RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Adam's Rib
Adam's Rib

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Adam's Rib (1949)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
100 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:23

Fresh:23

Rotten:0

Average Rating:8.2/10

Consensus: Matched by Garson Kanin's witty, sophisticated screenplay, George Cukor, Spencer Tracy, and Katherine Hepburn are all in top form in the classic comedy Adam's Rib.

Runtime: 1 hr 41 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: A playful allusion to the Book of Genesis, ADAM'S RIB is an inspired farce and perhaps the best showcase for the fantastic Spencer Tracy/Katharine Hepburn duo. George Cukor uses the chemistry... A playful allusion to the Book of Genesis, ADAM'S RIB is an inspired farce and perhaps the best showcase for the fantastic Spencer Tracy/Katharine Hepburn duo. George Cukor uses the chemistry between his stars to create a delightful, sophisticated comedy about the battle between the sexes, based on a sharp and sprightly Oscar-nominated script by Cukor's collaborators, Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin. When two married lawyers take opposite sides of a case, they create comic fireworks both in and out of court. District Attorney Adam Bonner (Tracy) prosecutes a young woman, Doris Attinger (Judy Holliday), who has shot her philandering husband's mistress; her attorney and Bonner's wife, Amanda (Hepburn), is determined to prove that the prosecution's case is only a reflection of sexist double standards. Amanda thinks that women should have the right to do exactly what men have done for years--get revenge. ADAM'S RIB is a film that is superbly directed, written, and acted, a true romantic comedy in classic Cukor style. [More]

Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Judy Holliday, Tom Ewell

Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Judy Holliday, Tom Ewell

Director: George Cukor

Director: George Cukor
Screenwriter: Ruth Gordon, Garson Kanin
Producer: Lawrence Weingarten
Composer: Miklos Rozsa

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Adam's Rib

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

The performances (not least from Wayne and Hagen) are matchless.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Tom Milne
Tom Milne
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Irresistable comedy from one of Hollywood's greatest pairings.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
10/16/07
Ian Nathan
Ian Nathan
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

An impeccably crafted and scripted classic.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
10/16/07
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Of Adam's Rib we might say...that it isn't solid food but it certainly is meaty and juicy and comically nourishing.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Bosley Crowther
Bosley Crowther
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Adam's Rib (1949) is director George Cukor's most famous film of the battle of the sexes - between two married lawyers.

Full Review Source: Tim Dirks' The Greatest Films | comment Comment
01/01/00
Tim Dirks
Tim Dirks
Tim Dirks' The Greatest Films

Adam’s Rib gives us writers, performers and a director all operating at peak levels of performance; it’s a classic comedy.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dan Jardine
Dan Jardine
Apollo Guide

Sex Wars mid-century style. Adam's Rib can't help but look a bit dated, but it sure is a perfect encapsulation of a certain type of couple at a certain time.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Brad Laidman
Brad Laidman
Film Threat

A well-written and acted comedy that was ahead of its time in counterpointing and reconciling two basic assumptions, that there are certain "male" and "female" qualities and that each gender can and must exchange these qualities as trading cards.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
12/18/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

It lost some of its luster with time, but it's still amusing.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
10/30/06
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Adam's Rib is a bright comedy success, belting over a succession of sophisticated laughs.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
02/03/09
Variety Staff
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

George Cukor directs with a light touch and the film leaps from one priceless moment to the next

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
05/23/08
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile

The film is a classic, and deservedly so: the conjunction of Tracy's sly listlessness and Hepburn's stridency defines 'chemistry' in the movies.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
10/16/07
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Delightful, sophisticated comedy sparked by the famous chemistry between Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
10/16/07
TV Guide's Movie Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Film Threat
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Enjoyable Tracy-Hepburn comedy. Maybe not great, but very good

comment Comment
10/17/02
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Really funny movie. I enjoyed this one!

comment Comment
12/16/03
Alex Sandell
Alex Sandell
Juicy Cerebellum

Classic stuff.

comment Comment
03/17/04
Luke Y. Thompson
Luke Y. Thompson
New Times

No review available.

comment Comment
11/19/04
Robin Clifford
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

No review available.

comment Comment
03/12/04
Carol Cling
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

No review available.

comment Comment
08/07/04
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
15% 15% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
68% 68% Funny People
25% 25% Four Christmases
45% 45% Shorts

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Prince of Persia

Prince of Persia

Your first look at the swashbuckler.

Vampires

Vampires

We rank cinema's bloodsuckers.

Avatar

Avatar

The full trailer for Cameron's epic.

2012

2012

12 facts about Emmerich's disaster flick.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
21
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
44
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
118
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
  • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
64
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
178
  • Critics Consensus: New Moon Wanes
131
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
76
  • Total Recall: Star-Crossed Lovers
75
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
59
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
40
  • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
32
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
27
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
20
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
14
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
14
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
10
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
20
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
7
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
20
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Adam's Rib at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.