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The Philadelphia Story

  • 1940
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
71K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,666
609
Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Theatrical Trailer from MGM
Play trailer3:32
2 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyRomance

When a rich woman's ex-husband and a tabloid-type reporter turn up just before her planned remarriage, she begins to learn the truth about herself.When a rich woman's ex-husband and a tabloid-type reporter turn up just before her planned remarriage, she begins to learn the truth about herself.When a rich woman's ex-husband and a tabloid-type reporter turn up just before her planned remarriage, she begins to learn the truth about herself.

  • Director
    • George Cukor
  • Writers
    • Donald Ogden Stewart
    • Philip Barry
    • Waldo Salt
  • Stars
    • Cary Grant
    • Katharine Hepburn
    • James Stewart
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.9/10
    71K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,666
    609
    • Director
      • George Cukor
    • Writers
      • Donald Ogden Stewart
      • Philip Barry
      • Waldo Salt
    • Stars
      • Cary Grant
      • Katharine Hepburn
      • James Stewart
    • 272User reviews
    • 81Critic reviews
    • 96Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 5 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos2

    The Philadelphia Story
    Trailer 3:32
    Watch The Philadelphia Story
    The Philadelphia Story: They Grew Up Together
    Clip 1:25
    Watch The Philadelphia Story: They Grew Up Together

    Photos146

    Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
    Cary Grant and James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
    Cary Grant, James Stewart, and Ruth Hussey in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
    Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
    Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
    Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, and Ruth Hussey in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
    Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, John Howard, and Ruth Hussey in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
    Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, and John Howard in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
    Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
    722-1005 Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart in "The Philadelphia Story" 1940 MGM MPTV
    12011-1 James Stewart, Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn in "The Philadelphia Story" 1940 MGM
    722-1007 Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart in "The Philadelphia Story" 1940 MGM

    Top cast

    Edit
    Cary Grant
    Cary Grant
    • C. K. Dexter Haven
    Katharine Hepburn
    Katharine Hepburn
    • Tracy Samantha Lord
    James Stewart
    James Stewart
    • Macaulay 'Mike' Connor
    Ruth Hussey
    Ruth Hussey
    • Elizabeth 'Liz' Imbrie
    John Howard
    John Howard
    • George Kittredge
    Roland Young
    Roland Young
    • Uncle Willie
    John Halliday
    John Halliday
    • Seth Lord
    Mary Nash
    Mary Nash
    • Margaret Lord
    Virginia Weidler
    Virginia Weidler
    • Dinah Lord
    Henry Daniell
    Henry Daniell
    • Sidney Kidd
    Lionel Pape
    Lionel Pape
    • Edward
    Rex Evans
    • Thomas
    King Baggot
    King Baggot
    • Wedding Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Hillary Brooke
    Hillary Brooke
    • Main Line Society Woman
    • (uncredited)
    Veda Buckland
    • Elsie
    • (uncredited)
    Lita Chevret
    Lita Chevret
    • Manicurist
    • (uncredited)
    Russ Clark
    Russ Clark
    • John - Chauffeur
    • (uncredited)
    Sally Cleaves
    • Party Guest
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • George Cukor
    • Writers
      • Donald Ogden Stewart
      • Philip Barry
      • Waldo Salt(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film was shot in eight weeks, and required no retakes. During the scene where James Stewart hiccups when drunk, you can see Cary Grant looking down and grinning. Since the hiccup wasn't scripted, Grant was on the verge of breaking out laughing and had to compose himself quickly. Stewart (apparently spontaneously) thought of hiccuping in the drunk scene, without telling Grant. When he began hiccuping, Grant turned to Stewart, saying, "Excuse me." The scene required only one take.
    • Goofs
      When Mike has drunkenly woken Dexter up and barged into his home in the middle of the night, the top of Dexter's pajama shirt keeps changing from buttoned to unbuttoned.
    • Quotes

      Tracy Lord: The time to make up your mind about people is never.

    • Alternate versions
      Also available in a computer colorized version.
    • Connections
      Edited into Hollywood: The Dream Factory (1972)
    • Soundtracks
      Lydia, the Tattooed Lady
      (1939) (uncredited)

      Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg

      Music by Harold Arlen

      Performed by Virginia Weidler (vocal and piano)

    User reviews272

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Dictating her own comeback
    After Katharine Hepburn was one of a group of stars dictated "box office poison" by the ruling moguls of Hollywood she went east and scored a complete triumph on stage with The Philadelphia Story. But our Kate was the shrewd one, she had the foresight to buy the film rights from author Philip Barry and peddle them to the studio that would guarantee her repeating her stage role and giving her creative control.

    On stage she had co-starred with Joseph Cotten, Van Heflin, and Shirley Booth all of whom became movie names later on, but meant nothing to Hollywood in 1940. She had the choice of leading men and cast in their places, Cary Grant, James Stewart and Ruth Hussey.

    This was Grant's fourth and final appearance on screen with Hepburn. It's a typical Cary Grant part, witty and urbane, with a touch of the rogue in him. He's Hepburn's ex-husband, still very much in love with his ex-wife, but she's marrying stuffed shirt John Howard.

    Reporter James Stewart and photographer Ruth Hussey are covering Hepburn's wedding for Spy Magazine, the National Enquirer of the day. Through a little judicious blackmail they're invited to this premier society wedding, but both feel out of place and used.

    After The Philadelphia Story, Katharine Hepburn was a movie name the rest of her long life. Even with an occasional clinker no one ever questioned her about being box office poison.

    James Stewart won the Best Actor Oscar in probably the most romantic he was ever on the screen. A lot felt it was a consolation Oscar for not winning it for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in 1939. Stewart himself proclaimed to all who'd listen that he voted for good friend Henry Fonda in the Academy Sweepstakes for The Grapes of Wrath. I've always felt that when Stewart talked about those hearth fires banked down low to Hepburn, he was really talking about himself. He's a cynical fellow at first and his romantic side comes as a surprise to him more than even the audience.

    The Philadelphia Story has become such a classic that even the musical remake High Society doesn't try to copy it, it just presents a softer musical alternative. But I'd kind of liked to have seen Hepburn do this with her original cast as well. Oscars were in the future for Van Heflin and Shirley Booth and Joseph Cotten the following year made his debut in the biggest film of all.
    helpful•67
    11
    • bkoganbing
    • Nov 12, 2005

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    FAQ6

    • In what year or era is this Movie set? Was it considered a modern movie in it's day?
    • Is 'The Philadelphia Story' based on a book?
    • What song was playing during the ball? It sounds like a Cole Porter tune.

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 17, 1941 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Die Nacht vor der Hochzeit
    • Filming locations
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $944,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $404,524
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $258,994
      • Feb 18, 2018
    • Gross worldwide
      • $411,663
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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