The Philadelphia Story Reviews

The excellent play by Phillip Barry, is the basis for the delightful transfer to the screen. The choice of George Cukor as its director seems to have been made in heaven. Indeed, Mr. Cukor clearly understood what was needed to make this film the classic it became. George Cukor's contribution, as well of the magnificent screenplay, by Donald Ogden Stewart, make this a timeless comedy that looks as fresh today as when it was originally released.

Since I’m a huge movie buff, I watch all kinds of movies and I’m particularly interested in Classics. However, to be honest, in my opinion, there are two kinds of classics, some of them which remain untouched by time , and which will always be great and amazing like ‘Citizen Kane’ , ‘M’, ‘ Rashomon’ or ‘A bout de souffle’ and the other sort which are still very well regarded but which seems rather dated like ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ , ‘The Wizard of Oz’ or ‘Gone with the Wind’ (Of course, it all depends what your taste is. You might find those movies still amazing and much better than the ones I mentioned before). Anyway, in my opinion, this movie belongs to the second category. I mean, it is a decent comedy with 3 amazing actors (Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart) and the whole thing was rather fun but also terribly fluffy and I really had a hard time to care about the story . I’ll give you that it was much better than all those inane romantic-comedies you get nowadays but I can’t say I was really blown away by this flick. You could argue that the whole fluffiness is inherent to the genre but I don’t agree, a comedy always has to be funny but I don’t think it has to be shallow, at least, that’s my opinion. Still, it remains a pretty good comedy, a classic, and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre.

Some really nice hangovers

"This is one of those days which the pages of history teach us are best spent lying in bed."

"I'm testing the air. - I like it, but it doesn't like me."

''The time to make up your mind about people is never.''

When a rich woman's ex-husband and a tabloid-type reporter turn up just before her planned remarriage, she begins to learn the truth about herself.

Cary Grant: C.K. Dexter Haven

Katharine Hepburn: Tracy Lord

James Stewart: Macaulay Connor

Philadelphia Story is a hilarious comedy, starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart. With that cast, along with a great script and inspired direction, make this movie a treat to watch.
The three stars are obviously the Story at work here, but minor characters also play an influential part. To the extent in which the older adult members of Hepburn's family have no clue as to what is transpiring, while the child clearly does, is most amusing. It ought to be said that Philadelphia Story is far from all that humourous. The sense of humour is more of the clever and fleeting kind of variation. Most of it arises either from Grant's splendid persona, with his wry, charismatic tones, or Hepburn's flighty, beguiling, enchanting mannerisms. I would say that Grant is to a degree under used in his role, as there are very large stretches of the picture where he is not on screen. Stewart is however excellent, playing a sensitive, artistic type who understandably is somewhat taken by Hepburn's Tracy Lord. All three stars are much in their element and they bask in it's glory, with accents as remembered by all, and a fitting social setting.

As has been said by some other film scribe, "a strong case is being made as to the sheer irresistibility of the film's female star". Katharine Hepburn is shown at her most statuesque and in a beautiful disposition. Her character has an impressive array of fine lines to deliver also, and is treated with dignity and understanding by the effective script. It is in some ways a voyage of self discovery for Hepburn's Miss Lord. Ranging from a rejection of her anointed goddess status, a rejection of marriage for mere hierarchical gain and a deeper understanding of the meaning of love.

The film's about-face ending is quite charming really, mixing the conservative with the progressive. Conservative in that marriage is seen to have to take place, and in the characters returning to earlier relationships. It could indeed be argued that not enough had been made of Stewart's relations with Ruth Hussey's character. Progressive it could be said, in that events have been very quickly turned upside down, and love over society is championed. Also, perhaps most tellingly, the drunken indiscretion of Hepburn is not just forgiven, but seen as part of her self-discovery. This film in its treatment of a liberated woman such as Hepburn, must be praised for its sensitivity and liberal understanding. All too often, Hollywood allowed the reactionary and the puritanically conservative to lazily dominate its films.

