Showing posts with label The Philadelphia Story. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Philadelphia Story. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

The Philadelphia Story (1941)

   "...one of the few non-moronic pictures of the season."

With Ruth Hussey, James Stewart and Katharine Hepburn.

The Philadelphia Story - Review is taken from 'The Films of Cary Grant' by Donald Deschner (1973):

"The movie version of Philip Barry's The Philadelphia Story is years ahead of most screen dialogue.  Audiences won't know what all of it means,  but it's time that picture scripts got a little ahead of their public instead of ten paces behind 'em.  I've noticed that audiences like a certain amount of dialogue which is over their heads.  Producers ought to try it oftener.  

The Philadelphia Story is the yarn of smart and semi-smart folks trying to cure their emotional and intellectual blindnesses and frustrations with alcohol, and it's amazing how well alcohol works in this picture.  The W.C.T.U. doesn't know it, but it ought to stop this film, because it sells liquor better than any million-dollar advertising campaigns.  Tracy Lord's (Miss Hepburn's) drinking in company with that poetic guy from that New York scandal sheet, Spy, is what clears the atmosphere of her mis-planned love for John Howard and paves the way for her remarriage with Cary Grant.  It takes a binge to cure Tracy of her gosh-awful goddessness and give her a good dose of clay feet.  

Perhaps the highest honors in the picture really go to James Stewart for his souse scene in Cary Grant's library.  Mr. Grant is good as always, and deserves credit for playing subdued; he was a hell-raiser before the story opened, and is now the wiser and somewhat chastened ex-husband of the hard, too-exacting Tracy.  

The Philadelphia Story is one of the few non-moronic pictures of the season."

Don Herald, Scribner's Commentator

New Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36 -
Number 38 - The Philadelphia Story (Lobby Card Style)

Part Of


For more, see also:

Quote From Today - January 17th 2023

On This Day - January 17th 2022

On This Day - January 17th 2021

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Quote From Today... The Philadelphia Story (1941)

  "When I was trying to stop drinking, I read anything."


With Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart.

The Philadelphia Story was Cary Grant's 38th full length feature film.

Macaulay Connor: What's this? Is it my book?

C. K. Dexter Haven: Yes.

Macaulay Connor: C. K. Dexter Haven, you have unsuspected depth!

C. K. Dexter Haven: Thanks, old chap.

Macaulay Connor: But have you read it?

C. K. Dexter Haven: When I was trying to stop drinking, I read anything.

Macaulay Connor: And did you stop drinking?

C. K. Dexter Haven: Yes. Your book didn't do it, though.


New Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36 -
Number38 - The Philadelphia Story (Lobby Card Style)

Part Of

Friday, June 26, 2020

"Lights, camera...action!" - The Directors - Part 4

So there were four directors who worked with Cary Grant on three films each.

They were, Marion Gering, George Cukor, Leo McCarey and George Stevens.

Marion Gering:

19th June 1901 - 19th April 1977

Devil and the Deep (1932)


With Charles Laughton and Tallulah Bankhead.

Madame Butterfly (1932)


With Sylvia Sidney

Thirty-Day Princess (1934)


Again with Sylvia Sidney

George Cukor:

7th July 1899 - 24th January 1983

On Grant -"One of the reasons he was so successful as an actor was that he truly just behaved like he was a normal guy and like he didn't look like that."

Sylvia Scarlett (1936)


With Katharine Hepburn.

Holiday (1938)


Again with Katharine Hepburn.

The Philadelphia Story (1941)


With George Cukor, John Howard and Katharine Hepburn.

George Cukor was awarded an Oscar for Best Director for The Philadelphia Story. He also directed many Oscar nominated performances.


Leo McCarey:

3rd October 1898 - 5th July 1969


The Awful Truth (1937)


Publicity shot with Irene Dunne and Leo McCarey.

Leo McCarey won the Oscar for Best Director.

Once Upon A Honeymoon (1942)


With Ginger Rogers.

An Affair to Remember (1957)


With Deborah Kerr.

George Stevens :

18th December 1904 - 8th March 1975

Gunga Din (1939)


On the set of Gunga Din (above) relaxing and (below) with George Stevens.


Penny Serenade (1941)


On set of the film that bought him his first Oscar nomination.

The Talk of the Town (1942)


With George Stevens, Jean Arthur and Ronald Colman.

Four directors completed two film projects each with Cary Grant...
..."Lights, camera...action!" - The Directors - Part 5