Posts Tagged ‘Philadelphia’

#TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Romantic Comedies (Adam’s Rib / Woman of the Year / The Philadelphia Story / Bringing Up Baby)# Best Cheap Discount Sales Reviews

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THE PHILADELPHIA STORY Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Best Actor Academy Award winner James Stewart star in the tale of a faultfinding, bride-to-be socialite who gets her come-uppance. George Cukor directs this screen pinnacle of sophisticated romantic comedy. BRINGING UP BABY When scatterbrained heiress Katharine Hepburn meets mild-mannered museum curator Cary Grant, the results are riotous. Howard Hawks directs a giddy romp thats been hailed as the most glorious laughter-inducing movie ever! ADAMS RIB Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn play a married prosecutor and defense attorney assigned to the same sensational attempted-murder trial in this clever courtroom battle of the sexes. Judy Holliday co-stars and George Cukor directs. WOMAN OF THE YEAR Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn show what chemistry is all about as George Stevens directs this witty Oscar winner about the bumpy romance of a meat-and-potatoes sportswriter and a world-renowned political pundit.

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#Philadelphia# Best Cheap Discount Sales Reviews

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PHILADELPHIA – DVD Movie

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#The Philadelphia Story# Best Cheap Discount Sales Reviews

Katharine Hepburn had a lot riding on this film. Two short years before, in 1938, despite two superb films to her credit “Bringing Up Baby”, the classic screwball comedy, and the gentler “Holiday”, both costarring Cary Grant she had been named box office poison in an influential poll by motion picture exhibitors. Her studio RKO took notice & coupled with badly slipping box office receipts for her films let her buy out her contract. No other film offers were forthcoming, so she returned to the Broadway stage in this play that was written with her in mind by Philip Barry, and scored a bull’s eye. She shrewdly buttonholed the screen rights so that any studio that wanted to buy the property would have to take her as well, plus she also had casting approval of her two male costars. MGM, the Rolls Royce of Hollywood studios won, but vetoed her original suggestion for costars, Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy, both were considered too big to support her. Cary Grant and James Stewart were the substitutes offered, (much better casting in my opinion), but the studio did agree to her choice of director, her favorite George Cukor. Hepburn wanted a critical AND box-office triumph, plus an MGM contract, she got both!

The story of course is set in Philadelphia, rich, arrogant, young Main Line socialite Tracy Lord (Hepburn) is on the eve of her second wedding to stuffy, up and coming businessman George Kittridge (John Howard). Complications ensue when Tracy’s first husband C.K. Dexter “Dext” Haven (Grant) shows up at her parent’s mansion with a writer and photographer for “Spy” magazine respectively Macauley “Mike” Connor (Stewart) and Elizabeth “Liz”Imbrie (Ruth Hussey) who are romantically involved with each other to cover her wedding for the magazine. The reason is blackmail; “Spy” publisher Sidney Kidd (Henry Daniell) will not publish a scandalous story about Tracy’s father and a dancer in exchange for an exclusive story on Tracy’s wedding. Dext has arranged this, but Tracy is furious at the notion, even though Mike and Liz are unaware of this unsavory agreement. The relationship between Tracy and Dext is a contentious one, as shown in the wordless comic prologue between them at the movie’s beginning, although it seems that Dext may be carrying a torch for Tracy. To further muddy the waters, Tracy is estranged from her father Seth Lord (John Halliday) due to his alleged affair, and he has still not arrived for her wedding, so she palms off her delightfully lecherous Uncle Willie (Roland Young) as her father to the unsuspecting Mike and Liz. Add to this Tracy’s smart-aleck adolescent sister Dinah (Virginia Weidler), who has no use for George and is a partisan of Dext, plus Margaret Lord (Mary Nash), their dithering mother, and the fact that Tracy and Mike start to become attracted to one another, and the comedic and romantic possibilities abound.

