Want to know the best Katharine Hepburn movies? How about the worst Katharine Hepburn movies? Curious about Katharine Hepburn box office grosses or which Katharine Hepburn movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Katharine Hepburn movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences and which got the worst reviews? Well you have come to the right place, because we have all of that information and a lot more!
Katharine Hepburn’s movie career was one heck of a roller coaster ride. The ride started on a high note with an Oscar® win for 1933’s Morning Glory and a blockbuster hit in 1934’s Little Women. She was unable to maintain her early success. The rest of the 1930s did not go very well for her. Hepburn made eleven more movies in the 1930s, and with a couple of exceptions (Alice Adams & Stage Door), they were all box office bombs. After being labeled “box office poison” she returned to the stage.
In 1940 Hepburn returned to Hollywood to make the film version of The Philadelphia Story. The film was one of the biggest hits of the year and earned Hepburn her third Oscar® nomination. After that success she appeared for the first time with Spencer Tracy in 1942’s Woman of the Year. Tracy and Hepburn would make nine films together over the next twenty-five years and become one the greatest screen couples ever. Their final appearance together would be 1967’s Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, which was a blockbuster hit and earned Hepburn her 2nd Oscar® win. The following year she appeared in The Lion in Winter. She amazingly won her 3rd Oscar® win for Best Actress. Following her back to back Oscar® wins, Hepburn’s movie career took another downward spiral.
For the next twenty-five years, she would appear in only eight more movies. Most of those movies died at the box office, but she had one more major role left in her. In 1981 she appeared in On Golden Pond opposite Henry Fonda. On Golden Pond was her second biggest box office hit and earned her a record fourth Academy Award® for Best Actress. Her last role was in 1994’s Love Affair. Katharine Hepburn passed away June 29th 2003 at the age of 96.
Her IMDb page shows 52 acting credits from 1932-1994. This page will rank Katharine Hepburn movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows, shorts, cameos and movies not released in North American theaters were not included in the rankings.
Katharine Hepburn Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
Year
Movie (Year)
Rating
S
Year Movie (Year) Rating S
1940
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Actress Nom
1968
The Lion in Winter (1968)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Actress Win
1981
On Golden Pond (1981)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Actress Win
1937
Stage Door (1937)
AA Best Picture Nom
1951
The African Queen (1951)
AA Best Actress Nom
1933
Little Women (1933)
AA Best Picture Nom
1967
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Actress Win
1949
Adam's Rib (1949)
1942
Woman of the Year (1942)
AA Best Actress Nom
1948
State of the Union (1948)
1959
Suddenly, Last Summer (1959)
AA Best Actress Nom
1945
Without Love (1945)
1942
Keeper of the Flame (1942)
1938
Bringing Up Baby (1938)
1947
The Sea of Grass (1947)
1946
Undercurrent (1946)
1947
Song of Love (1947)
1938
Holiday (1938)
1955
Summertime (1955)
AA Best Actress Nom
1944
Dragon Seed (1944)
1952
Pat and Mike (1952)
1957
Desk Set (1957)
1935
Alice Adams (1935)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Actress Nom
1956
The Rainmaker (1956)
AA Best Actress Nom
1936
Mary of Scotland (1936)
1962
Long Day's Journey into Night (1962)
AA Best Actress Nom
1933
Morning Glory (1933)
AA Best Actress Win
1975
Rooster Cogburn (1975)
1935
Sylvia Scarlett (1935)
1937
Quality Street (1937)
1956
The Iron Petticoat (1956)
1973
A Delicate Balance (1973)
1936
A Woman Rebels (1936)
1934
Spitfire (1934)
1935
Break of Hearts (1935)
1933
Christopher Strong (1933)
1934
The Little Minister (1934)
1932
A Bill of Divorcement (1932)
1971
The Trojan Women (1971)
1994
Love Affair (1994)
1978
Olly, Olly, Oxen Free (1978)
1969
The Madwoman of Chaillot (1969)
1984
Grace Quigley (1984)
Katharine Hepburn Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table
The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.
- Sort Katharine Hepburn movies by co-stars of her movies
- Sort Katharine Hepburn movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Katharine Hepburn movies by domestic box office rank
- Sort Katharine Hepburn movies by how they were received by critics and audiences. 60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
- Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each Katharine Hepburn movie received.
- Sort Katharine Hepburn movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
- Use the sort and search button to make this a very interactive page.
