ShangLuda Admirable film.

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

federovsky Hollywood frequently had to pull a contortionist act in order to make films about it's favourite subject, the elegant rich, without alienating the general population. And so we get films that mildly ridicule the elegant rich - a socially acceptable position even among the elegant rich themselves. It's done here by infiltrating their mannered/manored world by an ordinary Mike, reporter James Stewart, and flirting with the idea of class rapprochement.To get that far, they have to make Mike not just a reporter but a novelist, and not just a novelist, but a brilliant and sensitive one. Not only that, but the elegant, rich Tracey (K. Hepburn) must be brought down a notch by behaving in a rather, er, loose fashion. You see the contortioning. Having exposed the mechanism, it's less easy to be engaged by these goings on, but it's worth seeing for the way they all deal with the (somewhat risqué) sexual indiscretion later on, and for Hepburn, who polishes this to a shine.

atlasmb Released in 1940, "The Philadelphia Story" is about a Main Line Philadelphia woman, Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn), whose marriage is imminent. At the last moment, there are certain unexpected attendees who challenge her view of life. Listed as a comedy and a romance by IMDb, it certainly is that, but the film does contain dialogue that is biting, somber and outright mean.The cast is stellar and it is difficult to imagine how any film starring Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, and Cary Grant could not be worth watching. This film certainly is worth watching, but I disagree with those who assert that all three actors turn in their best work here. Hepburn's performances in many other films surpasses her portrayal of Tracy, e.g. "On Golden Pond" or "Stage Door." The same can be said of Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", "Rear Window" or "It's a Wonderful Life." For Cary Grant, see "North by Northwest", "Notorious", or "His Girl Friday" which was also released in 1940.As a love story, it has a rather complex plot--not just the usual triangle. Tracy's fiancé, George Kittredge (John Howard), is excited to wed the desirable Miss Lord, but he might be somewhat out of the loop as he keeps his distance from the bride-to-be on the last day before the nuptials. Her ex-husband, C. K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), is about as welcome as an unreachable itch, irritating Tracy at every turn and constantly inserting his verbal barbs. Another complication is the writer/reporter Macauley Connor (Jimmy Stewart), who arrives to do an inside story on the ceremonies for a tabloid.A broader view of the film reveals that its subject is Tracy's relationships with five men--the three just mentioned and her father and her Uncle Willie, who are personae non gratae due to their vices. Tracy discovers through these five that she has much to learn, despite her cool, confident countenance.Hepburn starred in the Broadway play not long after leaving Hollywood in response to the theater owners placing her on a "Box Office Poison" list. She purchased the film rights to the play, then sold them to MGM with the stipulation she could choose the producer, director and the starring actors. The success of the film must have been sweet revenge.The film has many admirers, including me. Stepping slightly off track, I will disagree with many of those admirers who assert that the musical remake named "High Society" is not in the same league. I do not think a remake should be judged solely in relation to the original, especially when genre lines are crossed. I find the musical to be equally engaging, but for different reasons (the music, the different stars, etc.). Both should be appreciated for their particular, fine attributes.

simon-mcdonald The Philadelphia Story is perhaps the greatest Romantic Comedy of all time. Katherine Hepburn is wonderful I might even go as far as to say its one of Katherine's greatest ever roles. She plays a very very funny Tracy Lord, she previously played this role on stage just about 1 year previously and in the film she was just as amazing. She spends the whole movie taking the mickey out of Carry Grant and Jimmy Stewart. Carry Grant plays a reporter who is in love with Tracy, and Jimmy plays Tracy's ex husband. Excellent support from Virgina Weidler and Ruth Hussey.A Hilarious film with some wonderful scenes. I can't recommend it enough. 10 out of 10.

MisterWhiplash The Philadelphia Story, about an upper class woman about to get married and the two men - one her ex and the other a writer who may get a 'scoop' on a scandal unfolding - gets better as it goes along, even as its still a 'light' Rom-com. Stewart probably didn't deserve his Oscar for his role as Mike Connor, but he is so much fun here it makes the movie. I also liked and appreciated, which I don't get to see in Rom com's today, how other people call out Hepburns character for being a "prig" upper class socialite type. actually compared to the sociopaths who made Rom com's so insufferable in the past 25 years, she's almost positively delightful and human.Grant is funny too, though kind of more of the 'straight' guy in comedic moments. Its a frothy Hollywood romance with skill and grace and drunken shenanigans, and even kids get eloquent quips. I may personally prefer when these actors are in screwball mode in other films (Hawks jumps to mind), but it's respectable, quality stuff, and it takes its characters seriously - Hepburn especially deepens and has a sophistication with the character that's surprising when it starts off seeming like it could dip into pre sitcom territory (and some may argue it's what that is).But Mankiewicz and Cukor have fun with them in what is not great but very good, and that's enough.