Thoughts from the committee
An indisputable classic of the studio era, The Philadelphia Story marks the midpoint of the pipeline from stage comedy to Hollywood musical (in this case,1956’s High Society). Reuniting the pairing of Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant from Bringing Up Baby two years earlier, this film rebuilt and refined the elements of the romantic comedy into a form still recognisable today – no mean feat in the Production Code era!
Socialite Tracy Lord (Hepburn) is, at long last, due to marry someone who fits her exacting standards. The wedding is the event of the year, attracting not only the usual friends and family, but also the lifestyle press (James Stewart and Ruth Hussey). To make matters more complicated, Lord’s ex-husband (Grant) is also on the scene, reconnecting with her family and reminding her of what she once had.
Hepburn was the star of the Broadway show in 1939, and when Howard Hughes purchased the film rights he immediately passed them to her. Hepburn then selected George Cukor, whom she had worked with in the early 1930s, to direct. She correctly envisioned the film as her comeback, but despite her wittily crackling performance, it was not an Oscar-winner for her; instead, Stewart received Best Actor (the only time he won the award).
“Superbly directed by Cukor, the film is a marvel of timing and understated performances, effortlessly transcending its stage origins without ever feeling the need to ‘open out’ in any way. The wit still sparkles; the ambivalent attitude towards the rich and idle is still resonant.” – Geoff Andrew, Time Out