Review of The Philadelphia Story (1940) by Stephen M — 16 Mar 2008

Since this is my favourite stage play, it was destined to be one of my favourite movies. Then, of course, is the fact that Katharine Hepburn is my favourite actress. You can never go wrong with Cary Grant and James Stewart; and, then, there is the great unsung hero of wisecracking second fiddle females, Ruth Hussey. You're in the thick of it, then!

This is an occasion where the film version is better than the play because the audience is given the opportunity to really see the opulence of the lifestyle of the Philadelphia society folk. In particular, two scenes in a row where Stewart's character remarks on the wonder of the estate and Hepburn's character doesn't seem to get it -- she is so spoiled and so conditioned to it that it flies over her head that they REALLY have something special there. It adds great insight to the character!

The chemistry between the four leads is unbeatable and the dialogue crackles by so fast that if you aren't paying attention you will miss something good or important or both.

Tracy is a great anti hero because she really is a snob and prejudiced and unwavering regarding her opinions and standards; yet you want her to marry the right guy and to ease up and be a little more forgiving of human nature and learn to be a little more footloose and fancy free. Thank God for Hepburn's own upper crust upbringing that made her a natural for this part.

I could not recommend this picture more. It is one of the few completely perfect movies ever made.

I also want to say that I recently did a PHILADELPHIA STORY facebook quiz on which I did not get a hundred percent because the creator of the quiz claims that Howard Hughes gave Hepburn the film rights -- which I believe to be incorrect. It is my understanding that he gave her the play; but that she bought the film rights after doing the play. As something of an amateur expert on Hepburn, I believe I am correct.