Initially, Ms. Hepburn’s Tracy Lord, although a bright, beautiful and elegant thoroughbred, is not very endearing. She’s judgmental, unforgiving, haughty, brittle and dominating. Despite all that, you can’t dislike her, because in Hepburn’s skilled playing, you can sense the untapped potential, and that her true character is still in formation. Little chinks appear in her armor. When both Dext and her father give her some uncomfortable home truths as to her perceived coldness, it hurts, and we see the vulnerability she’s kept hidden up to now. Tracy starts to question her relationship with George when he gives his perception of her as a pristine goddess on a pedestal to be worshipped, protesting she doesn’t want to be worshipped but loved. All this bewilders Tracy, and makes her less self assured, but also more likeable. Events come to a head the night before her wedding at a party where she lets down her guard with a vengeance to interesting results that will further humanize her and change the course of her life and character for the better. Hepburn plays this tailor made part to perfection, the viewer gets to experience every facet of her blazing talent in this her comeback film. Cinematographer Joseph Ruttenberg lit her beautifully, never before had she looked quite so gorgeous and desirable. Renowned costume designer Adrian created very stylish, chic ensembles for her, & the viewer is even lucky enough to see her curvy figure in a bathing suit, (one piece, but still!) which may have been a first for her!

The Oscar won by James Stewart is usually considered to be a consolation prize for losing the year before for “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”, but I don’t know if I agree with that assumption. He has a difficult job in convincing the viewer that he is a serious threat to Cary Grant for Ms. Hepburn’s affections, yet he brings it off. He still has the awkward, gangling grace, but there is for the first time a slight edge to his character, foreshadowing his complicated screen characters after the war for directors Capra, Mann and Hitchcock. He’s not quite the innocent Mr. Smith; you get the feeling the relationship Liz and he are sharing is way past the “dating” phase. The centerpiece of his performance begins when Tracy and he are alone together in the wee hours of the morning after the big party in the garden of the Lord home slow dancing, gliding expertly around the ledge of a reflecting pool drenched in moonlight. Both look their impeccable best, and the erotic tension between the pair is palpable as first they verbally fence with each other, yet continue to be drawn closer. Then the passion bubbles forth out of the Mike in ardent poetry, “You’re lit from within Tracy, you’ve got fires banked down within you, hearth fires and holocausts!” he’s burning brightly with desire, his face is aglow with it, and he dazzles the already susceptible Tracy. This sequence may have earned him his Academy Award, but his awful yet funny off-key rendition of “Over the Rainbow” while carrying the deliciously tipsy Tracy also could have helped, and perhaps gave the young Judy Garland a giggle as well!

Although, he snagged top billing, Cary Grant’s part is not as showy as his two costars, but it is a key one, nonetheless. He is the catalyst to the whole situation, directly or indirectly causing the various events that occurs. Grant plays Dexter in a relaxed fashion as a young man who has had personal issues to resolve, but has finally found his way, and is comfortable in his own skin. He has empathy for those who are struggling or stumble on life’s path, but also has a droll humor and the ability not to take life too seriously. Katharine Hepburn and he play off each other beautifully; he was her perfect male co-star, bringing out the best in her until Spencer Tracy came along.

Ruth Hussey as Liz completes the leading quartet of players; she is bright and attractive, with her wry quips and is a steadying influence for the impulsive Mike. The rest of the cast is equally good led by Roland Young as the lusty Uncle Willie, and Virginia Wiedler as the precocious Dinah.

Screenwriter Donald Ogden Stewart adroitly opens up the action outside the stage while retaining the wit of the Barry original and justifiably won his Oscar for his efforts. Finally time to acknowledge director par excellence George Cukor who shows yet again why he was almost without peer when it came to the genre of sophisticated romantic comedy. How well they succeeded is that seventy years later this film still remains vintage Dom Perignon, effervescent and sparkling!

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Katharine Hepburn reprises her triumphant Broadway role as a spoiled heir on the verge of marrying a snoot…but not if her ex-hubby (Cary Grant) and smitten reporter (James Stewart) can help it!

One of the best ever . – Kit – USA
They really don’t make movies like this any more ! This movie is among the best comedies ever made . Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn are incredible together . Jimmy Stewart is such fun to watch . Just a great film .

Philadelphia Story – H. M. Evans – NJ United States
I enjoyed ‘High Society’ – the remake of ‘Philadelphia Story’ but after seeing my new DVD with Hepburn, Grant and Stewart, I must admit the original is the gold standard for this story!

One of my favorite classic movies! – catlady4ever – Staten Island, NY
Wonderful cast (2 of my fave actors – Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart), awesome plot, lovely settings and scenery, great humor & dialogue… a little bit of everything for everyone.

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