This was a Katharine Hepburn film, it was written for her and no one else could have done it. Kate really is playing herself and there is nothing wrong with that. She descends on a family and changes their lives completely. It reminded me of that old Bette Davis film 'The Man Who Came To Dinner' although not in the same league. The story is slight and not up to the standard of Kate in her prime but its a feel good film and thats something we need more of. Good meaty roles were then as they are today in short supply for an actress of her age. The film is similar to many of the TV films that she made at the end of her life. Not a work of art but I think its well worth taking the time to view if you haven't seen it already.
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andy-bradford319 May 2005
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bkoganbing18 August 2014In her last dozen years of performing Katharine Hepburn went to television for several made for TV movies and each one of them was tailored to Kate's unique personality. If you were a Katharine Hepburn fan there's no way you could not love any one of them even though they're not the caliber of the material that won her four Best Actress Oscars.
Kate plays the title role in Laura Lansing Slept Here and where she's sleeping is Hicksville on Long Island. A frank conversation with her dutch uncle of a publisher Lee Richardson has told her she's lost touch with her reading audience and has become infatuated with her own celebrity. Richardson works out a bet with Hepburn that she can't spend a week with an average normal family. He's even got the normal family on tap. It's an accountant who works in his office and his wife Joel Higgins and Karen Austin and their three kids.
At first Hepburn comes on like a female version of Sheridan Whiteside, but gradually the family warms up to her and her life experience proves invaluable to Higgins, Austin and their offspring.
Hepburn is also rejuvenated creatively. If in real life that were ever possible because Kate never disappoints her audience in style or in substance. There's so much of her invested even in the worst of her performances on the big screen or small.
Fans of the great Kate will love Laura Lansing Slept Here. And I predict a few fans will be made if they see this movie. -
HotToastyRag7 November 2017Even if you've never seen Katharine Hepburn in a film when she's younger, you'll absolutely fall in love with her in Laura Lansing Slept Here. She's an adorable little old lady, with spunk and charm twice as large as her stature. She plays a famous romance novelist who gets sucked into a bet by her publisher, Lee Richardson. Lee accuses her of being out of touch with her readers and challengers her to survive for one week in a normal family's home. For their trouble, the family will be paid $500 per day. How lucky, to get $3500 and spend a week with Katharine Hepburn!
The family is struggling for money, the teenage daughter Schuyler Grant has attitude, the husband Joel Higgins is distracted by a floozy at the office, and the wife Karen Austin lets her appearance take third priority to raising their three children and being mindful of their pocketbook. When Kate moves in, there's only the slightest adjustment period before she starts improving everyone's lives. While the story might give you a little cavity, I find the sweetness charming. Kate is adorable; where would the fun be in portraying her as an unreasonable grouch? It's much more enjoyable to see her helping out and making a difference. She truly is delightful, and there are several scenes where you'll want to reach into your television and give her a big hug. For Kate Hepburn fans, this is a must-see. For others, it's still a must-see. You'll probably become a fan after the first ten minutes. -
This is a sweet story with a happy ending. Of course, most anything with Miss Hepburn in it is a class act, but we're suckers for the good, old-fashioned B-movies. What's wrong with a movie without violence, profanity, or vulgarity, anyway? We'd like to see it on tv, again, soon, and sure sould like to see it available on VHS!
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"Laura Lansing Slept Here" is a most unusual film. This is because later in life, Katharine Hepburn made relatively few films and seemed pretty selective in her roles. Yet, oddly, here she stars in a quirky sit-com sort of film...the sort of thing you just wouldn't expect from her. Now I am not saying it's a bad movie...but it is rather slight and sure looks like a pilot episode of a TV series that never materialized.
The story starts off very poorly (hence my score of only 6) and my advice is to resist the urge to turn off the DVD! It's good...but you need to wade through some relatively shallow writing to get to the better stuff!
