Keeper of the Flame (1943) - Cukor

Plot:  When national hero Robert Forrester dies in an unusual auto accident, his widow is secretive and reluctant to talk. A famous reporter wants to know why.
Stars:  Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Richard Whorf
Alternate Title:  "I was Married to a Fascist Monster from Outer Space."

Shot on MGM sound-stages,  a thriller with no thrills,  Keeper is the dullest of the Tracy-Hepburn collaborations, and was a disappointment to everyone involved. Director Cukor called it a "wax-work" with a "Fraudulent plot", Communist writer Donald Stewart - upset at screenplay revisions - labeled it "Tedious", and Hepburn later called it a "bore" - and one of her worst performances.  And Tracy? He never said a word about it. Surprisingly, it did OK Box-office, due to Tracy-Hepburn star power.

So What Went Wrong?
Plenty.  It starts slow, has a boring talky middle, and a rushed ending. The score is mediocre, and Cukor is no Alfred Hitchcock. The long, dull, set-up takes Tracy 30 minutes to meet Hepburn. After that, we get 60 minutes of blah, blah between Tracy, a wooden Hepburn, and some  less relevant characters.  Slowly, too slowly, Tracy discovers Hepburn is responsible for her husband's auto accident and confronts her.

A Nosy Wife Saves America
Hepburn then gives us 8 minutes of exposition- telling us why she killed him. Y'see Forrester had a locked "Secret Cabinet" - and like any good wife - Hepburn had to know what's in it. So she stole his keys - and to her horror - discovered his monstrous plan for FASCISM in AMERICA!  As described by Hepburn, the not-too-believable secret plan seems to have been:

1. Get Money and Create Lists of People
2. ????
3. Fascist Dictatorship

Of course, having discovered this, Hepburn had only one choice - murder. Tracy agrees - after all Communism he could understand, but Fascism? That's beyond the pale.

The Rushed Ending
We than get about 7 minutes of action - wrapping up all the loose ends.  Forrester's henchman has been eavesdropping - angered - he shoots/kills Hepburn, fails to kill Tracy, and then is run over by a carload of speeding reporters. Really.  Tracy then writes the story - portraying Mrs Forrester as a "Great American Heroine". The End.

Is it all Bad?
No.  The B&W cinematography is very good, plus Tracy gives his usual solid performance.  And special shout-out to two minor supporting characters.  Forrest Tucker, is quite good as the menacing cousin who tells Tracy to "leave the widow alone."  And then there's Margaret Wycherly - better known as "Ma Jarrett" - who's fantastic as Forrester's crazy mother.

Summary:  One of the dullest Hepburn movies, with one of her worst performances - its more interesting to write about then watch. But Hepburn/Tracy completists may enjoy it.