Call Me Kate

Peter McGinn

This was a very interesting and revealing look at the life of a great actress and — though she never called herself one — feminist. It describes what she calls her idyllic childhood, though we learn that it was not without its serious problems including a sibling suicide. The documentary goes on to describe her developing fame and career, both in theater and film. They tell the story mostly through friends and relatives and readings from letters. We don’t have the usual parade of current movie stars or film critics, though there may be one or two. I was surprised to learn that there were lapses in her career, when the movie audience and/or film execs didn’t like her, plus a work break she took to care for an ailing Spencer Tracy. But as she described it, she always pushed herself to move forward, doing only what she wanted to do. She was a great negotiator, and many times she either formed a deal with a project she owned, or else made sure she got a favorable role. She was apparently also likely to work with people who allowed her to change scripts to better represent her own ideals. She was no studio contract player.