We are presented with an upper-middle class milieu, with contrasts provided by Grant's hard-bitten aristocratic dandy and John Howard's dullard "man of the people" politician. There is nothing staggering about the film's assertion that the upper classes can be perfectly charming and noble, whilst those of the lower classes, like Howard, can be lacking charm and appear materialistic. It seems merely to be making a point of its very balance, and is almost a fig leaf to those who would have expected a simplistic socialist line.

Need it be mentioned that Cukor's direction is excellent? Making an art form of the unobtrusive, he lets the camera just take in the performances and the script, without distraction. He captures Hepburn in a radiant and sensitive light that I suppose slightly overshadows the male leads. There are artistic shots at times, that evoke occasional counterpoint to the usual images of the starts. One lingering shot of the precocious child watching from out of her window the night's events, is a good example of this working to great effect. An effect of establishing a wider, but still near-motionless canvass to the story.

Philadelphia Story is cleverly and entertainingly written, and delightfully well acted by all involved. It's hard to imagine anyone finding it dull or beneath them, but apparently some people can find anything beneath them. Indeed their defeat. If you haven't seen this, please do. If you haven't seen it in a while, give it another viewing. You won't be disappointed. It's standards and assumptions are a bit dated, but the humour, wit, and heart are certainly not.

"I'm going crazy. I'm standing here solidly on my own two hands and going crazy."

The Philadelphia Story is a classic, enchanting romantic comedy that has gone down in history as one of the much-loved romantic comedies of all time.

I will admit that because the film is decades old it has lost some of its charm and appeal, but the abilities of the actors is what truly carries this movie.

Based on a Broadway play, The Philadelphia Story is about a spoiled young woman named Tracy (Hepburn) who is engaged to marry stuffy upper class executive George (Howard). But soon Tracy's ex-husband Dexter (Grant) enters the picture as the wedding day approaches, as well as a charismatic newspaper spy (Stewart) who is hired to take pictures and grab an interesting scoop on the wedding. The wedding attracts a lot of attention from the media, and Dexter invites journalists from Spy magazine into Tracy's estate to record events leading up to the wedding in an attempt to get revenge on Tracy for their break-up many years ago.

For a classic, this love triangle in a romantic comedy is quite sophisticated. The snappy dialogue flows fantastically from scene to scene, accompanied by classy direction from George Cukor.

My only complaint: the film didn't have enough to keep my interest throughout the running time. There just wasn't enough substance to sustain interest in the viewer for the full 110 minutes.

One of the film's strengths is its tendency to steer away from conventions and predictability, but maybe a few of these thrown in could have made the film a bit more entertaining. But don't think I'm looking for some mindless Hollywood romantic comedy - most of which I detest - but I'd much prefer a bit more substance to keep my interest. Even after saying that, I will admit laughing at some of the witty dialogue delivered by some talented actors.

Cary Grant is at his usual high standard here, as is Katharine Hepburn. James Stewart, in his Oscar-winning role, plays a very fascinating fast-talking (!) reporter.

Overall, I found The Philadelphia Story to be pure classic cinema from the golden age of MGM studios. It's appealing, albeit dated, and very well crafted. A must for film buffs.

This romantic comedy is so much more than that. It was written for Katherine Hepburn and after playing it on stage she asked Cary Grant (who had starred with her in Bringing Up Baby, Hepburn's last movie that made her box office poison years before) to star with her.

Katherine Hepburn is great in this. She has the character down pat. She's cold and distant even while being hurt and uncertain.

Cary Grant is hilarious and you can tell sometimes when he's ad-libbing 'cause his humour is a bit off the wall. His scenes with Drunken!Jimmy Stewart are so great.

Jimmy Stewart won an Oscar for his role in this move and it's easy to see why. He goes from funny and sometimes bitterly amused to the most heartwrenching speech about beauty that after too many viewings still gets me choked up.