The Actress

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Blu B Odd little nugget this one. A telling of Ruth Gordon's roots with Spencer Tracy and Cukor in it sounds interesting, but it's clear why Ruth Gordon never wrote another script. The acting isn't bad thanks to Tracy who is the best thing in this and is pretty decent. Sometimes he can meander a bit to much like a grumbling old man but the best moments of the film are with him in it and focused around him ironically. Simmons as Ruth is just alright and feels a bit to over the top at times and gets dominated whenever Tracy is with her. Wright is just alright and kind of forgettable. The acting in general feels a bit like a stage play for better or for worse. Everything is just alright though. The direction is pretty basic, nothing much pops in this. The biggest problem here is the script is too unfocused and meanders at times. This feels more like the fathers film more than Ruths half the time. Scenes just feel like they don't connect well into a series of cohesive events. Tracy goes on like 10 minute rants at times that feel so meandering and take away form Ruth and the acting story. We never even get to see her really act much either besides the acting once for her family which is a letdown. It feels like for a film called the actress there really isn't that much actressing in it. But there are some good moments (usually Teacy's though) and it makes perfect sense. Perkins subplot feels completely pointless though as well. A Star is Born did this way better. Skip This unless your a hardcore Tracy fan. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/03/24 Full Review Audience Member Screen writer Ruth Gordon chronicles her teenage years hen she wanted to move out of her small town and head to New York City to become an actress. Here she is played by Jean Simmons. Spencer Tracy plays her stern father and Teresa Wright her caring mother. Anthony Perkins is also on board as a suitor. Director George Cukor usually thrived at telling these types of stories. This story is simply episodic moments that might be fine for dramatic little skits, but fail to compose itself into a coherent feature length movie. Spencer Tracy is always good at playin the loveable yet cranky father figure. He even on a Best Actor award from the Golden Globes for it. Though well enough made, even Cukor seems bored behind the camera. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review steve d sweet and strongly acted. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Frances H A great cast brings to life this bio-flick of one of my favorite actresses early years to the screen with love and warmth. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/21/20 Full Review Audience Member I can’t believe this sweet, beautifully acted film does not have higher ratings. Yes, Tracy is grumpy and great and funny, but it is the incredible (and never fully appreciated) Jean Simmons who really shines. It is not easy to play teenage angst and enthusiasm, but Simmons nails it. In the first 10 minutes she was worthy of an Oscar nomination. She won the National Board of Review Best Actress award 1953 for the combo of this film and Young Bess (I guess for The Robe too, but meh to that film). Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/22/20 Full Review joe s Dreadful script. Jean Simmons's adopted squeaky voice is like chalk on a blackboard and excessively irritating. Spencer Tracy is all on one key and he too becomes irritating. It's inters interesting to see Anthony Perkins in one of his early roles, but he's not on screen long enough to sit through this awful film. Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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