The Philadelphia Story (1940)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Donald Ogden Stewart (screenplay)
Philip Barry (play)

Release Date:

26 December 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Uncle Leo's bedtime story for you older tots! The things they do among the playful rich - Oh, boy!

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.

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Wedding | Philadelphia | Heiress | Socialite

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. Nov. 19

9:00 AM

TCM

Cast

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

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

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)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

Cary Grant demanded top billing and $100,000 salary - a huge amount at the time. As it transpired though, he donated his entire earnings to the British War Relief Fund.

Goofs:

Continuity: Midday turns to night during Tracy and George's poolside conversation.

Quotes:

Uncle Willie: [hung over, moans as the pony cart Dinah's driving hits a bump]
Dinah Lord: What's wrong?
Uncle Willie: Oh, nothing, nothing. My head just fell off, that's all.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Touch of Pink (2004)

Soundtrack:

Lydia, the Tattooed Lady

The Great Romantic Comedy

Definitely the greatest romantic comedy of all time The Philadelpha Story raises the bar in Hollywood movies. The film is set around the wedding of one of Philadelpha's highest society women (Katherine Hepburn). Her ex-husband who is expertly played by Cary Grant hears of this and decides to crash the party. He does this by bringing along two reporters (James Stewart & Ruth Hussey). They come undercover to get some behind the scene snapshots of the wedding. Of course the results of all this is hilarious.

Stewart and Hussey give ground breaking performances as the reporters. Besides this winning best picture Jimmy Stewart won a well deserved Oscar for best actor in his role. Of course a great comedy would not be complete without the beautiful, charming, hilarious, Katherine Hepburn who never fails to impress. Gave yet another fantastic and unforgettable performance.

Films like this aren't made nearly as well or even made anymore. All the more reason to treasure these wonderful works of art and history. Gerg Cukor does a fine and memorable job in directing but it's the acting and one of films finest screenplays that blows this film way ahead of most romantic comedies. It was originally a play by Philip Barry, and turned into one of the greatest screenplays heard on the silver screen. The screenplay was done by the masterful Donald Stewart. As you can see this is film at its very best and is probably never going to be forgotten.