The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Just because a movie is vintage does not mean it isn’t a good one; actually some of the older ones are a lot better then the ones they show today. A story got told and they managed to keep their clothes on, swear words out of the picture, and nary a toliet (or toliet humor) was ever seen. The humor in those days was more subtle – what I call intellectual humor – you had to watch and watch close or you would miss something.

If this movie has a play feel to it, it is because it was one, a very successful one. Katherine Hepburn played the Tracy Lord part in the play and then bought the rights (some say Howard Hughes bought the rights for her) to make the play into a movie. She wanted Clark Gable (Dexter part) and Spencer Tracy (Mike Connor part), but that did not work out so Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart stepped into those parts and when you watch it now you can’t imagine the other two fellows would have been as good as Grant and Stewart.

Side Note: This movie was remade again in 1956 (this version was more of a musical) and renamed High Society starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra.

Quotes

C. K. Dexter Haven: Of course, Mr. Connor, she's a girl who is generous to a fault.
Tracy Lord: To a fault.
C. K. Dexter Haven: Except to other people's faults.


C. K. Dexter Haven: You'll never be a first class human being or a first class woman until you've learned to have some regard for human frailty.


Plot Summary

Tracy Lord (nee Haven) (Katharine Hepburn) is a wealthy Philadelphia socialite who had divorced C. K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), a member of her social set, because he did not measure up to her exacting standards. During their marriage, he had issues with alcohol and instead of helping him she rejected him for his weakness and divorced him.

It’s obvious from the beginning that Tracy and Dex should never have gotten a divorce – they were made for each other. Her ex-husband, who no longer drinks, wants her back, but he knows that in order for it to work for them long term – she will have to learn to be more tolerate of others flaws.

The only trouble is she is about to remarry -- a former working class fellow, now wealthy man named George Kittredge (John Howard).

If that isn’t enough, there is a third fellow entering the picture.

Spy magazine publisher Sidney Kidd (Henry Daniell) is eager to cover the wedding, and enlists Dexter, into introducing reporter Macaulay "Mike" Connor (James Stewart) and photographer Liz Imbrie (Ruth Hussey) as friends of the family so they can report on the wedding. Dexter is “secretly” trying to save the Lord family from having embarrassing information released about Tracy’s father Seth Lord (John Halliday).

Tracy is not fooled by Mike Connor and Liz Imbrie, but reluctantly agrees to let them stay, after Dexter explains that Kidd has an innuendo-laden article about Tracy's father Seth, who, Tracy believes, is having an affair with a dancer. Though Seth is separated from Tracy's mother Margaret (Mary Nash) and Tracy harbors great resentment against him for his “suspected” infidelity to her mother, she also wants to protect her family's reputation.

Dexter is welcomed back with open arms by Margaret (Tracy’s mom) and Dinah (Virginia Weidler), who is Tracy's teenage sister - much to Tracy's annoyance. In addition, Tracy gradually discovers that Mike has some interesting qualities. Thus, as the wedding nears, Tracy finds herself torn between her fiancé, her ex-husband, and the reporter.

Add lecherous Uncle Willie and some witty one-liners to the mix and you have a comedy that was nominated for at least six academy awards.

Life Lessons

Facial expressions -- no one could do a look like Cary Grant – without uttering a word he could do an expression that “told you” exactly what he was thinking. He was also the master of the pause, before delivering the line which brings you into what he is saying, makes you want to know what is coming next – it’s brilliant.

Let’s talk a little more about facial expressions and mothers…

When it comes to governing a child’s behavior in a room full of relatives, mother’s have something that works better than a Star Trek phaser set on stun, it’s called “the look.” This isn’t a new phenomenon; mothers have being using “the look” to keep children under control at social functions for centuries. Case in point: You are at Great Aunt Bertha’s home for Christmas and she sets our her special oatmeal dish from the old country, that has taken this dear soul twelve hours slaving over a hot stove to make right next to your pride and joy.

Junior/Juniorette is just about to spill the beans that Aunt Bertha’s labor of love looks and smells like it’s been run through the horse once. As your child begins to open up their mouth to share this bit of information with Aunt Bertha and everyone else at the table, you arch one eyebrow, and then fix them with the look. If you are focused and quick enough, this deadly combination of eyebrow and look can paralyze every single muscle in their little bodies, rendering them incapable of making you look like the part of the horse that jumped over the fence last in front of all the relatives.

For those moms out there who aren’t really sure if you have “the look” or not, try this experiment the next time you sit down at the supper table with your family. Pick one of your children, it doesn’t matter if your child is six or sixty-six, just think of something naughty they’ve done in the recent past, and then look at them without saying a word. I guarantee you that as soon as they notice you are staring at them with “your look” they will start shifting in their seat and when the cannot stand your scrutiny a moment longer will cry out in desperation, “What?”

This technique works on “naughty” husbands (or wives) too. Test it out.

The Philadelphia Story Movie Cast

• Cary Grant as C. K. Dexter Haven
• Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord
• James Stewart as Macaulay Connor
• Ruth Hussey as Elizabeth Imbrie
• John Howard as George Kittredge
• Roland Young as William Q. Tracy (Uncle Willie)
• John Halliday as Seth Lord
• Mary Nash as Margaret Lord
• Virginia Weidler as Dinah Lord
• Henry Daniell as Sidney Kidd
• And others