The Philadelphia Story (A or 4/4 stars)
1940's 'The Philadelphia Story' is a classic romantic farce directed & co-written by the great George Cukor. It is based on Philip Barry's hit 1939 play that focuses on a socialite Philadelphia wedding threatened by family scandal (Katharine Hepburn played the main role in the theater as well as in this movie). This romantic comedy covers roughly 24 hours in the life of the super-rich Lord family, who sit at the pinnacle of Philadelphia's upper-class Mainline society. Hepburn plays icy-cool heiress Tracy Lord, who is preparing for her 2nd marriage. Previously, she'd been married to the rich & charming C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) in a stormy relationship that ended because Tracy had 'had it' with his drinking & immature habits. THIS time around, she's marrying George Kittredge (a purposely wooden John Howard), a man who has earned his wealth the hard way; unlike Tracy or C.K. Dexter.
As the wedding draws near, Dexter shows up uninvited on the night before, but really to protect the reputation of his ex in-laws; as he has learned that his publisher boss (Henry Daniell) plans to run an embarrassing expose about Tracy's father's philandering ways. To appease his boss, Dexter arranges for Spy magazine's prickly tabloid reporter, Macaulay 'Mike' Conner (James Stewart) & his long-suffering girlfriend/photographer, Liz Imbrie (lovely Ruth Hussey) to report on the nuptials. Mike is cynical & skeptical about the ways of the rich; that is until he falls for Tracy ... who grows unsure of her own desires as the wedding approaches. Does she love upstanding, but dull-as-dishwater Kittredge enough to marry him tomorrow? Or does she still have residual feelings for her ex, Dexter? What of Mike, who knocks her off her feet during a forbidden late-night swim? Who will she choose, if any of them? Amiable chaos & romantic entanglements ensue.
What a fun, if also intelligent comedy classic! George Cukor does a superb job by drawing the plot out with perfectly timed scenes, great visuals, witty banter, & getting the most out of this dream cast -- all the ingredients for a great comedy are right there. 2 yrs. prior to the release of this film, Hepburn had been branded "box-office poison", prompting her head for the stage to show suitable for her immense talents. Playwright Barry wrote the role of Tracy FOR Hepburn. She achieved massive success with The Philadelphia Story on Broadway and, was smart to use it as a way to re-conquer Hollywood ... which she did. Kate is absolutely sublime here, showing us - yes, an uppity, somewhat 'cold' woman {several characters refer to her as an ice goddess that needs to be worshipped} - but her spoiled, self-willed demeanor breaks down and she becomes the less austere, more warm/passionate human being that she always wanted to be -- it's a great character arc.
Cary Grant is just perfect as Dexter, the ex-hubby who's bent on reconciling with Tracy at all costs. He's the type of man who knows his ex, perhaps, even more than she knows herself. I just loved watching him survey a scene, wait for his turn, & then unleash with whatever quip or correct insight that he might have. Grant is dashing, pompous, playful, and all while still being a perfect gentleman every step of the way. James Stewart sinks his teeth into his role as the cynical reporter-turned-amorous drunk; he takes a suggestive swim with Tracy on the eve of her wedding. It is he who teaches her to let her guard down & trust her heart. I loved his impassioned delivery of the line (when he tells her that instead of being ‘cold, she has’), "hearth fires & holocausts" deep down inside her. And I loved how uninhibited he becomes in his post-party confrontation with Cary Grant. He's a real hoot, here.
These 3 Hollywood stars (all with their own extraordinary, inimitable voices) are all at their irrepressible best. As for the rest of the cast, Ruth Hussey has some of the best lines (& deadpan deliveries) as Mike's long-suffering gal pal. I loved Virginia Weidler as Tracy's precocious little sister who works her own machinations over the course of the evening. And I enjoyed Mary Nash as Tracy's haughty, nonplussed mother. Privileged or not, I liked all these characters. I love the actors playing them. Aside from a few slow, verbose moments, the writing is sly, witty, & playful {pratfalls included}. It's just a smart, deceptively ambitious comedy that conveys the point that there's more to life than material objects, more to life than good manners, and that you can always better yourself in the face of adversity. 'The Philadelphia Story' is just an effortlessly sophisticated piece of work; a classic film to savor.
As the wedding draws near, Dexter shows up uninvited on the night before, but really to protect the reputation of his ex in-laws; as he has learned that his publisher boss (Henry Daniell) plans to run an embarrassing expose about Tracy's father's philandering ways. To appease his boss, Dexter arranges for Spy magazine's prickly tabloid reporter, Macaulay 'Mike' Conner (James Stewart) & his long-suffering girlfriend/photographer, Liz Imbrie (lovely Ruth Hussey) to report on the nuptials. Mike is cynical & skeptical about the ways of the rich; that is until he falls for Tracy ... who grows unsure of her own desires as the wedding approaches. Does she love upstanding, but dull-as-dishwater Kittredge enough to marry him tomorrow? Or does she still have residual feelings for her ex, Dexter? What of Mike, who knocks her off her feet during a forbidden late-night swim? Who will she choose, if any of them? Amiable chaos & romantic entanglements ensue.
What a fun, if also intelligent comedy classic! George Cukor does a superb job by drawing the plot out with perfectly timed scenes, great visuals, witty banter, & getting the most out of this dream cast -- all the ingredients for a great comedy are right there. 2 yrs. prior to the release of this film, Hepburn had been branded "box-office poison", prompting her head for the stage to show suitable for her immense talents. Playwright Barry wrote the role of Tracy FOR Hepburn. She achieved massive success with The Philadelphia Story on Broadway and, was smart to use it as a way to re-conquer Hollywood ... which she did. Kate is absolutely sublime here, showing us - yes, an uppity, somewhat 'cold' woman {several characters refer to her as an ice goddess that needs to be worshipped} - but her spoiled, self-willed demeanor breaks down and she becomes the less austere, more warm/passionate human being that she always wanted to be -- it's a great character arc.
Cary Grant is just perfect as Dexter, the ex-hubby who's bent on reconciling with Tracy at all costs. He's the type of man who knows his ex, perhaps, even more than she knows herself. I just loved watching him survey a scene, wait for his turn, & then unleash with whatever quip or correct insight that he might have. Grant is dashing, pompous, playful, and all while still being a perfect gentleman every step of the way. James Stewart sinks his teeth into his role as the cynical reporter-turned-amorous drunk; he takes a suggestive swim with Tracy on the eve of her wedding. It is he who teaches her to let her guard down & trust her heart. I loved his impassioned delivery of the line (when he tells her that instead of being ‘cold, she has’), "hearth fires & holocausts" deep down inside her. And I loved how uninhibited he becomes in his post-party confrontation with Cary Grant. He's a real hoot, here.
These 3 Hollywood stars (all with their own extraordinary, inimitable voices) are all at their irrepressible best. As for the rest of the cast, Ruth Hussey has some of the best lines (& deadpan deliveries) as Mike's long-suffering gal pal. I loved Virginia Weidler as Tracy's precocious little sister who works her own machinations over the course of the evening. And I enjoyed Mary Nash as Tracy's haughty, nonplussed mother. Privileged or not, I liked all these characters. I love the actors playing them. Aside from a few slow, verbose moments, the writing is sly, witty, & playful {pratfalls included}. It's just a smart, deceptively ambitious comedy that conveys the point that there's more to life than material objects, more to life than good manners, and that you can always better yourself in the face of adversity. 'The Philadelphia Story' is just an effortlessly sophisticated piece of work; a classic film to savor.