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The Philadelphia Story Customer Reviews (7 - 9 of 44 Reviews)
A classic of a classic - unsurpassed with great lines and acting
I am a big Katharine Hepburn fan. The actor I most watched happened to be Cary Grant. I also saw quite a number of George Cukor films(Dinner at Eight, David Copperfield, Little Women). And this is the best film made by any of them. It was not just Miss Hepburn, but the concerted effort of the whole cast and crew that made this B&W classic so dazzling.
The whole play is closely knitted and fast paced (sometimes the dialogues were so fast that it took a second time to watch the movie before I could truly appreciate the story). From the two reporters (James Stewart and Ruth Hussey) to the whole Tracy's family (younger sister Dina, father and mother, Uncle Willie), their performances were most credible and delightful. Even though the whole play revolved around Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn), each of the remaining cast was given an intriguing personality. Dina (Virginia Weidler) was the smart and critical teenager who balleted, singed and played the piano - an act of mockery for the inquisitive reporters. Liz (Ruth Hussey) was the photography reporter who chose not to disclose his love of Mike (James Stewart). Both reporters were honourable and would not blackmail the Lord's family for an exclusive coverage of Tracy's marriage. I remembered when I first watched it on a 20" TV, I was already captured by the grand mansion the Lord's family lived in and the atmosphere of the high class the film successfully created around the Lord's family. Miss Hepburn also put on 5 elegant sets of costumes within the first 15 minutes!
It is also interesting to note that though "High Society" , a remake of Philadelphia Story made 16 years later, was very successful with the unforgettable song "True Love" sung by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly on the movie, Philadelphia Story still stood the test of the time and remained a classic unsurpassed.
As for Miss Hepburn, Philadelphia Story was her vehicle and she deservedly re-established her fame and success through her unparalleled portrayal of Miss Tracy Lord. Katharine Hepburn was Tracy Lord - a role specially created for her on Broadway and she subsequently owned the movie rights, with the role of Dextor (Joseph Cotton on Broadway version) assumed by Cary Grant. Whether you are a fan of Katharine Hepburn, this is a classic of a classic you should not miss!
PERFECT COMEDY, AND WITH A MESSAGE
If you think The Philadelphia Story is just a wonderfully sophisticated, perfectly written, perfectly performed comedy about an aloof and spoiled society girl (Hepburn), her likeable but alcoholic ex-husband (Grant), her newly acquainted admirer (Stewart), her philandering father and overly proper mother, her man-of-the-people fiancé, and a host of other wonderful characters - you're mistaken. There's a message here, and it's just as wonderful as the writing, directing and acting.
Tracy Lord (Hepburn) believes that Truth is everything, and she has sacrificed her marriage to C. K. Dexter Haven (Grant) to prove it. Various characters in the film compare her to a cold and unfeeling statue or a lofty goddess in a hilltop shrine. Her father, on the other hand, believes that Grace is everything, and proves it by having a notorious affair with a New York dancer. This difference causes the primary conflict in the film, and its need to be resolved is what gives the film its delightful situations.
Enter C. K. Dexter Haven on the eve of his ex-wife's marriage, with writer Macauley Connor (Stewart) and photographer Miss Embry (Hussey) in tow. They've been sent there - blackmailed, really - by Spy Magazine editor Sidney Kidd (Daniell) to cover the event, and thereby keep him from printing a story on Tracy's father. Over the course of the weekend, Dexter adds the wise-cracks and insights that help Tracy figure out who she is and what she wants, and Macauley adds the catalyst to help her figure out who she isn't and what she doesn't want.
Everyone sparkles in this film and every line is the epitome of wit and innuendo. Besides the three stars, standouts are Roland Young as Uncle Willie and Virginia Weidler as Tracy's younger sister, Dina. In the end, Tracy finds the balance between Grace and Truth, her father is accepted back into the family (though he doesn't seem especially repentant), Tracy accepts her ex-husband C. K. back, and Macauley and Miss Embry end up with who they should - each other. All the way around, it's a fun, happy, witty film with a good message about balancing the seeming opposites of Grace and Truth.
Waitsel Smith
A black-and-white favorite
This was and continues to be my favorite ever black-and-white film. Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, and Catharine Hepburn on the same screen together is an event not to be missed by ANYONE, I don't care if you usually don't like black-and-white flicks. It's hysterical. It does have some rather unpleasant undertones as to the proper conduct of women, but if you do your best to overlook that rather outdated view, the film itself - unendingly witty script, sumptuous set, and of course stellar acting - is well worth owning.
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