The Philadelphia Story
Directed by George Cukor
Written by Donald Ogden Stewart from a play by Philip Barry
1940/USA
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
#144 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
[box] Macaulay Connor: The prettiest sight in this fine pretty world is the privileged class enjoying its privileges.[/box]
This literate romantic comedy is a good representation of the heights the studio system could reach at its peak. What a cast!
Beautiful headstrong rich girl Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) butted heads with her first husband C, Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) during their short marriage. Now she is set to marry self-promoting dupe George Kitteredge (John Howard of Bulldog Drummond fame). It is hard not to prefer Dexter to George and almost everyone does. Her wedding will take place in the home of her parents (Mary Nash and John Halliday), who are estranged at Tracy’s insistence due to her father’s alleged philandering.
Dexter arranges for magazine reporter Macauley Connor (James Stewart) and his sometime girlfriend photographer Liz Imbrie (Ruth Hussey) to be admitted incognito into the household of the publicity-shy Lords. Their cover is soon blown but the magazine has dirt on Mr. Lord that allows them to stay. During the hubbub in the day before the wedding, events conspire to knock Tracy off her high horse and show her her heart. With Roland Young as Tracy’s lecherous Uncle Willy and Virginia Wielder as her wisecracking little sister.
This film at last put the nail in the coffin of Hepburn’s “box-office poison” status. And rightfully so as the material was written for her and she was never so radiant, beautiful, or bewitching. Even when she is being a pain in the neck, you can’t help but love her. And the two male leads rose admirably to the occasion. James Stewart won his lone Best Actor Oscar for this but Grant is equally good in a less wordy part. Cinematographer Joseph Ruttenberger paints Hepburn’s face as only the silver screen could.
I always forget that this movie has a serious side. That only serves to allow the actors more range for their talents. The commentator on the DVD I rented says that this film shows the direction the studios would have taken in the forties if the war had not intervened. I don’t know that I buy that but it is an interesting take.
Aside from Stewart’s award, The Philadelphia Story won for its screenplay. It was nominated by the Academy for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress (Hussey), and Best Director.
Trailer
What direction was this supposed to be? More adult? I would suggest that THE PHILADELPHIA STORY is a pinnacle of what came before — glossy, talkie, Broadway-based. Yes the war interfered, but so did CITIZEN KANE.
I think it was a transition from screwball comedies to literate romantic comedies. I don’t see the masses necessarily embracing this at any time. Another theory I’ve heard is that Hollywood would have gone noir earlier than it did if there had been no war. Dark stories were not wanted in the Depression but people were so scarred by the Depression that a turn to the dark side was more or less inevitable according to this thinking. Of course, the war provided plenty of angst and dark material that really couldn’t be exploited until after the war was over. I suspect it’s all far more complicated than that and we’ll never know.
While screwball is remembered as typically 1930s, there were literate comedies a plenty. Barry’s HOLIDAY? What about pre-code marvels like DESIGN FOR LIVING? Isn’t NINOTCHKA “smart?” I think this tread of “literate” was always there, just as you suggest, not necessarily tops for the average movie-goer.
And, yes, far more complicated…. World War II, however, absolutely puts various movements on pause….
I mostly remember this film from the trio starring in it. They all do a lot of talking, but it is smart and fun. Hepburn really shines, but then, i thought she was good in Bringing Up Baby too.
I mostly remember the trio and premise and then am surprised all over again at just how enjoyable this is when I see it.