Jim Atkins Aviation is my hobby, and I DVRed this to see if it had any worthwhile aviation footage. The scene with the takeoffs for the around the world race is actually the beginning of the Dole Air Race (financed by the pineapple magnate), a tragic fiasco that lead to a number of deaths, two aircraft never found, and only a few of the contestants actually making it from Oakland to Honolulu. Hepburn's plane (G-FERN) might be the famous Winnie Mae, a Lockheed Vega, that was the first plane flown solo around the world by Wiley Post, the pilot that was killed with Will Rogers in Alaska. I must admit, I really did not pay much attention to the plot after listening to some English drawing room dialogue at the beginning.

mark.waltz In an eerie forecast of the disappearance of Amelia Earhart, the story of female pilot Cynthia Darrington and her love affair with an older married man (Colin Clive) is a haunting melodrama of one woman's search for independence and the revelation that her sins make her more dependent. She is the best friend of Clive's rebellious daughter (Helen Chandler), an amoral young woman also in love with a married man. Torn between her love for Clive and her own scruples, Cynthia is forced to make a drastic decision, especially after helping Chandler through her ordeal and being thanked for her kindness by Clive's noble wife (Billie Burke in a very serious part) who is disappointed by the lack of "nice" people in their social circle. Will Hepburn choose to break up this marriage in order to secure her own happiness, or will she break it off to prevent herself from becoming one of those selfish social nothings who don't care whom they hurt, as long as their own happiness is secure? In just her second film, Katharine Hepburn proves that she has what it takes to be more than just a one-hit wonder. She's simply breathtaking to watch, a plethora of emotions and in definite conflict with herself because of something which occurred that was beyond her control. Colin Clive is quite different here as the romantic older man she can't bear to be without, not at all like his mad doctor in "Frankenstein". This is quite a nice dramatic role for Billie Burke who didn't start acting all dizzy in her movies until after she had been established. With this and her outstanding bitchy role as the society woman planning "Dinner at Eight", she would have been the front runner for a Supporting Actress Oscar had they been given out in 1933.Wearing a gold lamé costume in one sequence which looks like something borrowed from MGM's "Madame Satan", Katherine Hepburn photographs gorgeously, and that voice is "rally" spectacular to listen to, obviously theatrically trained and truly nobody's fool as she takes over the male dominated world of early talking pictures. Her career would be a bumpy ride during her first decade of movie acting because her personality off screen and on was something nobody had seen before. But what makes a star? The ability to stand out on your own and create something that is like no other, and that is what the essence of the great Kate remains to this day. She remains, along with a few others, a truly great icon of entertainment, and that is what makes a legend most!

MissSimonetta Christopher Strong (1933) belongs to that breed of pre-code that has not aged gracefully. Though it concerns spicy topics such as infidelity, alcoholism, and pregnancy out of wedlock, this picture plays like a musty melodrama with only a young Katharine Hepburn endowing it with any interest for the modern viewer.One wonders why the film was named after Colin Clive's character, a middle-aged politician whose long-lasting faithfulness to his wife comes to an end when he takes up an affair with Hepburn's free-spirited and virginal aviatrix, Lady Cynthia Darrington. Cynthia is the real main character, certainly the character who goes through the biggest transformation and suffers the most. The film ends with her learning she is pregnant. Rather than give up her career and ruin her reputation, she kills herself in a plane crash. It's as melodramatic as melodrama gets.Unlike most other pre-codes which sizzle and even feel modern, CS is rather moldy. Unless you're a die hard Katharine Hepburn or Colin Clive completionist, this isn't worth your time.

BillButlerB3 Intriguing early flight scenes -especially as a woman flier challenged to set a distance record - then an altitude record. Exquisite cinematic techniques in the final scene which made up for the schmaltzy scenes scattered throughout. Fascinating scene of a man and a woman in bed together - but showing only her hand draped over the bedside clock (showing 3:20am) With the dialog unmistakeably depicting lovers..wow ! the Hayes office must have sizzled about it . Since I missed the opening sequence - I didn't yet realize it was a Hepburn movie - so it was a guessing game a few moments until that deep voice and quirky angular face resolved my question. Some trite arguments about life, love and marriage but I love Billie Burke so I handled it. Guys: please try to stay for the end- its worth it -- I cooked breakfast while it was on. Thanks TCM! Happy B-day Kate ! 8/5/05