In their seventh movie together Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn play their usual game of opposites attract. This time she's a female athlete, equally adept at both golf and tennis, and he's a shady sports promoter who tries to cash in on her abilities by promoting her as the 'Greatest Female Athlete in the World'.

The only problem is that whenever her condescending fiancé is around (which is whenever she is at a critical moment in a match) she becomes instantly and completely inept at whatever sport she is competing at. Of course very quickly she and the promoter are in love themselves, so what does it matter?

Pat and Mike tries hard to be both an amusing romantic comedy and a statement on feminism as seen through the milieu of sports. Unfortunately it doesn't quite succeed at either. Sure their unique acting chemistry is in full bloom, even if it is without a spark of genuine romance. 

And it tries too hard to create a physical passion that just isn't there.  After watching her walk away at one point Mike says to another man, 'Not much meat on her, but what's there is cherce.'  The dialogue never fully conveys why a classy athlete like Pat would ever fall for a two-bit schemer like Mike.

Director George Cukor and writers Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin (the same team that did the superior Adam's Rib) try a little too hard on this one. Cukor is really out of his element with the sports theme and the writers seem unable to find the right balance between broad comedy and sophisticated romance. At any rate the finished product is uneven and at times downright silly.

The movie is memorable mostly for the famous sports figures of the day that appear in cameos as themselves, including Don Budge and Babe Didrikson Zaharias. The supporting cast also boasts a few famous players as well. Jim Backus, Charles Bronson, Chuck Connors and Charles 'Alfalfa' Switzer all have small roles. Aldo Ray has a few funny moments as Mike's dumb-as-a-post boxer.

Katharine Hepburn was in her mid-forties when she made this movie. She is in incredible physical shape. Watching Pat and Mike it is difficult to believe that she made this one after The African Queen. She runs, golfs and plays tennis like a natural. Spencer Tracy, for his part, was still an amazing actor to watch. He made every scene he ever played seem like it was happening for the first time. It's just too bad that they couldn't come up with a better Pat and Mike story.

Did you enjoy Patrick's review? +2 -0

Pat and Mike is not one of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn's best movies. The writing is not bad. The direction is good. George Cukor was Hepburn's personal favorite.

The problem with Pat and Mike is Hepburn's role. First of all, we are to believe that this middle-aged woman is able to play nearly any sport as well as anyone. She is so amazing that the mere appearance of her fiancé throws of her concentration. It is an annoying contradiction.

The second big flaw is that Hepburn plays too weak a character. Her career was built on strong roles. Here she is this amazing athlete who downplays it for her fiancé's benefit. Early in the movie she loses a round of golf on purpose. Later she shows off that she can actually play well.

As Patrick wrote the chemistry is still there but Hepburn's Pat is just too wimpy. The best scenes are when Tracy and Hepburn verbally spar. However, they have had better fights in better movies.

Did you enjoy Eric's review? +2 -0