Spencer Tracy_ A Biography - James C. Curtis [515]
“They must have been very relieved when that scene was finished,” Katharine Houghton said. “It was the end of the film, most likely Tracy’s last film, and maybe even his last days. Everyone on the set knew he was ill, but I’m not sure they knew how ill. Kate knew. Kramer knew. I knew—just exactly what was at stake. After Spencer’s monologue the atmosphere on set was very emotional, but not entirely celebratory because one couldn’t help but think ahead and dread what was soon to come.”
At the end of the day, Tracy put his arm around Kramer: “You know, Kiddo, if I die on the way home tonight, you are all right. You can release the picture because my scenes are finished, and you don’t need me for these last three days.”
The pressure was off. He had done it.
The cast came together again on May 19, Tracy and Hepburn making the scenes that would surround a little self-standing vignette in which the Draytons go out for ice cream and Matt backs into the souped-up jalopy of a belligerent black kid. Scene 73 showed their return to the house. Tracy was required to mount the stairs, turn, and deliver a furious tirade to Hepburn, then continue up the staircase to the second floor. Kramer wanted to see if Tracy could manage the entire scene in one continuous take, but it was soon apparent that he lacked the breath for it. “After one step,” said Marshall Schlom, “he was huffing and puffing.”
Dorothy Gopadze—the venerated Miss G. of Tracy’s M-G-M days—had been waiting for a good time to bring her fourteen-year-old daughter to the studio. “He didn’t know we were on the set,” said Tina Gopadze. “He was so ill … Miss Hepburn sent word over to us: ‘Don’t let him see you.’ ”
It was a grueling morning. Finally, Kramer broke up the scene, parceling it so that Tracy could deliver his lines in a medium shot without any climbing. “He came off and he was shaking,” said Tina.
And then he looked at Mom and his eyes got wider and wider, and he started tearing up. He said, “Well! Funny thing your being here!” She said, “This is my daughter Tina.” He looked at me and said, “You’re the reason I lost Miss G.!” We all sat down on that set overlooking San Francisco, and it was with Mr. Poitier and Katharine Houghton and Miss Hepburn and Mr. Tracy. He and Mom talked a little bit. In the meantime, Miss Hepburn turned to me and said, “Don’t ever drink. Don’t ever smoke. You have to have a wonderful exemplary attitude. Do you play sports?” I said, “Yes, I do. I play tennis.” She said, “Good. Don’t end up like your mother by drinking and smoking. Your mother’s a wonderful person, but you must never do these things.” Mr. Tracy didn’t say anything, but he kept glancing over at me … They were done shooting for the day, and he wasn’t feeling well.
On Saturday he again suffered shortness of breath. (“There are all kinds of scripts for these episodes, either real or anxiety or heart failure,” Dr. Covel commented. “You can’t be certain.”) It was good for him to have Sunday to rest up.
On Monday, May 22, Tracy and Hepburn began the ice cream sequence on Columbia’s Stage 8 using the process plates made in San Francisco. “I rehearsed the ice cream eating scene with [Alexandra Hay],” Kate said, “because she had never done anything. I didn’t want her to blow when she was suddenly playing with Spencer. People got terrified, because they had this curious feeling that they were into something that was far different from just actor to actor. It was deep, exciting. And their minds went.”
Later came the most basic of all process shots—a driving scene in a breakaway car. In the script, Matt is still boiling from an angry encounter at the drive-in.
MATT
What the hell is it today? Less than twelve
percent of the people in this city are colored
people, and I can’t even have a dish of Oregon
Boysenberry Sherbert without running into one!