Biography of George Cukor

Director of women

7 July 1899
January 24, 1983
Reprimanded and rightly the "women's Director", George Cukor represented better than anyone on the screen the feminine image, giving it a grace, style and an irony never seen before on the screen. It was one of the great masters of "sophisticated comedy" in which stood out as a lively style and elegant, and relaxed directing actors (particularly of actresses), but has excelled in other genres, such as drama and musicals. George Dewey Cukor was born in New York on 7 July 1899. Debuted in show business as a writer and theatre director, working with stars such as Ethel Barrymore and Jeanne Eagels. In 1929 is called in Hollywood as a screenwriter of the first sound films for Paramount, including the famous war movie "nothing new on the Western Front" ("All Quiet on the Western Front, 1930) directed by Lewis Milestone and based on the masterpiece by Remarque. In a short time it is noted for a style and an intelligence which will lead immediately to the Director, in which we see engaged for the first time in the play "The rich husband" (Tarnished Lady, 1931), Tallulah Bankhead.
The movie unfortunately goes almost unnoticed. But shortly after he was charged with the script of a play, curated by the great Ernst Lubitsch, that for another engagement couldn't sightsee. The movie in question is the delicious "un'ora d'amore" (One Hour With You ", 1932), in which Cukor, despite follow some tips suggested by Lubitsch, already demonstrates its own directorial style, elegant and paced, irreverent. However, when Lubitsch continues to take all the credit for the success of the film, Cukor for RKO, where disgruntled leaves Paramount will work several years before moving permanently to MGM (the early years ' 50 will work as a freelance Director). This period begins on the Director's association with the great Katharine Hepburn, with whom he becomes immediately intimate friend.
He emphasizes the rebellious nature and sunny, and do sweet and sophisticated, in numerous witty comedy, after it start in a poignant drama, titled "eager to live" (A Bill of Divorcement, 1932). Subsequently the head in big movies like "Spell" (Holiday, 1938) and "the Philadelphia story" (The Philadelphia Story, 1940), both wry romantic comedy poking fun at American high society, and they see the actress paired with Spencer Tracy as "Adam's rib" (Adam's Rib) and "his and hers" (Pat and Mike, 1952), in which the dalliances of the two protagonists ignite the screen. George Cukor has repeatedly used cinema as a description of hypocrisy and of upper-class American frivolities, is a clear example of his bitter comedy "dinner at eight" (Dinner at Eight, 1933), starring John Barrymore and Jean Harlow; or more generally to describe vices and virtues of the fairer sex, whom he loved often represent with the elegance of his visual style and narrative, and the best example in this case is the tasty satirical movie "Women" (The Women, 1939) with the sardonic screenplay by Anita Loos, and major interpretations of an all-female cast, with actresses such as Norma Shearer , Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell.
Less comfortable in the costume drama ("Romeo and Juliet", "Romeo and Juliet", 1936), Cukor, however, has provided great results in "David Copperfield" (David Copperfield, 1933), based on the famous Dickens tale, and the sumptuous "Camille" (Camille, 1936), in which he manages to radiate as no one had ever done the divine Greta Garbo, in the role of the tragic heroine of the novel of Dumas. Even the world of Hollywood was spared from his satirical vein but always sophisticated: first hits the fatuous Hollywood star system in tasty "what price Hollywood?" (What Price Hollywood?, 1932), "destroy" in its most successful remakes, the great musical "a star is born" (A Star is Born, 1954), in which it is able to obtain from Judy Garland the most masterful and painful portrayal of his career. It will also be the godfather of Judy Holliday, making it a star in a valuable series of films, especially brilliant comedies--including the very famous "born yesterday" (Born Yesterday, 1950), in which the fantastic actress plays with candida naivete a blonde a bit faded, but is actually much cuter than let believe.
To remember his foray into the great American musical genre, which George Cukor tackles with great results again and again, but it will only be when the screen door 1964 musical comedy My Fair Lady with the beautiful Audrey Hepburn-inspired "Pygmalion" by George b. Shaw, he is finally able to receive an Academy Award for his magnificent work. In recent years he worked mostly for television, and bids from cinema just with another women's movie, "rich and famous" (Rich and Famous, 1981), with Jacqueline Bisset and Candice Bergen, proving once more how we can make a film with humor and elegance. George Cukor goes off in Los Angeles, California, on January 24, 1983, a few months after collecting the Golden Lion from the Venice Film Festival.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.