The reviews are unanimously positive, with praise centred on the chemistry between Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart. Most critics find the dialogue sharp, the romantic complications engaging and the performances finely timed. Hepburn’s charm and authority receive particular attention, alongside Stewart’s cynicism and flirtation. Cukor’s direction is praised for handling the ensemble lightly, while several reviews find vulnerability and melancholy beneath the high-society comedy.
The differences are chiefly in enthusiasm rather than verdict, and reservations are specific. Variety finds that abstract discussions slow the middle of an otherwise sophisticated adaptation. The Telegraph flags the opening domestic violence as dated while remaining strongly enthusiastic about the rest. There is also some nuance in how critics read Tracy’s treatment: Slant Magazine stresses her freedom to choose among complicated suitors, rather than seeing her simply as a woman who needs humbling. No review here amounts to a dissent.