STATE OF THE UNION (FILM)

'''State of the Union''' is a 1946 Pulitzer Prize winning play by Russel Crouse and Howard Lindsay, which was adapted into a 1948 film directed by Frank Capra. The film, which starred Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, was Capra's first and only project for MGM Pictures. Its screenplay was written by Myles Connolly and Anthony Veiller. The screenplay deviated most from the play in its absence of the play's sardonic wit and more controversial themes.
A co-production of Frank Capra's own company and MGM, Capra bought the film after its initial theatrical release. After Capra's company folded, Liberty Films' assets were acquired by Paramount Pictures. It has since had limited availability on VHS home video and until recently has been unavailable on DVD. EMKA, Ltd./NBC Universal currently owns the rights to the film due to it being a part of Paramount's pre-1950 library. Universal Studios Home Entertainment released a DVD version on August 29, 2006.

Contents

Plot

Cast

External links

Plot

Upon the urgings of newspaper manager Kay Thorndyke (Angela Lansbury), aircraft tycoon Grant Matthews (Spencer Tracy) campaigns for the Republican presidential nomination. Before embarking on his journey, he reunites with estranged Mary (Katharine Hepburn) at the urging of campaign manager Spike McManus (Van Johnson). Despite knowing that her husband and Thorndyke are having an affair, Mary puts up the front of a loving wife because she knows he has solid values. After her husband sacrifices his values for votes, Mary questions her actions and her belief in her husband. But when Grant realizes what this is doing to Mary, he denounces his political backers as phonies on live radio, and declares that he will run for office honestly. Grant and Mary are reconciled.

Cast

Film	Role	Play
Spencer Tracy	Grant Matthews	Ralph Bellamy
Katharine Hepburn	Mary Matthews	Ruth Hussey
Van Johnson	Spike McManus	Myron McCormick
Angela Lansbury	Kay Thorndyke	Margalo Gillmore
Adolphe Menjou	Jim Conover	Minor Watson
Lewis Stone	Sam Thorndyke	''not featured''
Howard Smith	Sam I. Parrish	Herbert Heyes
Charles Dingle	Bill Noland Hardy	Victor Sutherland
Maidel Turner	Lulubelle Alexander	Maidel Turner
Raymond Walburn	Judge Alexander	G. Albert Smith
Margaret Hamilton	Norah	Helen Ray
Art Baker	Radio Announcer	''not featured''
Florence Auer	Grace Orval Draper	Aline McDermott
Irving Bacon	Buck Swanson	''not featured''

External links

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