When the story begins, you learn that Susan (Hepburn) is a rather clueless lady. She's a successful author but has been living the high life for so long that she's completely lost touch with the average reader...and as a result, her books no longer sell. So her publisher makes a bet...that she can't live a normal life with a normal family. She takes the bet and soon moves in with a Long Island family...complete with various problems. At first, Susan does NOT fit in well...she's bossy and imperious...and clueless. But over time, she grows and the family begins to like her...and she decides to help them in her own special way.
The first 15-30 minutes didn't impress me. But the story DID get better and was actually eventually quite charming. It's too bad that it started off so poorly...and it's a shame that the 'normal' family she moves in with lives in, of all places, Hicksville! Now isn't that subtle?!
By the way, I saw this on DVD and the film did not have captions but really needed them. The picture itself was only fair. -
In real life, the legendary Bette Davis did stay with a family outside of New York while her home was being fixed up. Having a major star stay with a common family led to all sorts of interesting occurrences and both the family and the star came out a bit more educated or more humble, if that is possible. In the case of Katharine Hepburn's Laura Lansing, a famous writer past her prime, then with the regular family in Long Island shows her what real people are like and give the family an opportunity to educate themselves on how a true woman of the world lives.
Unfortunately, the situations while staying with the family simply just aren't believable and not really true to human life. It is the standard family where three kids, two parents having a seemingly good marriage with a husband appearing to be playing around, a bratty teenage girl that hides her vulnerability under a nasty attitude, it is hard to believe much of what is going on. It is only through the presence of the star that this rises above its sitcomish plot. Only someone like Katherine Hepburn could bring this class and as a result the remainder of the cast is totally overshadowed.
This seems rushed into production to match the success of Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry and lacks in the thoughtfulness of James Prideaux's script. Forced into clichés all the way down the line, the affections between Laura and the family come off totally unrealistic. A subplot involving the wife and a rather dull soap opera leading man throws off the story even mire and stretches out the running time unnecessarily. Without Hepburn, this would be a total dud. -
happipuppi1323 May 2005Having seen this,all I can say is that Irecall a very bright and fun performance by Miss Hepburn as well as the supporting cast. As far as TV films go,this is one of the better ones and I don't think any other cinematic actor does TV movies better than she.
Good news for those Hepburn fans out there by the way,on August 9th,2005...this movie will finally be available on home video! Yay!!! This will be a great chance to see it again for the first time in 17 years! If you haven't seen it then trust me it's worth it!
She plays the title character,a famous female writer who suddenly finds herself labeled out of touch with the everyday world. Meaning,she has no real knowledge of the everyday person. Her novels are usually about the rich & powerful.
Her close friend and business associate that brings her this news,along with the news that the publishing house has rejected her latest effort,makes a bet with her that she wouldn't last a week with a normal family. She ends up in a small suburban town called Hicksville. Moving in with a Dad ("Silver Spoons" Joel Higgins) a Mom and three kids). A loud teenage girl,a sarcastic boy and a toddler who cries at the sight of her!
She learns quickly that the rules of her world basically don't exist in theirs but she somehow works a few of them in. A side plot about Higgin's possible affair with a young co-worker makes for a more serious story. I wont ruin the rest for you!
For me personally,along with acquiring a copy of "Iron Petticoat",finally being able to purchase "Laura Lansing Slept Here" will complete my quest to view for the first time or re-view,all 52 of her films. I have it now :(Aug. 22nd,2005): and it's still as good as I recall! A great salute to you Miss Hepburn! -
lawboi1123 January 2006This film brings back very fond memories of my grandparents and I, sitting in their den, watching this film on TV together when I was a young kid. We sat there in their den eating Dairy Queen Dilly Bars and generally happy with the content of the film. I remember seeing my grandmother laugh a lot and really seemed to enjoy it. This film had to be memorable enough that I still remember it almost 20 years later. We laughed together at this film and overall, despite being a "B film" was an excellent cast, but of course, with Ms. Hepburn...this should go without saying. This was a good, clean, wholesome film, with family at the center and warmth. It did not need nudity, sex, swearing or other vulgarities to make it one of the more memorable films from my childhood. Granted, having my grandparents with me to watch it really made the surrounding environment really comforting as well. I dido the other writer commenting before me who suggested this film should be shown on TV again and out on video.