Classic 40s Movie: “The Philadelphia Story”
September is Classic 40s Movie month. Today’s guest post comes from Kristen Demaline.
Movie Title: The Philadelphia Story
Year: 1940
Writers: Donald Ogden Stewart (screenplay), based on the play by Philip Barry
Lead Actors: Katharine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant
Director: George Cukor
IMDb Plot Summary: 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.
Why I Think This Is A Classic 40s Movie
According to screenwriter Donald Ogden Stewart, adapting this gem from Broadway to the big screen was the easiest writing gig he ever had in Hollywood. As a “comedy of remarriage”, it’s the star of a screwball comedy subgenre that no longer exists — a vestige of the Production Code era, when it was forbidden to depict any extramarital affairs. We know where this ride will end from the first frame; the pleasure is in the journey.
Hepburn played socialite Tracy Lord to acclaim on Broadway in Philip Barry’s play. To revive her film career, she secured the rights and had veto power on the director (George Cukor), producer, screenwriter and cast. It’s no surprise, then, that she’s at her arch, mercurial best here. The script crackles with a story originally inspired by Helen Hope Montgomery Scott (“the unofficial queen of Philadelphia’s WASP oligarchy”, according to Vanity Fair) and illustrates just how far back America’s celebrity-crazed pop culture goes. This comparison may make you wince, but you’re watching the seeds of the Kardashian phenomenon here, complete with paparazzi stalkers.
My Favorite Moments In The Movie
- Connor psyches himself up for his big meeting with his editor, Kidd with his photographer colleague Liz Embry. En route, he’s giving himself the speech every writer knows whose “day job” has led them afield, muttering, “I should be writing short stories, anyway.”
- Tracy’s ex-husband Dexter Haven surprises the Lords when he arrives, new pals Connor and Imbrie in tow. His first scene with Tracy, her mother, and her precocious little sister Dinah sparkles. Every woman has a different reaction to his being there, and Dexter effortlessly plays off of each, and each upon each other. Of course, Tracy immediately sees through his ruse, and ends up party to the tabloid story in an effort to spare her father’s reputation.
- Connor’s scene in the library, where he catches Tracy reading his stories, includes a hilarious beat with a very old-school librarian. As in, one who uses “thee” in conversation.
- Haven’s confrontation of Tracy on the eve of her remarriage. It’s the reckoning she might have expected, but there’s a catch: he still loves her. As for Tracy, we’ve now had the setup for her drunken “fall’ with Connor later in the film.
- Connor makes a late night, drunken drop in to Haven’s place to dish about Tracy, as Connor has himself a little crush going, and Connor reveals that he has the dirt that can get the tabloids off of the Lords’ case. (The reason Dexter and his tabloid-y companions are at the house is courtesy of a Philadelphia publisher, Kidd, who’s out to run a story about Tracy’s father’s affair with a Broadway dancer. Such things were just not done, you see — meaning, not discussed in the newspaper — so Tracy agrees to tolerate the media’s up close and personal spots at the house for her wedding weekend.
My Favorite Dialogue In the Movie
Kidd: You really hate me, don’t you Connor?
Connor: No, I don’t like you very much, though.
Kidd: You hate me, I trust, Miss Imbrie?
Imbrie: No, I can’t afford to hate anybody. I’m only a photographer.
— -
Imbrie: I remember your honeymoon quite well. You and she on a little sailboat, the “True Love”, wasn’t it?
Dexter: Yes it was. How did you know?
Imbrie: I was the only photographer whose camera you didn’t smash. You were terribly nice about it. You threw it in the ocean.
Connor: Oh, one of those.
Dexter: Yes, I had the strange notion that our honeymoon was our own business.
— -
Margaret: We both might face the facts that neither of us has proved to be a very great success as a wife.
Tracy: We just picked the wrong first husband.
— -
Tracy: There’s a good reason and it’s my wedding, so please.
Dinah: I bet it’s Father and that dancer in New York.
Margaret: Dinah, what do you know?
