DVD Review: ‘Tracy & Hepburn: The Definitive Collection’ Makes Great Gift

CHICAGO – We cover hundreds of Blu-rays and DVDs at HollywoodChicago.com every year and most are of the current variety, so it’s always nice to see a well-presented catalog title, a collection that makes a better gift for the classic movie lover in your family than, say, “Little Fockers” or “Yogi Bear.” Fans of Turner Classic Movies will love “Tracy & Hepburn: The Definitive Collection,” a solid 10-disc set eight movies, some of them great, and a fantastic tribute to a celluloid legend.

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

The dynamic between Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn was always one of my favorites because it was never flashy. There wasn’t the steam heat of a pair like Bacall & Bogart or the tempestuousness of Burton & Taylor. There seemed to be a mutual admiration between the two Oscar winners that subtly made its way to the screen in classics like “Woman of the Year,” “Adam’s Rib,” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” all of which are included in this set.

The other films in the set are “Keeper of the Flame,” “Without Love,” “The Sea of Grass,” “State of the Union,” “Pat and Mike,” “Desk Set,” and the special “The Spencer Tracy Legacy: A Tribute by Katharine Hepburn. The set ranges in quality, as most collections do, but there are some true classics in here and it’s nice to have an entire compilation of a timeless relationship in one purchase that runs under $60. That’s less than an average rental per disc.

And the films include special features as well, although none of them are new. Still, I always love the inclusion of shorts, classic cartoons, and any bonus material that seeks to truly transport the viewer to the era when the film was first released and “Tracy & Hepburn: The Definitive Collection” includes a number of such special features.

Tracy and Hepburn: The Definitive Collection was released on DVD on April 12th, 2011
Photo credit: Universal Home Video

Special Features:

“Woman of the Year”
o Theatrical Trailer

“Keeper of the Flame”
o “Our Gang” Short “Going to Press”
o Classic Cartoon “The Blitz Wolf”
o Theatrical Trailer

“Without Love”
o “Crime Doesn’t Pay” Series Short “Purity Squad”
o Cartoon “Swing Shift Cinderella”
o Theatrical Trailer

“The Sea of Grass”
o “Theater of Life” Series Short “Give Us the Earth!”
o Classic Cartoon “The Cat Concerto”
o Theatrical Trailer

“Adam’s Rib”
o Theatrical Trailer

“Pat and Mike”
o Production Notes
o Theatrical Trailer

“Desk Set”
o Commentary by Dina Merrill and Neva Patterson
o Vintage Newsreel
o Stills Gallery
o Theatrical Trailer

“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”
o Introductions by Tom Brokaw, Quincy Jones, Karen Kramer and Steven Spielberg

[10]	By BRIAN TALLERICO [11] Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com [10]