Sylvia Scarlett

Released Jan 3, 1936

1 hr. 34 min.

Comedy

Drama

List

73%

15 Reviews

Tomatometer

47%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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StephenPaul C

LOL, the funniest 01 hour: and 34 minutes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Starring Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/23/23

Full Review

Mary S

Such an incredibly disappointing movie considering the actors involved. You really wind up despising everyone especially Cary Grant.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/02/23

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steve d

By far their worst work together.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Tom M

It's hard to believe that Hepburn and Grant could appear in such an incoherent mess of a movie. The strange thing is that the first half of the movie moves along as a typically expected screwball comedy and then suddenly everything is turned upside down. It feels like the second reel of the film has been accidently switched with another movie.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/01/21

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Audience Member

Interesting for its leads and gender bending story and not much else.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/04/19

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Audience Member

TenÃ¬a mejores expectativas, al final terminÃ² aburriendome, en todo caso vale por ver a Katharine Hepburn y Cary Grant.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

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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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Richard Brody

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

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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
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

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