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The Philadelphia Story Overview:

The Philadelphia Story (1940) was a Comedy - Black-and-white Film directed by George Cukor and produced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

SYNOPSIS

Hepburn shines (the Stewart character describes her character as being "lit from within") as Tracy Lord, the role that probably continues to define our vision of her. And she took a strong hand in the production, bankrolling the play, in which she also starred, and hand-picking the director, screenwriter, and stars. This perennial favorite, a film version of Barry's smart play, depicts the topsy-turvy events around the impending wedding of a wealthy society girl who's torn between her millionaire fiancé (Howard), her dashing ex-husband (Grant), and a cynical, voice-of-the-people reporter (Stewart) turned loose among the Main Line set. Remade in musical form in 1956 as High Society with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Grace Kelly.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

The Philadelphia Story was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1995.

Academy Awards 1940 --- Ceremony Number 13 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorJames StewartWon
Best ActressKatharine HepburnNominated
Best Supporting ActressRuth HusseyNominated
Best DirectorGeorge CukorNominated
Best PictureMetro-Goldwyn-MayerNominated
Best WritingDonald Ogden StewartWon
See More Oscar Winners

The Philadelphia Story BlogHub Articles:

Introducing THE PHILADELPHIA STORY for Last Remaining Seats on June 10

on May 23, 2023 From GlamAmor

I'll be introducing The Philadelphia Story (1940) at the historic Los Angeles Theatre as part of Last Remaining Seats on June 10! It's a real honor to be invited by the Los Angeles Conservancy to be part of this beloved series. An additional honor is that they're allowing me to do my type of introdu... Read full article

The Philadelphia Story (1941)

By Cameron on Jan 29, 2018 From The Blonde At The Film

via: http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/12778/The-Philadelphia-Story/#tcmarcp-142626  Unless otherwise noted, all images are my own. The Philadelphia Story (1941) is a charming comedy that holds a unique place in cinema history, mostly because of its notorious star. It was based on a 1939 play by Phili... Read full article

Field Trip: “The Philadelphia Story” at River East 21 February 18

By Stephen Reginald on Jan 20, 2018 From Classic Movie Man

Field Trip: “The Philadelphia Story” at River East 21 February 18 Treasure of the Sierra Madre on the big screenDate: February 18 at River East 21, 322 East Illinois · Chicago, IL Time: 2:00 p.m. TCM Big Screen Classics Presents: The Philadelphia Story Cary Grant, Kather... Read full article

Why I love The Philadelphia Story (1940)

By Carol Martinheira on Jan 17, 2018 From The Old Hollywood Garden

Why I love The Philadelphia Story (1940) On January 17, 2018 By CarolIn Uncategorized The privileged class enjoying its privileges, as Mike Connor (James Stewart in an Oscar-winning role) puts it. And why not? The Philadelphia Story is high society at its best. Or is i... Read full article

Win Tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: The Philadelphia Story (Giveaway runs through Feb 3)

By Annmarie Gatti on Jan 5, 2018 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Win Tickets to see “The Philadelphia Story” on the Big Screen! In Select Cinemas Nationwide Sun Feb 18 and Wed Feb 21! “I don’t want to be worshipped. I want to be loved.” CMH continues into our 3rd year of our partnership with Fathom Events — with the 2nd of our 13 movie ticket g... Read full article

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The Philadelphia Story Quotes:

Seth Lord: What most wives fail to realize is that their husband's philandering has nothing whatever to do with them.
Tracy Lord: Oh? Then what has it to do with?
Seth Lord: A reluctance to go grow old, I think.
Macaulay Connor: [to the butler] The Queen will have bread and honey at the usual time.
Margaret Lord: Are you one of the musicians?
Macaulay Connor: No!
Margaret Lord: Oh of course, you're Junius's friend. Only you're not. Do you have any violin strings?
Macaulay Connor: [digs in his pocket] I have an aspirin. Will that work?
Margaret Lord: I don't think so! It's for a violin. Oh well, no matter!
Tracy Lord: I'm going crazy. I'm standing here solidly on my own two hands and going crazy.
Tracy Lord: These stories are beautiful. Why, Mike, they're almost poetry.
Macaulay Connor: Don't kid yourself, they are.
See More Quotes from The Philadelphia Story
The Philadelphia Story Facts
The necklace that Dinah says "this stinks" about and later wears to entertain the reporters, is a copy of the necklace from Marie Antoinette's "The Affair of the Necklace". You can see it in Norma Shearer's Marie Antoinette, as well.
Playwright Philip Barry based the character of Tracy on Katharine Hepburn's public image at the time. She'd left her previous studio, RKO, on bad terms, which only worsened her (temporarily) unpopular image.
Cary Grant demanded top billing and $100,000 salary - a huge amount at the time. As it transpired though, he donated his entire earnings to the British War Relief Fund.
James Stewart wasn't at all comfortable with some of the dialog, especially in the swimming pool scene, which also required him to act in a dressing gown. He said at the time that if he'd played the scene in just a swimming costume it would have been the end of his career.
The original Broadway production of "The Philadelphia Story" by Philip Barry Jr. opened at the Shubert Theater on March 28, 1939, ran for 417 performances, closed on March 30, 1940 and starred Katharine Hepburn, Shirley Booth, Joseph Cotten and Hayden Rorke.
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