Adam's Rib

Play trailer

Adam's Rib

1949

1h 41m

Romance

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

26 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

A courtroom rivalry finds its way into the household when prosecuting lawyer Adam Bonner (Spencer Tracy) faces off against his wife, Amanda (Katharine Hepburn), who happens to be a defense attorney. Working on opposite sides of a lawsuit where a woman (Judy Holliday) has shot her cheating husband (Tom Ewell), Adam and Amanda are both determined to win the case, and their home becomes the setting for comical showdowns, with neither spouse willing to relent.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Matched by Garson Kanin's witty, sophisticated screenplay, George Cukor, Spencer Tracy, and Katherine Hepburn are all in top form in the classic comedy Adam's Rib.

Read Critics Reviews

Bob Thomas

Associated Press

Adam's Rib is one of the smartest comedies in years. It is a welcome return to the sophisticated spoofing that Hollywood seemed to have forgotten.

Jul 25, 2019

Full Review

Penelope Gilliatt

The New Yorker

Katharine Hepburn conveys an extraordinary abundance of spirit.

Jan 14, 2013

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Adam's Rib is a bright comedy success, belting over a succession of sophisticated laughs.

Feb 3, 2009

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

It feels as if it's more about how a couple can playfully fight while facing off in a courtroom rather than whether or not women should be treated impartially.

Rated: 4/10

Aug 3, 2020

Full Review

Urban Cinefile Critics

Urban Cinefile

George Cukor directs with a light touch and the film leaps from one priceless moment to the next

May 23, 2008

Full Review

Film4

An impeccably crafted and scripted classic.

Oct 16, 2007

Full Review

Read all reviews

Stephen C

Funny in 1 hour and 41 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/03/25

Full Review

Savannah G

This might be one of my Favorite KH Performances - This is a perfect example of the chemistry between Tracy and Hepburn. Really Strong performances and the topic is really revolutionary at the time. and the balance between the marriage of the couple and really what it means to be married and also the equality that often times does not show up within marriage. the storytelling and the bits of Humor really brought this movie to the forefront - Surprised that KH was not even Nominated for this performance!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/12/24

Full Review

cato

Watched on TMC tonight. Listed as a romcom. It's the opposite. Silly, contrived, poorly acted, typical of movies of that era. Attempted murder isn't funny no matter the rationalization. Skip this one.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/13/24

Full Review

Shadowman4710

As a fan of Tracy and Hepburn, I really wanted to love this movie but I think the most I can manage is mild appreciation. It certainly has its good points. Tracy and Hepburn click very well together (as they usually did) and they have a good supporting cast. The problem is that the silliness of the situation wears very thing, very quickly. It's worth the time for Tracy and Hepburn fans but is probably too dated for anybody else to really enjoy. They did better in other films together.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/12/24

Full Review

Leaburn O

One of the AFI top ten romantic films (somehow). A lighthearted look at a miscarriage of justice that is meant to be some kind of ribald comedy about gender prejudice but misses the target entirely. Not funny or entertaining, it nowadays feels like a drag to watch. Bought this one on DVD as not on the or streaming in the UK.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

08/01/23

Full Review

Mark A

Probably the best Tracy-Hepburn film.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/16/22

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

George Cukor

Director

Spencer Tracy

Adam Bonner

Katharine Hepburn

Amanda Bonner

Judy Holliday

Doris Attinger

Tom Ewell

Warren Francis Attinger

David Wayne

Kip Lurie

The Philadelphia Story

100%

92%

The Philadelphia Story

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Philadelphia Story

Pygmalion

100%

84%

Pygmalion

Watchlist

Battling Butler

85%

74%

Battling Butler

Watchlist

The Shop Around the Corner

99%

91%

The Shop Around the Corner

Watchlist

Moonstruck

89%

81%

Moonstruck

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

A courtroom rivalry finds its way into the household when prosecuting lawyer Adam Bonner (Spencer Tracy) faces off against his wife, Amanda (Katharine Hepburn), who happens to be a defense attorney. Working on opposite sides of a lawsuit where a woman (Judy Holliday) has shot her cheating husband (Tom Ewell), Adam and Amanda are both determined to win the case, and their home becomes the setting for comical showdowns, with neither spouse willing to relent.

Director: George Cukor
Producer: Lawrence Weingarten
Screenwriter: Ruth Gordon, Garson Kanin
Distributor: MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Criterion Collection, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp.
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 18, 1949, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2008
Runtime: 1h 41m

Most Popular at Home Now