Dinah: Oh, I listen around.
Margaret: Oh dear, is there no such thing as privacy any more?
Tracy: Only in bed, mother, and not always there.
— -
Connor: Now about this girl, Tracy Samantha Lord. What’s her leading characteristic?
Dexter: She has a horror of men who wear their hats in the house.
— -
Dexter: You know, for your own sake, Red, I think you should’ve stuck to me longer.
Tracy: I thought it was for life, but the nice judge gave me a full pardon.
Dexter: Ah, that’s the old redhead. No bitterness, no recrimination, just a good swift left to the jaw.
— -
Dinah: My first party, and about time. Can I have a cocktail?
Margaret: Certainly not!
— -
Uncle Willie: This is one of those days that the pages of history teach us are best spent lying in bed.
— -
Tracy: Oh Dext, I’m such an unholy mess of a girl.
Dexter: Well, that’s not even conversation.
Tracy: But never in my life, not if I live to be 100, will I forget how you tried to stand me on my feet again today.
Dexter: You? You’re in great shape.
Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie
The Philadelphia Story still holds up, but it has its occasionally dated moments and bits of dialogue, for sure. In fact, Tracy’s father blames her for his infidelity, as she’s just not adoring enough to make him forget he’s getting older. The troubling implication is made throughout the film that if Tracy weren’t such a strong character, it would be better for the all concerned. Strength, here, is read and presented as being unsympathetic enough to others’ plights and human frailties. It’s worth noting Tracy’s affectionate relationship with her younger sister or many of her interactions with Mike (Connor).
Overall, this film shows what witty dialogue conveyed by a smart cast can do; it’s the film’s calling card. Sorkin fans who’ve somehow missed this one should definitely check it out. There’s not a lot of plot going on here, but there are a great many good characterizations and moments. And some not so great. I wish that Tracy’s fiancé George Kittredge were more charming and not so easily disposed of. We know he’s playing third fiddle to Connor and Haven; it might just be nice to feel that he’s actually got a shot here. I don’t entirely buy his relationship with Tracy, but it’s hard to fault an incompatible couple that is meant to be incompatible. It’s only a slight flaw in an otherwise don’t-miss film.
Thanks, Kristen!
To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!
We already have a set of classic 5os movies, 60s Movies, 70s movies, 80s Movies and 90s Movies. This month, we’re working on 40s movies. And thanks to the GITS community, we’ve got 30 movies in the works, one for each day of the month!
Those who I put in bold have already sent me their posts. If you haven’t sent yours to me, please do so as soon as you can!!!
Act of Violence — Eric Rodriguez
Arsenic and Old Lace — Katha
Bicycle Thieves — Megaen Kelly
Brief Encounter — Emily Bonkoski
Casablanca — Paul Graunke
Double Indemnity — Susan Winchell
Five Graves to Cairo — Jeff Gibson
Foreign Correspondent — Doc Kane
His Girl Friday — John Henderson
It’s a Wonderful Life — David Laudenslager
Key Largo — Will King
Laura — Melinda Mahaffey Icden
Les enfants du paradis — Brendan Howley
Mrs. Miniver — Traci Nell Peterson
Notorious — Christine Henton
Now Voyager — Melissa Privette
Out of the Past — Brantley Aufill
Rope — Lance Morgan
The Bank Dick — Bob Saenz
The Best Years of Their Lives — Shaun Parker
The Big Sleep — Ipsita Barik
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir — Annie Wood
The Long Voyage Home — Vincent Martini
The Lost Weekend — Liz Warner
The Maltese Falcon — Roy Gordon
The Ox-Bow Incident — Clay Mitchell
The Philadelphia Story — Kristen Demaline
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock — David Joyner
The Third Man — Harry Cooke
To Have and Have Not — Felicity Flesher
Thanks to everyone who steps up for this ongoing project!
For the original post explaining the series, go here.
For all of the 40s movies featured in the series, go here.
Click REPLY and see you in comments about today’s classic 40s movie!