Thanks for the memories!

Simply A Masterpiece

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Absolutely brilliant

Hepburn had been in the biz for a few years when she made "Quality Street", a story from Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan. Hepburn is "Phoebe", who had her heart set on Doctor Brown (Franchot Tone), but it was not to be. Off to war for him. Look for the awesome Estelle Winwood, in only her third role at age 54 ! And the amazing Eric Blore, who was so great as the impish butler in all those fred astaire films. When Phoebe has a reunion with Brown, she poses as her own, much younger, niece, confusing Miss Willoughby (Winwood) and her neighbors, as well as Brown. (Did you see that HAT?? it's hilarious., at 43 minutes in) Watch it just for that hat, if nothing else. It's kind of a "much ado about nothing" story, but it IS a fun, goose-chase of a caper. Fay Bainter does a great job as the fragile flower, Phoebe's sister, afraid of her own shadow. Bainter won the best supporting for Jezebel the year after making Quality Street. In our story, "the niece" spends her time flirting with Brown and everyone else. Will that make him jealous? Which one will Brown choose? or maybe neither one. Directed by George Stevens, who directed Hepburn three times. Stevens won two Oscars in the 1950s, but it wasn't while working with Hepburn. Fun running gag where every time someone knocks at a front door, all the neighbors look through the the curtains to see who is calling on their neighbor. For some reason, they hardly ever show this on Turner Classics. Granted, it's pretty lightweight, plot-wise, but it IS a fun chance to see early Hepburn and Tone. There's a blending here, where the actors are all having fun, and it comes through to the viewer. I recommend this one, if you can catch it.

While at the time this was an important film for the career of Katherine Hepburn, today it seems incredibly stilted and dull. This is because it is a very stuffy costume picture--just the sort of film that emphasizes costumes and stilted language (oh joy) over action and characters. Plus the main idea of the story just seems ludicrous and silly. The film begins with Katherine in love with Franchot Tone but he doesn't realize it. He soon goes off to fight in the Napoleonic Wars for 10 years and when he returns, he sees a radiant woman who he thinks can't be Hepburn because she seems so young. Now here's the silly part. Instead of telling him that she's just well-preserved, she pretends to be her own niece. Sure,...an IDENTICAL niece--in movies, this sort of thing happens all the time (and if you believe this, I'll sell you some oceanfront property in Kansas). So we have a ludicrous idea and an incredibly stilted period piece--just the sort of film that will bore most anyone who tries to watch it. My advice is try seeing some of Kate's other films--almost all of them (except for SPITFIRE) are better. I just can't see why some of the reviewers liked this film so much--it was so very, very dull.By the way, despite all this criticism for the writing, Hepburn DID do a great job and she looked positively beautiful. I really admired how she cried real tears in one scene. Also, while I thought the plot was silly, somehow the silent version with Marion Davies worked much, much better and I do recommend you see that one instead.

No wonder KATHARINE HEPBURN was considered box-office poison around the time of QUALITY STREET. As a James M. Barrie heroine, she's as mannered and coy as ever in a silly, very dated comedy of manners that never manages to be the witty romp it strives to be.Only FRANCHOT TONE gives the story any semblance of wit or reality, looking handsome and fit as the suitor who finally sees through the deception around him.James M. Barrie has had little success in being transferred to the screen, except, of course, for his PETER PAN. His other works became feeble domestic comedies on screen--namely "Alice Sit By the Fire" which became DARLING, HOW COULD YOU? with Joan Fontaine, and worst of all, QUALITY STREET. Both deserve to be forgotten.I would venture to guess that this is the sort of dated period fluff that gives films of the 1930s a bad name. (Unfairly so, since many films of the '30s were deservedly praised). It's so stylized in its comedy, so forced in its humor that even the wonderful ERIC BLORE is at a loss as to just how many double takes he should do. Even such wonderful actresses as ESTELLE WINWOOD and FAY BAINTER have a hard time doing anything with their material.Do yourself a favor and skip this one. Not even the staunchest James M. Barrie fan will want to sit through it.Trivia note: If you're alert enough, you can catch Joan Fontaine in a bit role.

Delightful comedy of errors. Pheobe (Hepburn) is in love with the dashing Dr. Brown, but alas her love is unrequited. They meet again 10 years later on his return from the Napoleonic Wars. She has wilted under the strain of teaching little children and is self-conscious about her age. On a whim she decides to dress in her former radiant style, and ends up being mistaken by Dr. Brown for Pheobe's niece. They start to court, and from there it's all silly and predictable, but... sparkling dialogue, great acting and wonderful supporting parts (especially the nosy old spinsters at the windows)