoken liberal politics would harm her daugher's chances in Hollywood, Hepburn's mother offered to be "quieter" for her daughter; however, her daughter responded by imploring her mother to continue with her important work. Katharine Hepburn commented to the press, "Her work (referring to her mother) is important. I am not." Just a little tidbit to add to the tribute.
I love that: "Her work is important. I am not."
That kind of humility is the mark of greatness. Fascinating information about her mother. Thanks, CJ!
I thought about mentioning Hepburn on my blog, but after reading this post and the comments, I'm not sure I could add anything. I vividly remember seeing her wonderful performance in On Golden Pond when I was a kid and being blown away by it. Nice tribute(s).
We at Film Weekly magazine think that Bringing Up Baby is the best of Kate's films. Alongside Cary Grant she is brilliantly witty and a perfect foil for his deadpan style.
Take a look here for some great early 1930's images of Kate.
http://www.filmweeklymagazine.com/KatharineHepburnOct33.htm
http://www.filmweeklymagazine.com/KatharineHepburnMar34.htm
http://www.filmweeklymagazine.com/KatharineHepburnMay34.htm
I'm almost certain I heard a snippet of an interview where Katharine Hepburn said something like,"you can't define love it's to big to define, and if you could define love what good would it be?"
I know this is not correct. Does anyone know the exact quote.