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Bringing up baby
Studio executives summary / pitch
Dinosaur interclostalclavical brings together craaazee woman with professor-type-dinosaur-historian who is about to be married to similarly serious intellectual type.
Short plot summary

Katharine Hepburn (Susan) plays a scatty heiress who gets the hots for Prof David Huxley (Cary Grant).

David needs money for his research - he approaches Mr Peabody (known to Susan as Boopy) but one mishap leads on to another...Boopy is knocked unconscious by a rock thrown at him by Susan trying to wake him...

An intercostalclavical (sp?) is delivered to David. Then Susan phones David telling him her brother Mark, a game hunter, has caught a leopard and she has it running around her apartment.

Susan pretends she is being attacked, so David comes over to help her...

What our panel of critics thought

"I met someone like Susan once, but thankfully she was murdered in a horribly violent way. I know that sounds heartless, well, come to think of it, if it does you clearly haven't seen this movie!"

"Cary Grant plays to the 1930's homo-crowd by dressing up in a woman's dressing robe and saying he has "gone gay all of a sudden." There were rumors at the time, of course, but I recently saw a documentary in which a relative of Grant said he had asked his doctor if there were any medical clues to his sexual proclivities. Apparently there weren't any clues. (What on earth these clues were we shall never know... a tattoo or a penis with finger marks on it...? we are still investigating...)"

"This movie was apparently panned at the time, but now it is regarded as a high point of the romantic comedy genre of the late 1930's. An absolute no quibble guarantee that you will like this movie if you like Cary Grant (playing to type - superb) and Katharine Hepburn (who is super-superb)."

"How long will it be until Hugh Grant remakes this movie? Phoebe from Friends looks destined to play Hepburn's character? Oh-yea."

"Leopard tail grabbing slapstick in the way only Grant and Hepburn could do."

"Susan was so annoying, and,yet, mysteriously comic at the same time. I am impressed, although my nervous eye twitch has returned with gusto!"

Justify this movie's existence in the classic strand from theVoiceofReason.com's Veritable Cornucopia

A triumph of near music hall "he said she said, but then he did and she did" - edness. Not that our spunky fellows in this sublime series of mayhems said that, they are too busy performing the most perfect of prat falls.

Hepburn is in her element as the scatty airhead. Cary is perfectly Grant-like. Made in 1938 the movie is truly warm and funny. Looking back, it is a defining moment in the genre and probably the best example of romantic comedy of its time (possibly of all time).

If you love romantic comedy movies you will love this one (even if you are allergic to black and white). If you have never heard of this movie before you are in for a treat. Recommended without reservation for a rainy afternoon.

Quotable quotes (real)

"When a man's wrestling a leopard in the middle of a pond he is in no position to run."

"I know it."

Please tell me the ending

On going to "rescue" Susan, she manages to pass off the leopard onto David. This starts another series of incidents including jail and the inevitable crash into a truck of chickens.

Ending: David calls off his marriage and seems to say he loves Susan. They live "happily" (although bruised) ever after, but they don't get the million dollars.

What snack should I eat while watching this movie?

Digestives and tea drunk straight from a pot.

If I were to watch this on video/DVD how best should I sit ?

Holding a chair, legs to the front, in the classic comedy leopard trainer's position.

How realistic are the special effects?

Some of the scenes are clearly acted in the comfort that the leopard will be put in afterwards, however there are few other special effects, although Cary Grant does wear a woman's fluffy dressing robe.

If a character from this film were to be invited onto Jerry Springer, what would the title of the program be?

My brother almost killed me by leaving a leopard in my apartment, come out here sucker and see what that feels like, shit...

Could this film be improved with more bubbles?

No. More bubbles would be overkill. We already have a full quota of feathers, dug holes in the garden, actors shouting duh! and women saying "I know it".

Is there enough licky love in this film?

Licky love was illegal in 1938. Tongues were banned, and of course the foot had to always be on the floor in any bedroom scenes.

Would your cat like this movie? Would your dog like it? Other pets?

Cats are all massive fans of Katharine Hepburn. They are liable to purr visibly throughout, and will attack using teeth if you try to stop the movie (including in ad breaks), or switch channels before the movie ends. DO NOT allow them to get hold of the remote as you will not see it again.

Dogs have always liked Cary Grant as he seems dopey to them.

Leopards will be particularly taken with this movie - especially fully trained union leopard's - there are few roles this good in modern movies, most only making ends meet by making natural history documentaries.

What can I take from this movie to make me a better person?

If your brother comes back with a leopard make sure he leaves with it.

Does the film attempt technobabble? If so does this succeed?

A few dangerous moments involving the word interclostaclavical (have they made this name up?). Otherwise, no obvious technology used.

Other comments

The movie is a joy. It is a classic. Don't miss it.

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