Alice Adams (1935)

A working-class girl is thwarted and embarrassed in her attempts to move up socially by her gauche family and unstable father.

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Booth Tarkington (novel), Dorothy Yost (screen play)

Stars:

Katharine Hepburn, Fred MacMurray, Fred Stone

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Katharine Hepburn	...	Alice Adams
Fred MacMurray	...	Arthur Russell
Fred Stone	...	Virgil Adams
Evelyn Venable	...	Mildred Palmer
Frank Albertson	...	Walter Adams
Ann Shoemaker	...	Mrs. Adams
Charley Grapewin	...	J. A. Lamb
Grady Sutton	...	Frank Dowling
Hedda Hopper	...	Mrs. Palmer
Jonathan Hale	...	Mr. Palmer
Hattie McDaniel	...	Malena (as Hattie McDaniels)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Walter Brennan	...	(scenes deleted)

Storyline

In the small town of South Renford, Alice Adams comes from a working class background, although she aspires to be among the upper class. Alice's mother blames her husband for their low social standing, despite his working hard and Alice not blaming him for anything. Regardless, Alice tries to do whatever necessary to put on appearances of wealth and social standing, despite everyone in that class in town knowing who she is, and thus largely ignoring her because of her false airs. First meeting at a society ball, Alice surprisingly catches the eye of Arthur Russell, surprisingly as he purportedly is engaged to débutante Mildred Palmer. As Alice continues to hide her true social standing from Arthur as he courts her, Mrs. Adams pressures Mr. Adams into doing something he doesn't want to do in an effort truly to become part of the business class, that measure which entails sinking all his money into a business venture. Beyond the time when Arthur finds out the true nature behind Alice's ...

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Plot Keywords:

song | singer | pulitzer prize novel | italian violinst | black servant | 

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Taglines:

America's electric star portrays Booth Tarkington's dynamic heroine...in a heart-lifting drama of womanhood in dangerous conquest. She's twenty-two and wonderful...(original herald)

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Katharine Hepburn always viewed Alice as one of her personal favorite roles.

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Goofs

When Alice is arguing with Walter and he starts to leave; she tugs on her dress belt with her left hand while her right arm is dangling on the side. But on the next cut, she now has her right hand resting on the house column while the left arm dangles by her side.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Florist: Good afternoon.
Alice Adams: Yes, I'd like to buy a corsage, something nice to wear to the party.
Florist: Yes. Ooh, that's the - that's the Palmer party, I suppose.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story: A Woman's Lot (1987)

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Soundtracks

I CAN'T WALTZ ALONE
(1935) (uncredited)
(incorporated into score)
Music by Max Steiner

User Reviews

Alice Tries To Get A Fellow

Showing her versatility Katharine Hepburn gets her best part since her Oscar winning Morning Glory in the title role of Alice Adams. Alice and Eva Lovelace are worlds apart. Eva leaves her small town in search of fame and fortune in the theater. But poor Alice just wants to compete with the rest of the girls in her midwest Indiana small town that Booth Tarkington wrote about and land a real Prince Charming of a fellow.

The Prince shows up at a dance she goes to in the person of Fred MacMurray. She's taken with him, but she's ashamed of her family's rather humble living condition. When MacMurray does come calling they have a family dinner that turns into a real disaster.

Kate got one of her Oscar nominations for her role and MacMurray also gets one of his best early film parts as well. Kate's family is also nicely cast with Ann Shoemaker, Frank Albertson, and especially Fred Stone filling out the roles of mother, brother, and father. I do kind of feel sorry for Stone, he's really put upon by his family. In today's world Ann Shoemaker would have gone out and gotten a second job for another income, back then that would have been unthinkable.

Alice Adams is a nice nostalgic trip by Booth Tarkington into the lives and mores of small town Indiana. This film was also George Stevens's first major film and he'd work with Kate again in Woman of the Year.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 November 1935 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

Booth Tarkington's Alice Adams

Filming Locations:

RKO Studios - 780 N. Gower Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1