Grumpy 'ol Tracy

Spencer Tracy. What a chap. He is often mentioned alongside Laurence Oliver and Marlon Brando as one of the greatest movie stars of all time - a well deserved accolade.

I watched (again) Woman of the Year. Along with Adam's Rib, this is one of my favorite early Spencer / Hepburn movies. His character portrayals are meaningful, natural, and played with such integrity, one understands completely why he is still eminent beyond or above comparison today.

I enjoy his style as well. Even as a young man, he always seemed disheveled, suits never seemed to fit quite right and his hair had a mind of its own. This was his charm and appeal, occasionally displaying a type of amusing grumpiness. In Father of the Bride, he insists on wearing his shrunken coat tails, refusing to pay for a new suit. So there he stands, before a mirror - pulling, tugging, forcing his front button closed over his generous mid-section that has accumulated in his mid-life years, apparently without him noticing.

Not all gentleman must be perfectly coiffed. A sense of thrown together style is most attractive. To me, it demonstrates he is thinking of more important issues of the day. His clothing and hygiene remain essential, but somehow he is more concerned of those around him, than of himself.