Alice Adams

Watch Alice Adams

"Twenty-two and wonderful ... as Booth Tarkington's loveliest heroine!"
  • Passed
  • 1935
  • 1 hr 39 min
  • 6.9  (4,533)

Alice Adams is a 1935 American romantic drama film directed by George Stevens and featuring Katharine Hepburn, Fred MacMurray, and Fred Stone. The movie is based on a novel of the same name by Booth Tarkington and tells the story of a young woman who aspires to a more glamorous life. The protagonist of the movie is Alice Adams (played by Katharine Hepburn), a young woman from a lower-middle-class family in a small Midwestern town in the 1920s. Alice is always trying to improve her social standing and impress the people around her. She often exaggerates her family's wealth and status in order to make herself more attractive to others.

Alice's father, Virgil (played by Fred Stone), is a failed businessman who spends most of his time dreaming of the wealth and success that he never achieved. Alice's mother (Ann Shoemaker) is a typical housewife who is preoccupied with the social scene in the town.

Alice's younger brother, Walter (Frank Albertson), is more practical and straightforward than the other members of the family. He sees through Alice's pretensions and tries to help her improve her life in a more honest way.

The movie begins with Alice preparing for a local dance, where she hopes to meet some eligible young men from wealthier families. She borrows an expensive dress from a friend and convinces her father to rent a car for the occasion. Alice's expectations are dashed when she realizes that she is not as popular or attractive as she hoped to be.

However, Alice meets Arthur (Fred MacMurray), a young man from a wealthy family who is attracted to her. Alice is thrilled by the attention and starts to exaggerate her family's wealth even more in order to impress him.

Alice's efforts to impress Arthur lead to a chain of events that illustrate the gap between her aspirations and her reality. She fakes a telegram from a wealthy aunt in Chicago, inviting her family to visit her. Alice is hoping to use the trip to introduce Arthur to her family as her suitor. However, when the family arrives in Chicago, they find out that the aunt does not exist and that they have nowhere to stay.

Alice's illusions are shattered when Arthur sees her in her ordinary clothes and realizes that her family is not as well off as she made them out to be. Alice is devastated by Arthur's rejection and feels humiliated in front of her family and friends.

The rest of the movie follows Alice as she tries to come to terms with her disappointment and face the realities of her life. She realizes that her family's love and respect are more important than her social status and that she should be more honest with herself and others.

Katharine Hepburn's performance as Alice Adams is one of the highlights of the movie. She portrays the character's vulnerability, ambition, and desperation with great skill and empathy. Fred MacMurray is also excellent as Arthur, the charming but ultimately shallow young man who disappoints Alice.

The movie's themes of social mobility, class consciousness, and the American Dream are still relevant today. Alice's struggle to improve her life and escape the limitations of her background is a universal story that resonates with audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Alice Adams was a critical and commercial success when it was released in 1935. The movie received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Katharine Hepburn, and Best Supporting Actor for Fred Stone. While it did not win any awards, it is still regarded as one of the best movies of its time and a classic of American cinema.

Alice Adams is a 1935 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 39 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9.

Alice Adams
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Where to Watch Alice Adams
Alice Adams is available to watch, stream, download and buy on demand at Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube VOD and Vudu. Some platforms allow you to rent Alice Adams for a limited time or purchase the movie and download it to your device.
  • Release Date
    1935
  • MPAA Rating
    Passed
  • Runtime
    1 hr 39 min
  • Language
    English
  • IMDB Rating
    6.9  (4,533)