Kate Hepburn was the consummate professional, and never hit a false note, in this film or any other. It was fun to see her show her athleticism in spite of her petite build. And the chemistry with her and Spencer Tracy was undeniable. I actually liked some of her later films much better, like "African Queen" and "The Lion in Winter". This film had a lot of familiar faces including Jim Backus, Chuck Connors, and Charles Bronson. Listed in the uncredited cast was Roger Moore as "Photagrapher". I looked for him but never saw him. Some famous athletes of the day were also featured, such as Babe Zahariah and Don Budge. Aldo Ray as the dim-witted boxer rather overplayed his part, but I suppose that this was the style for movies in those days. Overall, not Hepburn/Tracy's best, but pretty decent anyway.

Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy spent most of their screen partnerships entwined in battles of the sexes, but "Pat and Mike" finds them at their most harmoniously warm, headlining a romantic comedy without highbrow bite or indirect sexism. While thinly plotted, the film is one of their breeziest pairings, in part to George Cukor's smartly scattered comedic zest and the screenplay's knack for uptown/downtown musings.Hepburn portrays Pat Pemberton, a physical ed instructor who spends her afternoons training athletic collegians. Her days of competing are far from over, though; as the film opens, she is basking in the final few moments before an important golf match. Pat is a dynamic athlete, but she has a minor problem when it comes to performing. Whenever her fiancée, the pompous Collier (William Ching), appears for support, her skills take a downturn, as if he were a bad luck charm. Collier wants Pat to retire from her sports career so she can become a full-time wife, but Pat, independent and smart, knows deep in her heart that she doesn't want to marry him and doesn't want to waste her days cleaning and cooking and kid raising. She has more important things to do than fill general women's roles. After a particularly rough match, thanks to the presence of the smarmy Collier, Pat is down in the dumps, but her athletic prowess is noticed by Mike Conovan (Spencer Tracy), a sports promoter who normally supports boxing acts. Right then and there, he deems her the world's top female athlete. But with her tendency to screw up at the worst of times, Mike becomes determined to train Pat until she becomes a wunderkind with the ability to smash cultural norms and sports records. As the two begin to see each other more frequently, however, it seems that mutual attraction is steadily growing, and traffic cones like Mike's other subject, a bird-brained boxer (Aldo Ray), prejudiced mobsters, and a smug Collier, will hardly stand in their way. I suppose "Pat and Mike" works so well because there isn't a moment in its 95 minutes where its stars are hating each other. In the subtly sexist "Woman of the Year", the entire middle half was spent with Hepburn and Tracy hardly attempting to overcome marital woes; in the witty "Adam's Rib", combative battles of words came more regularly than moments of adoration. "Pat and Mike" is a rather thin, simplistic romantic comedy, but without much conflict, it spends more time being likable than it does messing with our heads. It's a wonderful change of pace for its stars.Hepburn trades hardness for an affectionate, slacks not pants wearing performance (boasting her athletic skill along the way), and Tracy's teddy bear, Chicawgo affability is impossible to resist. Supporting performer Ray nearly steals the film as Mike's other client, Davie. A gentle giant of a dope who probably spends his days laughing at "The Three Stooges" while swigging beers, his nights bruising his little brains, Ray is a lovable and goofy supplement to his lively co-stars.With writing team Garson Kanin and Ruth Gordon's ear for the distinction between city dwellers and the intellectual middle-class, "Pat and Mike" is unsubstantial but towering in its charisma. It's a joy from start to finish, a comedy showcase for Hepburn and Tracy.

Pat Pemberton (Katharine Hepburn) is a great athlete and a coach. She tries to do whatever her fiancé Collier Weld (William Ching) needs even if it's deliberately losing. It's a great stress on their relationship. Charles Barry (Jim Backus) convinces her to enter into a golf tournament. Mike Conovan (Spencer Tracy) is a shady sports promoter who tries to get her to finish second but she refuses. At critical moments, Collier's presence flusters her and she ends up second. Collier wants her to marry him and quit everything else. In desperation, she jumps off the train and seeks the help of Mike. It turns out that she's great at everything.The Hollywood couple has good chemistry. This is a fun rom-com. I don't like so much the sports action. They have a tendency to slow the movie down. Although it's interesting to see Hepburn actually playing those sports. It's still not shot very interestingly. Sports action at that time has yet to be shot excitingly.

First off, I love the clothes Spencer Tracy wore in this flick. I guess that says something negative about my own tastes...although I wouldn't wear those clothes...but he sure looked nifty! And I hated the music during the opening and closing credits of the film. Among the worse I've ever heard in a motion picture! But then the movie settles down nicely as we learn that Pat (Katharine Hepburn) is a very talented sports person, whose biggest problem seems to be her fiancé, who unconsciously intimidates her. We discover she's super at golf, tennis, shooting, self defense, and a myriad of other sports. And, lots of this was really done by Hepburn for the cameras! Hepburn is perfect here.Then she meets Mike, a just slightly seedy sports manager, who at first wants to use her to throw a golf match, but later manages her legitimately. Tracy is perfect here, and that's high praise because here he is playing a very different type of character where his typical understated acting isn't right for the part.There are a bevy of supporting actors here who are fun to watch: Chuck Connors (his first movie role), a young Charles Bronson, and a very welcome Jim Backus in the early part of the film.Of the five romantic comedies that Hepburn and Tracy appeared in, this is in the top half -- not as good as "Adams' Rib", but better than the others. It deserves a place on your DVD shelf!