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Sylvia Scarlett

Play trailer Poster for Sylvia Scarlett 1936 1h 34m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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71% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 47% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
After the death of her mother, Sylvia Scarlett (Katharine Hepburn) decides that she can help her debt-ridden father, Henry (Edmund Gwenn), by dressing like a young man in order to move more freely in society. Returning to England from France, the pair are conned by smuggler Jimmy Monkley (Cary Grant), but are impressed enough by him to join several of his unsuccessful swindling schemes. Sylvia is unexpectedly brought out of her liberated masculine persona when she meets a breezy bohemian artist.
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Sylvia Scarlett

Critics Reviews

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Richard Brody The New Yorker Cukor sets the group's sordid schemes awhirl with giddy revelry and unveils the grim realities of scuffling troupers-along with the desires and frustrations that put the whole machine in motion. Aug 10, 2020 Full Review Ian Thomas Malone ianthomasmalone.com Hepburn delivers a tactful take on gender variance in a film that is otherwise a disaster in practically every regard. Aug 23, 2021 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins As it turns out, the pairing of Hepburn and Grant alone (and even with George Cukor directing) can't save a picture with no focus and seemingly no purpose. Rated: 2/10 Jul 30, 2020 Full Review Meyer Levin (Patterson Murphy) Esquire Magazine Surprise performance by Cary Grant. He's good. Apr 16, 2020 Full Review Ann Ross Maclean's Magazine Another girl - into - boy picture. Katharine Hepburn is the girl this time who puts on trousers. Sep 25, 2019 Full Review Raquel Stecher Out of the Past Sylvia Scarlett suffers from a convoluted plot ... Contemporary audiences will be more apt to appreciate the film's exploration of gender identity. It's truly ahead of its time. May 12, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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steve d By far their worst work together. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Interesting for its leads and gender bending story and not much else. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/04/19 Full Review Audience Member Tenìa mejores expectativas, al final terminò aburriendome, en todo caso vale por ver a Katharine Hepburn y Cary Grant. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member has gr8 gay overtones Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member I just don't understand the intentions of this movie at all. It all just seems to fail at every level. When compared to Bringing Up Baby (I know it's not fair) it's just baffling in its difference in quality. It ultimately comes down to a pretty bad story that doesn't make any sense, and its characters' actions are mostly not believable. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member This was the first pairing of Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, and it also remains the most divisive of their four collaborations. Hell, this film remains divisive among fans of both stars and Katharine Hepburn herself hated this film. It's definitely an odd film, especially as Hepburn plays a con artist who dresses like a boy. While the film struggles to balance light hearted, over the top comedy with drama, Sylvia Scarlett is still an entertaining film in its own right that offers plenty of laughs and terrific acting. As a whole, it's a very underrated comedy and a fascinating look at the depth of Hepburn's acting and willingness to throw herself into challenging and unusual roles. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Sylvia Scarlett

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Cast & Crew

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George Cukor

Director

Katharine Hepburn

Sylvia Scarlett, aka Sylvester Scarlett

Cary Grant

Jimmy "Monk" Monkley

Brian Aherne

Michael Fane

Edmund Gwenn

Henry Scarlett

Natalie Paley

Lily Levetsky (uncredited)

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Sylvia Scarlett

Sylvia Scarlett (1935) Sylvia Scarlett (1935) Sylvia Scarlett (1935) Sylvia Scarlett (1935) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis After the death of her mother, Sylvia Scarlett (Katharine Hepburn) decides that she can help her debt-ridden father, Henry (Edmund Gwenn), by dressing like a young man in order to move more freely in society. Returning to England from France, the pair are conned by smuggler Jimmy Monkley (Cary Grant), but are impressed enough by him to join several of his unsuccessful swindling schemes. Sylvia is unexpectedly brought out of her liberated masculine persona when she meets a breezy bohemian artist.
Director
George Cukor
Producer
Pandro S. Berman
Screenwriter
Compton MacKenzie, Gladys Unger, John Collier, Mortimer Offner
Distributor
RKO Radio Pictures
Production Co
RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 3, 1936, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2012
Runtime
1h 34m
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