State of the Union

CinemaSerfJul 2022

3.5

This is a fine example of the on screen chemistry between Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. The former is a successful businessman talked into running for the Republican nomination for US President by the ambitious "Kay Thorndyke" (Angela Lansbury). She vows to put her not inconsiderable resources (newspapers and the like) behind his campaign. His wife "Mary" (Hepburn) is somewhat of a free spirit, as you'd expect, and soon she proves to be a bit of a liability to the party machine encouraging her husband to challenge the establish politics (and politicians) not only rocking, but potentially sinking the boat. Lansbury stands out for me here, she plays the duplicitous character convincingly marrying subtle menace with a femme-fatale style elegance really well. There are a couple of solid supporting roles from Adolphe Menjou and the slick Van Johnson ("Spike") and the whole scenario gives us an interesting, well written, look at just how undemocratic an election proves can actually be...