Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant were an unbeatable duo, but when most people think of their onscreen collaborations, Bringing Up Baby is the film that first comes to mind. Holiday may not have an adorable (if gimmicky) leopard, but it is by far the more grounded and subtle piece of comedy writing. Cary Grant plays a man who's worked ever since he was a boy, and now that he's in a financially comfortably position, he'd like to take some time off to figure out what he'd really like to do with the remainder of his life. This is at loggerheads with his wealthy, ambitious fiancee, a woman he hastily proposed to after knowing her for only a few weeks while on vacation. After getting to know her better in the harsh light of real life, he finds himself drawn instead to her carefree sister, played by Hepburn. Nobody plays the black sheep of the family with as much panache as Katharine, and she gives the character a lovely sense of gentle, well-intentioned eccentricity that never feels forced. They both have such an unrestrained zest for life, it's almost heartbreaking to think of him ending up with Julia, the rational, pragmatic sister. Also, the film features some of Cary Grant's best on-screen acrobatics -- he trained as an acrobat in his younger days and never missed the opportunity to bring a few of his circus tricks to his films.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
