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The Philadelphia Story
It was her label as "box office poison" that drove
Katharine Hepburn to the stage in the late '30s and the later
success of The Philadelphia Story. Wisely securing the
rights to the widely successful play in which she starred on
Broadway, Hepburn called the shots on the film version in terms
of director (George Cukor) and co-stars (Cary Grant and Jimmy
Stewart). The rest is film history -- a smash comedy among the
Philadelphia upper crust that skewers the pretensions of the rich
and the hunger of the tabloids for a hot story, while offering up
the irresistible plight of Hepburn being torn between Grant and
Stewart. We should all have such problems!
Tracy Lord (Hepburn) is preparing for her imminent wedding to a
society dolt when, thanks to her father's infidelities, she's
forced to entertain tabloid reporter Mike Connor (Stewart) and
photographer Elizabeth Imbrie (Ruth Hussey) during the ceremony
preparations. Hovering on the peripheries of the Lord mansion is
Tracy's first husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Grant), who never
passes up an opportunity to play a game of verbal hand grenades
with Tracy. It's Dexter who has rigged the visit of the press,
which sets off a chain of romantic sparks among the efforts to
prove to Mike and Elizabeth that Tracy's family is indeed a happy
one.
| Hepburn and Grant made four
films together, and The Philadelphia Story
contains their best verbal jousting. Armed to the teeth
with one-liners and insults, the two create a palpable
chemistry that clearly signals they were meant for each
other. Hepburn has an equally powerful connection with
Stewart, in a more conventionally romantic way, that
winds the romantic tension tighter -- who will Tracy
choose, Dexter or Mike? The outcome may be obvious, but
The Philadelphia Story provides a hilarious trip to
the very end. |
Please visit the links below to discover more about this wonderful, romantic, funny movie and the three fabulous actors (three of my favorites) that portrayed the strong, funny, all-too human characters that brought this film to life..
(above information taken from this site...see Sidewalk Seattle for more information!)
A
great site, in honor of Mr. Stewart
Jenny's Cary Grant Shrine
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