Keeper of the Flame

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Keeper of the Flame

Released Mar 20, 1944

1h 40m

Drama

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4 Reviews

69%

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250+ Ratings

Steven O'Malley (Spencer Tracy) expects his reporting assignment to be a run-of-the-mill story. He is to cover the death of Robert Forrest, a hero in World War I, who died when a bridge collapsed under his car. The press conference given by Forrest's secretary (Richard Whorf), however, does not satisfy O'Malley, who decides that questioning his widow (Katharine Hepburn) could expose a richer story. The lies continue to build, until he discovers an estate building that may hold the true story.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Answers are kept from the audience for too long; even as the truth draws nearer, it's shrouded in enough obscuration that the big reveal can't possibly satisfy the hype.

Rated: 3/10

Aug 13, 2020

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Director Cukor thought the plot was fraudulent, and the film is the worst collaboration of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn in her first role as a "mature" woman.

Rated: C

Aug 8, 2006

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

An ill-conceived political melodrama modeled after Citizen Kane.

Rated: C

Jan 24, 2005

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Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Middle-brow MGM variant on Citizen Kane. More interesting than good.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 2, 2004

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Shadowman4710

One of the rare Tracy/Hepburn films that is not a romantic comedy. Tracy plays a well known reporter who begins to investigate the death of a famous political/social figure. During his investigations he becomes involved with the widow (Katherine Hepburn) and discovers some unsettling facts about the "great man." This is classic film noir, heavy on atmosphere, not necessarily heavy on plot. It received mixed critical reviews and didn't do particularly well at the box office but I enjoy it quite a lot and would recommend it to any Tracy/Hepburn fans.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/06/23

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j f

It's good, except that kid is pretty annoying.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/01/23

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Steve D

There are a number of films like it but few better.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/29/23

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Audience Member

Any film with Hepburn and Tracy is worth seeing. In this one, they save our country from a megalomaniacal popular figure who is ready to use any means necessary to take control and make our nation "great". A believable story line in 1942. But eighty years later...???

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

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Audience Member

As relevant today -- fascist movements take root all over the globe, as well as within the United States -- as it was in the 1930s when Charles Lindbergh's political connections to the Third Reich became too close. .

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

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Audience Member

a poorly constructed, heavy handed, absurd melodrama, but Spencer Tracy does his best to try and save it.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

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George Cukor

Director

Spencer Tracy

Steven "Stevie" O'Malley

Katharine Hepburn

Mrs. Christine Forrest

Richard Whorf

Clive Kerndon

Margaret Wycherly

Old Mrs. Forrest

Forrest Tucker

Geoffrey "Geoff" Midford

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Synopsis

Steven O'Malley (Spencer Tracy) expects his reporting assignment to be a run-of-the-mill story. He is to cover the death of Robert Forrest, a hero in World War I, who died when a bridge collapsed under his car. The press conference given by Forrest's secretary (Richard Whorf), however, does not satisfy O'Malley, who decides that questioning his widow (Katharine Hepburn) could expose a richer story. The lies continue to build, until he discovers an estate building that may hold the true story.

Director: George Cukor
Producer: Victor Saville
Screenwriter: I.A.R. Wylie, Donald Ogden Stewart
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Loew's Inc.
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Loew's Inc.
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 20, 1944, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2016
Runtime: 1h 40m
Sound Mix: Mono

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