Keeper of the Flame

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Keeper of the Flame

1944

1h 40m

Drama

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4 Reviews

69%

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250+ Ratings

Steven O'Malley (Spencer Tracy) expects his reporting assignment to be a run-of-the-mill story. He is to cover the death of Robert Forrest, a hero in World War I, who died when a bridge collapsed under his car. The press conference given by Forrest's secretary (Richard Whorf), however, does not satisfy O'Malley, who decides that questioning his widow (Katharine Hepburn) could expose a richer story. The lies continue to build, until he discovers an estate building that may hold the true story.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

08/13/2020

3/10

Answers are kept from the audience for too long; even as the truth draws nearer, it's shrouded in enough obscuration that the big reveal can't possibly satisfy the hype.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

08/08/2006

C

Director Cukor thought the plot was fraudulent, and the film is the worst collaboration of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn in her first role as a "mature" woman.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

01/24/2005

C

An ill-conceived political melodrama modeled after Citizen Kane.

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Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

08/02/2004

3/5

Middle-brow MGM variant on Citizen Kane. More interesting than good.

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Timo E.

@TimoEx Jan 13

Prescient. Hits close.

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Ted B.

@Movieaddicted Jan 12

3.5 stars; A 'non-romantic comedy' Tracy/Hepburn movie that could be considered a pre-WWII political film. Who would have thought? Tracy plays a reporter of the old-school variety, out to get a story rather than an opinion piece (a lost art). Hepburn plays the widow of an American hero who died in a car wreck under suspicious circumstances. Tracy wants to get to the bottom of the mystery of the hero's death. So he persues Hepburn. What he finds is a much bigger story and a warning to America about the dark forces overseas and their plot to gain power in America. The plot is still fresh today. The film is somewhat dark, and I don't mean the lighting. Tracy and Hepburn do credible performances based on that the roles wereg complete opposites of their usual fare.

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Patri S

@Patri47 Dec 30

I don't understand the bad reviews. This is a beautifully shot, well acted and engrossing movie. 1941 and fascism on the horizon. Sound familiar? watch the movie and listen to Hepburn's monologue toward the end.

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tucker s

@tucker83014 Nov 1

A better film than indicated by most reviews

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Lew M.

@Lemar69 Sep 21

Excellent story of fascism creeping into American society during the pre WWII era.

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Shadowman4710

07/05/2023

One of the rare Tracy/Hepburn films that is not a romantic comedy. Tracy plays a well known reporter who begins to investigate the death of a famous political/social figure. During his investigations he becomes involved with the widow (Katherine Hepburn) and discovers some unsettling facts about the "great man." This is classic film noir, heavy on atmosphere, not necessarily heavy on plot. It received mixed critical reviews and didn't do particularly well at the box office but I enjoy it quite a lot and would recommend it to any Tracy/Hepburn fans.

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George Cukor

Director

Spencer Tracy

Steven "Stevie" O'Malley

Katharine Hepburn

Mrs. Christine Forrest

Richard Whorf

Clive Kerndon

Margaret Wycherly

Old Mrs. Forrest

Forrest Tucker

Geoffrey "Geoff" Midford

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Synopsis

Steven O'Malley (Spencer Tracy) expects his reporting assignment to be a run-of-the-mill story. He is to cover the death of Robert Forrest, a hero in World War I, who died when a bridge collapsed under his car. The press conference given by Forrest's secretary (Richard Whorf), however, does not satisfy O'Malley, who decides that questioning his widow (Katharine Hepburn) could expose a richer story. The lies continue to build, until he discovers an estate building that may hold the true story.

Director: George Cukor
Producer: Victor Saville
Screenwriter: I.A.R. Wylie, Donald Ogden Stewart
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Loew's Inc.
Production Co: Loew's Inc., Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 20, 1944, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2016
Runtime: 1h 40m
Sound Mix: Mono

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