The Philadelphia Story

(George Cukor, US 1940, 112 min., 35mm)

Labeled “box office poison” in 1938, primarily for being a non-conformist, Katharine Hepburn returned to the stage in a play written by Philip Barry to showcase the actress’s strengths: The Philadelphia Story. Before the production even opened on Broadway, Hepburn had purchased the film rights (with the help of her then-partner Howard Hughes) and shopped it around Hollywood. It landed at MGM with a promise that Hepburn would star and choose her director. But Louis B. Mayer was still concerned about her reputation and wanted to place established actors around her—a task he left to producer Joseph Mankiewicz. It was Mankiewicz’s idea to combine two of the play’s characters into the part that became Cary Grant’s in order to entice him to the role, as well as engaging James Stewart (top-billed here in the role that would secure his only Academy Award) as the third romantic entanglement. What this group produced was one of Hollywood’s most enduring romantic comedies, as divorced couple Dexter and Tracy (Grant and Hepburn) reunite on the occasion of her second marriage, to George Kittredge (John Howard). Dexter’s efforts to break up the wedding and win Tracy back involve engaging scandal sheet reporter-photographer couple Mike and Liz (Stewart and Ruth Hussey) to document the proceedings, never anticipating that Mike and Tracy might find each other attractive. This 35mm print was struck from the best surviving element (the nitrate negative held here at the George Eastman Museum), so you’ll never see this film looking better than at the Dryden!