The Philadelphia Story

Released Dec 1, 1940

1 hr. 52 min.

Romance

Comedy

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List

100%

105 Reviews

Tomatometer

93%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

This classic romantic comedy focuses on Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn), a Philadelphia socialite who has split from her husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), due both to his drinking and to her overly demanding nature. As Tracy prepares to wed the wealthy George Kittredge (John Howard), she crosses paths with both Dexter and prying reporter Macaulay Connor (James Stewart). Unclear about her feelings for all three men, Tracy must decide whom she truly loves.

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Critics Consensus

Offering a wonderfully witty script, spotless direction from George Cukor, and typically excellent lead performances, The Philadelphia Story is an unqualified classic.

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Jeff S

Stewart deserved his awards and all the stars are wonderful, but Katharine Hepburn is phenomenal in this film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/24

Full Review

no t

doesn't get any better than this

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/14/24

Full Review

Jeff M

This is one of the granddaddies of the modern romantic comedy, and even 80 years later, it leaves most of its successors in the dust. Witty, charming and intelligent, it's such a pleasure to watch a movie fueled by the strength of its dialogue. And what words they are! This is based on a play, and one of my few minor quibbles is that it does feel stagy from time to time, but it just sparkles! The cast is uniformly iconic, from the leads to small supporting parts. Interestingly, Stewart is the one who won the Oscar for this film, but the sun rises and sets around Hepburn here, and she is glorious. People tend to forget that she was a brilliant comedienne, and she is radiant here. Some may question the twist at the end, and it's frankly not necessarily the way I wanted things to go, but this is an old fashioned fairy tale. If nothing else, this is a fascinating study of how the romantic comedy genre has changed the last 80 years. You might have to watch it twice just to appreciate the dialogue, much of which is delivered at a machine-gun like pace.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

Full Review

Claudia S

THIS is class! Some of the greatest stars of the era engage us in a bright engaging story with humor and wit.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/20/24

Full Review

Scott M

Just not for me. The entire thing felt forced. All of the dialog is said like its a one liner from a stand up comedian. Nothing about it was funny. Very dated movie.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/27/23

Full Review

John E

It may be difficult to imagine now, but in 1938 and 1939, Katharine Hepburn was extremely unpopular with Hollywood and with the American public. A string of box office failures, coupled with her abrasive and combative behavior with the press and fans, had garnered her a reputation for being extremely arrogant. Seeking to reignite her career she returned to the stage, starring in a new play by Philip Barry. That play was The Philadelphia Story. She would perform the role of socialite Tracy Lord in two tours and on Broadway for over a year. When Hollywood decided to produce the play as a movie, Hepburn had already purchased the rights to the story (thanks to help from Howard Hughes), so she was guaranteed the role. Teaming with Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart for the movie version of the play, Hepburn's shrewd selection of this vehicle paid off. The Philadelphia Story would become one of the biggest movies of 1940, and Hepburn's career and public perception were back on track. Tracy is a divorcee living with her parents and her precocious younger sister, and she is engaged to be married again. This go-around she will marry George Kittredge, a dull businessman who dotes on her but who is out of place in the world of wealth which Tracy is accustomed to. When word of the wedding gets out, the publisher of Spy Magazine sends reporter Mike Connor (Stewart) and his girlfriend, photographer Liz Imbrie (Ruth Hussey), to cover it. To help facilitate getting Mike and Liz the inside scoop, the publisher is sending another employee of Spy Magazine with them. That employee is C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), Tracy Lord's first husband! This is screwball comedy at its finest. Hepburn is at the top of her game as she plays cat-and-mouse with Mike and Liz when they first meet Tracy. Soon, it becomes unclear who Tracy will end up with, as she discovers the depths of reporter Mike which she wasn't expecting. The two of them share a drunken evening together, the night before her wedding is supposed to take place. And of course, her feelings for her first husband are also reignited. While you know from the get-go that Tracy is never going to marry George… what you don't know is who she will end up with, or if she will end up with anyone at all. The suspense of how the tale will end beautifully lasts right up to the last few minutes of the movie. This is one of those truly iconic films that every true movie buff should see. It's one I'm disappointed I never made time for in the past. It is also one I will most certainly watch again. This is an undeniably perfect marriage of comedy storytelling, filmmaking, and acting.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/03/23

Full Review

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George Cukor

Director

Cary Grant

C. K. Dexter Haven

Katharine Hepburn

Tracy Samantha Lord

James Stewart

Mike Connor

Ruth Hussey

Liz Imbrie

John Howard

George Kittredge

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Pauline Kael

New Yorker

This is a paste diamond with more flash and sparkle than a true one. The director, George Cukor, has never been more heartlessly sure of him- self.

Jul 6, 2022

Full Review

Katherine Howard

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

Miss Hepburn has accomplished the thing she set out to do with both movie and stage play. She has made the showmen who labeled her boxofrice poison eat their words and rue the day they were ever so uncomplimentary.

Jun 10, 2021

Full Review

Mildred Martin

Philadelphia Inquirer

Barry's sprightly lines and the almost equally bright additional Stewart dialogue, of course, make the play the thing. But, frankly, it would be hard to imagine The Philadelphia Story without Katharine Hepburn.

Jun 10, 2021

Full Review

Cory Woodroof

For the Win (USA Today)

It’s an irresistible and painfully funny film, bolstered by one of the best love triangles you’re going to get in a romantic comedy. This one practically wrote the book on how the screwball comedy functions at its peak. It’s a must-see.

Jul 20, 2023

Full Review

Zita Short

InSession Film

Hepburn is a goddess, Stewart understands Connor’s purpose in the story, and Cukor masterfully pulls everything together.

Feb 7, 2023

Full Review

Matt Neal

ABC Radio (Australia)

Without its trio of legends and a few well-placed zingers, it would be long forgotten, lost in a mist of ideas that have aged like a banana in the sun.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 1, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

This classic romantic comedy focuses on Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn), a Philadelphia socialite who has split from her husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), due both to his drinking and to her overly demanding nature. As Tracy prepares to wed the wealthy George Kittredge (John Howard), she crosses paths with both Dexter and prying reporter Macaulay Connor (James Stewart). Unclear about her feelings for all three men, Tracy must decide whom she truly loves.

Director: George Cukor
Screenwriter: Philip Barry, Donald Ogden Stewart, Waldo Salt
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 1, 1940, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2008
Sound Mix: Mono

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