R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Actual B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | B.O. Rank by Year | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | S |
2 | The Philadelphia Story (1940) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Actress Nom |
James Stewart & Cary Grant |
6.80 | 261.1 | 358.50 | 7 | 91 | 06 / 02 | 99.6 | |
1 | The Lion in Winter (1968) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Actress Win |
Peter O'Toole & Anthony Hopkins |
28.60 | 235.2 | 235.20 | 10 | 88 | 07 / 03 | 99.6 | |
3 | On Golden Pond (1981) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Actress Win |
Henry Fonda & Jane Fonda |
112.80 | 437.3 | 437.30 | 2 | 79 | 10 / 03 | 99.3 | |
4 | Stage Door (1937) AA Best Picture Nom |
Ginger Rogers | 5.00 | 207.3 | 292.20 | 23 | 87 | 04 / 00 | 99.3 | |
4 | The African Queen (1951) AA Best Actress Nom |
Humphrey Bogart | 11.80 | 254.4 | 254.40 | 8 | 87 | 04 / 01 | 99.0 | |
6 | Little Women (1933) AA Best Picture Nom |
Directed by George Cukor | 4.00 | 187.1 | 277.20 | 13 | 82 | 03 / 01 | 98.7 | |
5 | Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Actress Win |
Spencer Tracy & Sidney Poitier |
52.50 | 467.7 | 467.70 | 4 | 71 | 10 / 02 | 98.7 | |
8 | Adam's Rib (1949) | Spencer Tracy | 8.30 | 206.9 | 274.90 | 18 | 87 | 01 / 00 | 98.6 | |
9 | Woman of the Year (1942) AA Best Actress Nom |
Spencer Tracy | 5.50 | 205.5 | 287.60 | 32 | 81 | 02 / 01 | 98.1 | |
10 | State of the Union (1948) | Spencer Tracy | 9.20 | 248.2 | 333.30 | 10 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 96.4 | |
11 | Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) AA Best Actress Nom |
Elizabeth Taylor & Montgomery Clift |
18.20 | 327.3 | 327.30 | 9 | 72 | 03 / 00 | 96.3 | |
12 | Without Love (1945) | Spencer Tracy | 7.50 | 238.0 | 333.30 | 35 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 95.0 | |
13 | Keeper of the Flame (1942) | Spencer Tracy | 6.30 | 232.6 | 342.20 | 24 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 94.8 | |
14 | Bringing Up Baby (1938) | Cary Grant | 3.20 | 129.5 | 202.80 | 58 | 88 | 00 / 00 | 94.1 | |
14 | The Sea of Grass (1947) | Spencer Tracy | 8.50 | 248.0 | 369.20 | 24 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 93.6 | |
15 | Undercurrent (1946) | Robert Mitchum | 7.60 | 235.4 | 352.70 | 38 | 63 | 00 / 00 | 93.3 | |
16 | Song of Love (1947) | Paul Henreid | 8.40 | 244.1 | 344.00 | 25 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 93.0 | |
20 | Holiday (1938) | Cary Grant | 3.10 | 123.6 | 123.60 | 64 | 84 | 01 / 00 | 92.6 | |
21 | Summertime (1955) AA Best Actress Nom |
Directed by David Lean | 5.70 | 118.5 | 118.50 | 57 | 82 | 02 / 00 | 91.7 | |
19 | Dragon Seed (1944) | Aline MacMahon & Lionel Barrymore |
9.80 | 329.6 | 502.80 | 13 | 52 | 02 / 00 | 90.3 | |
22 | Pat and Mike (1952) | Spencer Tracy | 5.80 | 114.3 | 149.50 | 45 | 80 | 01 / 00 | 90.2 | |
23 | Desk Set (1957) | Spencer Tracy | 4.90 | 93.5 | 93.50 | 49 | 84 | 00 / 00 | 89.1 | |
23 | Alice Adams (1935) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Actress Nom |
Fred MacMurray | 1.60 | 73.7 | 98.80 | 78 | 81 | 02 / 00 | 88.7 | |
24 | The Rainmaker (1956) AA Best Actress Nom |
Burt Lancaster | 6.00 | 117.6 | 117.60 | 44 | 67 | 02 / 00 | 86.2 | |
26 | Mary of Scotland (1936) | Fredric March & Directed by John Ford |
2.60 | 113.7 | 183.40 | 74 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 81.2 | |
25 | Long Day's Journey into Night (1962) AA Best Actress Nom |
Jason Robards | 2.20 | 31.1 | 31.10 | 95 | 85 | 01 / 00 | 81.2 | |
27 | Morning Glory (1933) AA Best Actress Win |
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. | 1.10 | 50.5 | 77.90 | 92 | 70 | 01 / 01 | 76.2 | |
28 | Rooster Cogburn (1975) | John Wayne | 24.30 | 127.8 | 127.80 | 26 | 45 | 00 / 00 | 73.6 | |
29 | Sylvia Scarlett (1935) | Cary Grant | 0.90 | 41.2 | 63.80 | 143 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 68.6 | |
30 | Quality Street (1937) | Franchot Tone | 0.90 | 37.9 | 54.80 | 174 | 64 | 01 / 00 | 63.1 | |
32 | The Iron Petticoat (1956) | Bob Hope | 3.60 | 70.6 | 77.60 | 93 | 53 | 00 / 00 | 60.8 | |
31 | A Delicate Balance (1973) | Paul Scofield | 1.80 | 10.7 | 10.70 | 129 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 58.5 | |
33 | A Woman Rebels (1936) | Herbert Marshall | 1.20 | 49.9 | 83.80 | 135 | 58 | 00 / 00 | 58.4 | |
34 | Spitfire (1934) | Robert Young | 1.80 | 84.2 | 103.20 | 65 | 47 | 00 / 00 | 58.1 | |
34 | Break of Hearts (1935) | Charles Boyer | 1.20 | 56.1 | 89.20 | 108 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 54.8 | |
36 | Christopher Strong (1933) | Colin Clive | 0.80 | 36.1 | 36.10 | 138 | 58 | 00 / 00 | 49.2 | |
39 | The Little Minister (1934) | Alan Hale | 2.10 | 96.8 | 147.80 | 52 | 38 | 00 / 00 | 48.8 | |
37 | A Bill of Divorcement (1932) | John Barrymore | 1.10 | 53.6 | 74.30 | 109 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 48.3 | |
