Movie Review #11 - The Philadelphia Story

                        The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Director: George Cukor

Cast: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, John Howard, Ruth Hussey, Virginia Weidler 

Running Time: 112 minutes

Production Co.: MGM Pictures

Academy Award Nominations:

Best Actress - Katharine Hepburn

Best Actor - James Stewart    WON

Best Director

Best Picture

Best Supporting Actress - Ruth Hussey

Best Writing, Screenplay   WON

Philadelphia socialites Tracy Lord (Hepburn) and C.K. Dexter Haven (Grant) married impulsively, with their marriage and subsequent divorce being equally passionate. They broke up when Dexter's drinking became excessive, it a mechanism to cope with Tracy's unforgiving manner to the imperfect, imperfections which Dexter admits he readily has. Two years after their break-up, Tracy is about to remarry, the ceremony to take place at the Lord mansion. Tracy's bridegroom is nouveau riche businessman and aspiring politician George Kittredge (Howard), who is otherwise a rather ordinary man and who idolizes Tracy. The day before the wedding, three unexpected guests show up at the Lord mansion: Macaulay Connor or Mike(Stewart), Elizabeth Imbrie (Hussey)- the two who are friends of Tracy's absent brother, Junius - and Dexter himself. Dexter, an employee of the tabloid Spy magazine, made a deal with its publisher and editor Sidney Kidd to get a story on Tracy's wedding. Mike is sent to photogaph the wedding but finds himself falling for the bride.

This socialite comedy stars three of the greatest stars ever to grace the silver screen: Cary Grant, James Stewart and Katharine Hepburn. Along with a great supporting cast, The Philadelphia Story shines with its brilliance. James Stewart won Best Actor for his role, though many believe it to be a "sorry" Oscar for him not winning for Mr. Smith. That may or may not be true, but Stewart is equally as good. His drunk scene is one of the funniest in film. Even with the great cast, he steals the picture from everyone else. And the whole switching family member roles is a crack up. Kate Hepburn is so great as a snottty, spoiled heiress who gets pulled down from her pedestal. While this isn't my favorite Hepburn-Grant collaboration (that belongs to Bringing Up Baby), this one is just as good, with a great script. While called a screwball comedy, i classify it more as a romantic comedy which i highly recommend. *****