The Philadelphia Story

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The Philadelphia Story

1940

1h 52m

Romance

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

104 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

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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Pauline Kael

The 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

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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

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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

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Rachel Wagner

Hallmarkies Podcast

a dream cast, great movie

Apr 7, 2025

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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

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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

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Mason M

I'll say this film was a bit weird for me, because I don't think it's quite deserving of a rave review from me, but I also don't believe it's worth anything less than this score. The Philadelphia Story was a fun little watch that can be dry at times, but has enough good components to be great. The strongest part of the film was definitely Jimmy Stewart, one of the greatest comedic actors ever in a starring role. He's great and hilarious as always. Though I didn't have much to connect to personally with the plot, I did find it very entertaining. It does a good job managing the complex twist of characters while still making it enjoyable and natural. And though not all parts of the film were dripping with content, the sequence at night and the ending were good enough to keep this film great.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/15/25

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Polina S

Fantastic movie. One of the best comedies ever. Beautiful videography, costumes and setting, fantastic acting, clever characters and great plot. Loved it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/11/25

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Curtis H

“The Philadelphia Story” features standout performances from its already stellar cast. Katharine Hepburn is pitch-perfect as Tracy—she was born for the role. However, it’s James Stewart’s brilliant turn as Mike that truly steals the show, with his electrifying chemistry with Hepburn. Cary Grant shines as the ever-charming, meddling ex-husband, while Ruth Hussey and Virginia Weidler also leave a lasting impression in their supporting roles. I thoroughly enjoyed many scenes in The Philadelphia Story, and it had me laughing more than a few times. It’s an emotional rollercoaster that I didn’t want to get off. The film does a fantastic job of keeping the audience engaged as it builds toward the main event, making it all the more entertaining to watch everything unravel at once.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/06/25

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Stephen C

Funny in 1 hour and 52 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/03/25

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Pete B

The best comedy ever made. Acting chemistry abounds.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/20/25

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Garrett B

Hepburn, Stewart, and Grant shine in The Philadelphia Story.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/14/25

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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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
Producer: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
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
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Mono

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