MovieChat Forums > Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) Discussion > Knowing Spencer Tracy Was Dying

Knowing Spencer Tracy Was Dying

posted 10 years ago by befred8
4 replies | jump to latest

When the movie came out, I recall this greatly affected the critics' reactions, mostly unfavorably. Many thought his performance was below standard, as well as feeling that Katharine Hepburn's feelings hurt her performance. So the movie got harder reviews than it might have It's one reason I haven't seen it till now.

My reaction now? I think the fact Tracy's character spends much of the film in shock disguises his physical condition quite a bit. It may have even helped his acting. I see here the younger generations seem unaffected; he's gotten lots of praise here.

Am I the only one who knew before reading the trivia section. Did he seem ill to you? Does GWCTD compare favorably with his other work? I'd like to know

[–] movieghoul 10 years ago

Tracy was very obviously dying, and actually died just days after filming his last scene. It took many takes to do his last speech since he could only stand for seconds at a time. He was in such bad shape that it weas impossible to get a completion bond, and both Kramer and Hepburn put up their salaries against the possibility that the film would have to be abandoned.

[–] almostfm-1 10 years ago

He seemed ill a long time before that. I just rewatched Inherit the Wind (which was made in 1960), and he looked in bad shape then. He was only 12 years older than Gene Kelly, but looked like he could have been his grandfather.

[–] aleach26 8 years ago

Well he looked old for his years from about age 50 onwards, with his lined complexion and white hair - but he was in great form physically in Inherit The Wind compared to It's A MMMMM World and Guess Who's Coming To Dinner. In his exchanges with Frederic March he is at his brilliant best.

His severe physical decline started just before the former film, which he found a rather unsettling experience - he could only run a few paces in the film and many long shots were done with his double.

He convalesced for quite a while, living quietly with Katharine Hepburn but was still ailing badly when doing GWCTD, only working a few hours a day, For his final speech many takes were required and even the soundtrack of his voice was manipulated slightly to give it consistency and more power.

[–] marktayloruk (2590) 3 years ago

If only his health had matched Cagney's Brando's Stewart's or Fonda's.