The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Donald Ogden Stewart (screenplay)
Philip Barry (play)
(more)

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

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
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)

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

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)

Production Companies

• Loew's (produced by) (as Loew's Incorporated)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1940) (USA) (theatrical)
• Loew's (1940) (USA) (theatrical) (uncredited)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1942) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1955) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1986) (Finland) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• DVD Magic (2005) (Russia) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Atalanta Filmes (????) (Portugal) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Theatre Guild  play produced by
• Turner Entertainment  package design

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:

Playwright Philip Barry based the character of Tracy on Katharine Hepburn's public image at the time. She'd left her previous studio, RKO, on bad terms, which only worsened her (temporarily) unpopular image.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When George pays his first call upon the Lord home, he bounds down the "stone" steps, landing very heavily on the bottom one, which makes a hollow wooden noise.

Quotes:

C. K. Dexter Haven: Orange juice, certainly.
Tracy Lord: Don't tell me you've forsaken your beloved whisky and whiskies.
C. K. Dexter Haven: No-no-no-no. I've just changed their colour, that's all. I'm going for the pale pastel shades now. They're more becoming of me. How about you, Mr. Connor? You drink, don't you - alcohol, I mean?
Macaulay Connor: Oh, a little.
C. K. Dexter Haven: [Amused] A little? And you a writer? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I thought all writers drank to excess and beat their wives. You know, at one time I think I secretly wanted to be a writer.
[He and Tracy exchange scornful looks]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Cleaner (2007)

Soundtrack:

Bridal Chorus

One of the best Romantic Comedies

My Rating: ***1/2 out of ****.

The Philadelphia Story is one of the earlier Romantic Comedies. It is also one of the best. This film basically has what most romantic comedies today dont have. That would be a well-written script, Great Acting, and actually funny.

The acting is a huge strength in the film. This is called Katharine Hepburn's best role by many, while I admit she is excellent in a number of scenes, I think she tends to overact at times. Cary Grant is great here. Everyone else is Great but I believe James Stewart to be the standout. He is perfect for this role, its a flawless performance, that he deservedly won the Best Actor Oscar for.

The Script has wonderful dialogue thats delivered flawlessly by the actors. Even simple dialogue like "Isn't that awful" was delivered superbly by Katharine Hepburn. George Cukor made this project look like nothing, he made many films which were "womens films" but he does a damn good job here.

If you think Romantic Comedies of today are good, look at The Philadelphia Story and they will pale in comparison. The Philadelphia Story is a very good film and worth remembering, unlike the mediocre to crappy romantic comedies of today. The Philadelphia Story is highly recommended.