39 | The Trojan Women (1971) | Vanessa Redgrave | 2.90 | 18.8 | 18.80 | 93 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 41.3 | |
40 | Love Affair (1994) | Warren Beatty | 18.30 | 48.3 | 48.30 | 78 | 43 | 00 / 00 | 26.0 | |
41 | Olly, Olly, Oxen Free (1978) | Kevin McKenzie | 1.10 | 5.1 | 5.10 | 128 | 50 | 00 / 00 | 14.6 | |
43 | The Madwoman of Chaillot (1969) | Danny Kaye | 1.90 | 14.2 | 14.20 | 102 | 39 | 00 / 00 | 6.4 | |
42 | Grace Quigley (1984) | Nick Nolte | 2.40 | 7.8 | 7.80 | 134 | 41 | 00 / 00 | 6.3 |
Check out Katharine Hepburn‘s career compared to current and classic actors. Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.
Wait! Want more Katharine Hepburn stats? Well we have adjusted worldwide grosses on 24 of her movies.
- Dragon Seed (1944) $393.70 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- The Sea of Grass (1947) $288.00 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- The Philadelphia Story (1940) $280.20 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Undercurrent (1946) $276.10 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Song of Love (1947) $268.90 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Keeper of the Flame (1942) $267.90 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- State of the Union (1948) $261.10 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Without Love (1945) $260.10 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Stage Door (1937) $229.10 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Woman of the Year (1942) $224.70 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Little Women (1933) $223.10 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Adam’s Rib (1949) $214.80 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Bringing Up Baby (1938) $158.30 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Mary of Scotland (1936) $143.90 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Pat and Mike (1952) $117.40 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- The Little Minister (1934) $115.70 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Alice Adams (1935) $76.60 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Break of Hearts (1935) $72.00 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- A Woman Rebels (1936) $65.00 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Spitfire (1934) $64.90 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- The Iron Petticoat (1957) $60.60 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- A Bill of Divorcement (1932) $57.90 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Sylvia Scarlett (1935) $51.10 million in worldwide adjusted gross
- Quality Street (1937) $42.60 million in worldwide adjusted gross
Check out Steve’s Katharine Hepburn You Tube Video
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For comments….all you need is a name and a comment….please ignore the rest.
Interesting! UP and Tweet!!! 🙂
Thank you Sunshine
Another great page! I love the Tracy-Hepburn series and The African Queen but, like many people, I can watch Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story any day of the week.
Regarding your movie scores, maybe you could rank actors by their “ten best movies” — that should bring the cream to the top pretty quickly.
Hey Boomer Flicks….interesting idea…I think that would be a pretty cool list…..now I just have to figure out how to get a table that shows that information….thanks for suggesting a great idea….going back to lab and figure some stuff out….lol
GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER WAS A VERY GOOD FILM. THEY MADE A GOOD TEAM – THAT WAS SPENCER TRACY’S LAST MOVIE…ON GOLDEN POND WAS A GOOD MOVIE FOR ALL THE ACTORS. She certainly had an interesting career and life. ENJOYED THIS PAGE…
Thank you for the compliment Bern1960…..Spencer Tracy passed away about two weeks after filming Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner….her career had lots of ups and downs….but her 4 Oscars might not ever be matched…
good job! i thought she would rank higher on your list, but oh well. thanks for doing it.
your favorite mother-in-law
Hey mimic….her long spells of box office bombs really hurt her score….however if you look at her peak years from Philadelphia Story to Lion in the Winter(28 years between movies)…she appeared in 20 movies and her average score was 55.03 which would put her on the top….of course that is getting rid of about 20 box office bombs she appeared in the other years…..hope you liked your page …from your favorite son-in-law
I only remember Catherine as a major star. The African Queen was brilliant, as was guess who’s coming to dinner? I still haven’t seen on golden pond but it sounds right up my alley. Bring on Jimmy Cagney, i read his autobiography recently, a very interesting tale of a strong willed moralistic man.
attemptedhumour….I think On Golden Pond is a movie that you would really enjoy…Hepburn and Fonda make a great team….thanks for stopping by