How a 1935 romantic drama saved Katharine Hepburn's career through a forced happy ending
In short: Katharine Hepburn’s star power was fading until she took on the role of a social-climbing dreamer in Alice Adams. While the film became a critical and commercial success, its iconic conclusion was the result of a fierce behind-the-scenes battle between the director, the star, and the studio executives.
By 1935, Katharine Hepburn faced a decline in popularity following her earlier triumphs in Morning Glory and Little Women. Seeking to regain her status as a public favorite, she turned to the role of Alice Adams, a young woman from a struggling family who desperately attempts to mask her poverty to secure a wealthy suitor. The film, directed by George Stevens and produced by Pandro S. Berman for RKO, became a significant turning point in her career, eventually earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
The production was marked by creative friction, particularly regarding the film's conclusion. The original novel by Booth Tarkington features a somber ending where Alice remains permanently estranged from her love interest, Arthur Russell. Stevens and Hepburn, who initially rewrote the script to reflect this realistic tone, were adamant that the story should end with Alice pursuing a path of self-improvement by enrolling in secretarial school. However, studio executives and Berman feared this would be box-office poison.
To force a more commercial outcome, the studio enlisted director George Cukor to intervene. Ultimately, the team was overruled, and the script was altered to ensure Russell falls in love with Alice, providing the audience with a traditional happy ending. Despite this compromise, the film was a financial success, generating a profit of $164,000 after exhibition costs. Retrospective critics, including Pauline Kael, have since hailed the project as a classic, frequently citing it as one of Hepburn’s finest performances.
The film’s narrative complexity—balancing the social anxieties of the Adams family against the backdrop of their financial ruin—resonated with audiences. While the plot involves themes of theft, social pretense, and family reconciliation, it is the tension between the artistic vision of the creators and the commercial demands of the studio that defines the legacy of this 1935 adaptation.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Alice Adams (1935 film)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-alice-adams-1935-film.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
