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The Philadelphia Story
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The Philadelphia Story (1940) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 265% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
George Cukor
Writers:
Donald Ogden Stewart (screenplay)
Philip Barry (play)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Philadelphia Story on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
26 December 1940 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Romance more
Tagline:
Uncle Leo's bedtime story for you older tots! The things they do among the playful rich - Oh, boy! more
Plot:
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(8 articles)
Playing it Straight
 (From AfterElton.com. 7 April 2009, 6:31 PM, PDT)

Valentina !
 (From FilmExperience. 16 March 2009, 5:01 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
Dictating her own comeback more

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Cary Grant ... C.K. Dexter Haven

Katharine Hepburn ... Tracy Lord

James Stewart ... Macaulay Connor
Ruth Hussey ... Elizabeth Imbrie

John Howard ... George Kittredge
Roland Young ... Uncle Willie
John Halliday ... Seth Lord
Mary Nash ... Margaret Lord
Virginia Weidler ... Dinah Lord
Henry Daniell ... Sidney Kidd
Lionel Pape ... Edward
Rex Evans ... Thomas
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
King Baggot ... Extra as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Hillary Brooke ... Main Line Society Woman (uncredited)
Veda Buckland ... Elsie (uncredited)
Lita Chevret ... Manicurist (uncredited)
Russ Clark ... John - Chauffeur (uncredited)
David Clyde ... Mac (uncredited)
Robert De Bruce ... Dr. Parsons (uncredited)
Dorothy Fay ... Main Line Society Woman (uncredited)
Claude King ... Uncle Willie's Butler (uncredited)
Eric Mayne ... Extra as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Florine McKinney ... Main Line Society Woman (uncredited)
Lee Phelps ... Bartender (uncredited)
Hilda Plowright ... Librarian (uncredited)
Mildred Shay ... Main Line Society Woman (uncredited)
Joseph Sweeney ... Butler (uncredited)
Helene Whitney ... Main Line Society Woman (uncredited)
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Directed by
George Cukor 
 
Writing credits
Donald Ogden Stewart (screenplay)

Philip Barry (play)

Waldo Salt  contributing writer (uncredited)

Produced by
Joseph L. Mankiewicz .... producer
 
Original Music by
Franz Waxman (musical score)
 
Cinematography by
Joseph Ruttenberg (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Frank Sullivan 
 
Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons 
 
Set Decoration by
Edwin B. Willis 
 
Costume Design by
Adrian (gowns)
 
Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff .... hair stylist
Jack Dawn .... makeup artist (uncredited)
 
Production Management
Keith Weeks .... production manager (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Edward Woehler .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Wade B. Rubottom .... associate art director
 
Sound Department
Douglas Shearer .... recording director
Tom Gunn .... re-recording mixer (uncredited)
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Runtime:
112 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | French
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Certification:
UK:U (re-rating) (1998) | Finland:K-16 (1942) | Finland:S (1986) | USA:Approved (certificate #6594) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Canada:PG (video rating) | South Korea:12 (DVD rating) (2005) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:15 | UK:A (original rating)
Company:
Loew's more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Katharine Hepburn asked MGM to cast Clark Gable as Dexter and Spencer Tracy as Mike before she met either of them. Both Gable and Tracy were busy with other projects, so Cary Grant and James Stewart were cast instead. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Mike is outside the library, there are no columns outside, but when he enters, the shot from inside the library shows one. more
Quotes:
George Kittredge: [walks in on Tracy and Dexter together] Well, I suppose I should object to this twosome.
C. K. Dexter Haven: That would be most objectionable.
more
Soundtrack:
Bridal Chorus more

FAQ

How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
Why is it called "The Philadelphia Story"? What is the reference to Philadelphia?
more
23 out of 25 people found the following comment useful:-
Dictating her own comeback, 12 November 2005
9/10
Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York

After Katharine Hepburn was one of a group of stars dictated "box office poison" by the ruling moguls of Hollywood she went east and scored a complete triumph on stage with The Philadelphia Story. But our Kate was the shrewd one, she had the foresight to buy the film rights from author Philip Barry and peddle them to the studio that would guarantee her repeating her stage role and giving her creative control.

On stage she had co-starred with Joseph Cotten, Van Heflin, and Shirley Booth all of whom became movie names later on, but meant nothing to Hollywood in 1940. She had the choice of leading men and cast in their places, Cary Grant, James Stewart and Ruth Hussey.

This was Grant's fourth and final appearance on screen with Hepburn. It's a typical Cary Grant part, witty and urbane, with a touch of the rogue in him. He's Hepburn's ex-husband, still very much in love with his ex-wife, but she's marrying stuffed shirt John Howard.

Reporter James Stewart and photographer Ruth Hussey are covering Hepburn's wedding for Spy Magazine, the National Enquirer of the day. Through a little judicious blackmail they're invited to this premier society wedding, but both feel out of place and used.

After The Philadelphia Story, Katharine Hepburn was a movie name the rest of her long life. Even with an occasional clinker no one ever questioned her about being box office poison.

James Stewart won the Best Actor Oscar in probably the most romantic he was ever on the screen. A lot felt it was a consolation Oscar for not winning it for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in 1939. Stewart himself proclaimed to all who'd listen that he voted for good friend Henry Fonda in the Academy Sweepstakes for The Grapes of Wrath. I've always felt that when Stewart talked about those hearth fires banked down low to Hepburn, he was really talking about himself. He's a cynical fellow at first and his romantic side comes as a surprise to him more than even the audience.

The Philadelphia Story has become such a classic that even the musical remake High Society doesn't try to copy it, it just presents a softer musical alternative. But I'd kind of liked to have seen Hepburn do this with her original cast as well. Oscars were in the future for Van Heflin and Shirley Booth and Joseph Cotten the following year made his debut in the biggest film of all.

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Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Philadelphia Story (1940)
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Colorized version? Goosfrabah
Miss Pomeroy 1926? lemma123
Pickaninnies and banjos: Scout_1946
'I have the hiccups.....' dc_girl_7000
I wanted Tracy to go with Mike.. Stacey618
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