The Philadelphia Story, Sophisticated Hollywood
The Philadelphia Story is an intelligent, sophisticated, classic romantic comedy-farce (part screwball) of love and marriage, human growth and class distinctions. Its screenplay is a witty, sparkling, and bright adaptation of Philip Barry's Broadway hit play and the film stars Three major Hollywood talents at their artistic peak.
The film is so extraordinarily well-done that it can be watched repeatedly, revealing each time new and hidden delights. It strikes the perfect balance of being spectacularly well-acted, hysterically funny, and delightfully silly while maintaining an elegant veneer. The cast is nearly overwhelming in its quality, with Hepburn and Grant turning in especially fine performances.
The film won Academy Awards for James Stewart (Best Actor), and screenwriter Donald Ogden Stewart (Best Adapted Screenplay). It also received Academy Award nominations for George Cukor (Best Director), Katharine Hepburn (Best Actress), Ruth Hussey (Best Supporting Actress), and Best Picture (Joseph L. Mankiewicz - producer).
The Classic Opening
Plot Summary
The plot centres round the tangled web of relationships between the main protagonists.
Katharine Hepburn plays Tracy Lord, daughter of the wealthy and socially-prominent Philadelphian Seth Lord. She has recently divorced from unreliable playboy, Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), and she is about to marry again, this time to George, who is respectable but on the dull side.
Turning up uninvited to the wedding are her ex-husband, Dexter, and two reporters from Spy magazine, Macaulay Connor (James Stewart) and Liz Imbrie (Hussey) who is also Connor's love interest.. Together the trio set out to find a scandal and throw a rather large spanner in the society lady's works.
The three stars form an incomparable romantic triangle and the script abounds with witty dialogue and quick-fire repartee between them. Ace Hollywood women's director George Cukor adapts this urbane comedy with precision and wit.
The twists and turns of the plot as the relationships ebb and flow are many. As you would expect, hilarity ensues, and everything turns out right in the end. ). As the wedding nears, Tracy finds herself torn between Mike, Dexter and George.
The night before the wedding, Tracy gets drunk for only the second time in her life and takes an impromptu, innocent swim with Mike. When George sees Mike carrying an intoxicated Tracy into the house afterwards (both of them wearing only bathrobes), he thinks the worst, that his bride-to-be has disgraced herself. The next day, he tells her that he was shocked and feels entitled to an explanation before going ahead with the wedding. Tracy takes exception to his lack of faith in her and breaks off the engagement. Then she realizes that all the guests have arrived and are waiting for the ceremony to begin. Mike volunteers to marry her (much to Elizabeth's distress), but Tracy graciously declines. At this point, Dexter makes his successful bid for her hand.
Stewart to Hepburn:
"There's magnificence in you ... a magnificence that comes out of your eyes, in your voice, in the way you stand there, in the way you walk. You're lit from within, Tracy. You've got fires banked down in you, hearth-fires and holocausts ... you're made out of flesh and blood. That's the blank, unholy surprise of it. You're the golden girl, Tracy. Full of life and warmth and delight. What goes on? You've got tears in your eyes."
Great stuff.
Some Great Scenes
Great Movies From The Golden Age
- Its A Wonderful Life, Its a Wonderful Film
One of the most popular American films of all-time and a perennial holiday favorite, It's A Wonderful Life is one of the most popular and heartwarming films ever made by James Stewart and director Frank Capra. - Gone With The Wind, When Hollywood Got It Just Right
Gone With the Wind, even after 60 years, remains an unquestionable masterpiece. Few epic romances can compare to the style and passion of that between Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler. The movie is without doubt one of cinema's crowning achievements. - Casablanca, You Must Remember This
Its as near to perfection as you can get with a film. Placed at the top or near the top of every list of Great Movies and universally loved. Great story, fizzing chemistry between Bogart and Ingrid Bergmann, wonderful music, and unforgettable ending. - Citizen Kane, Movie Masterclass
The world's most famous and highly-rated film, with many remarkable scenes and innovative cinematic techniques. Its director, star, and producer were all the same remarkable genius - Orson Welles - who was making his film debut at the age of 25. - The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz is a classic, much loved film musical and is generally ranked among the top ten best movies of all-time. Its signature song, "Over the Rainbow," which was almost cut from the film as being too sophisticated for the teenaged Judy Garl
Cast List
Cary Grant as C. K. Dexter Haven
Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord
James Stewart as Macaulay Connor
Ruth Hussey as Elizabeth Imbrie
John Howard as George Kittredge
Roland Young as Uncle Willie
John Halliday as Seth Lord
Mary Nash as Margaret Lord
Virginia Weidler as Dinah Lord
Henry Daniell as Sidney Kidd
Hepburn Imperious
Summary
The role of Tracy Lord was written expressly for Katharine Hepburn and she is superb as the beautiful woman of wealth who as the plot unwinds ends up re-marrying her first husband played by Cary Grant. Periodically Hollywood makes a perfect film - director, music, script, cast etc. This is one of those films. Cary grant is perfect in an understated performance where the inclination of a head, the lifting of a brow, can speak volumes. Jimmy Stewart is the tough/tender reporter who becomes in the "dancing by the pool scene" the sexy potential lover who waxes poetic when speaking to Tracy and reveals the writer/poet that he really aspires to be. George Cukor assembled a wonderful supporting cast and then brought out scintillating performances from all of them.
