To Katharine Hepburn, from a Reluctant Admirer

Katharine Hepburn, classic Hollywood actress. Image: The Famous People

Dear Katharine Hepburn:

It took us (as in, yours truly) a long time to acknowledge your talent.

You see, you struck us as patrician and not a little self-important. We thought your manner and accent were affected, and we didn’t feel your performances exuded warmth. (Example: The Philadelphia Story.)

Admittedly, we had not seen many of your films, but we weren’t keen to explore your filmography. Sometimes we felt you were competing with everyone else on screen. (Example: 1933’s Little Women.) At times you seemed to compete with the scenery, for pete sake.

That’s how it seemed to us.

People would say you were one of the greatest film actors of All Time, and we rolled our eyes. We figured these folks needed new eyeglasses or more robust vitamins.

But then we saw you in the 1975 western,