Actors - The Philadelphia Story

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	Actors - The Philadelphia Story

The Philadelphia Story is a 1940 romantic screwball comedy starring Jimmy Stewart, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. Based on the play of the same name by Philip Barry, the film is about a bride-to-be whose plans are complicated by the simultaneous arrival of her cynical but romantic ex-husband (Grant), and a cynical but romantic journalist (Stewart). The film co-starred Ruth Hussey, Mary Nash, Roland Young, Virginia Weidler and Henry Daniell.

History

The film was based on a play by the same title in which Hepburn had also starred. Howard Hughes bought the rights to the film as a gift to Hepburn and when a studio decided to make a movie out of it, she came with it. Hepburn initially wanted Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy for the male leads but they were not available.

Synopsis

Tracy Lord (Hepburn), is a wealthy "main line" Philadelphian socialite who has divorced C.K. Dexter Haven (Grant) and is about to marry nouveau riche George Kittredge (John Howard). Wedding preparations are complicated when she is blackmailed into granting an exclusive story to tabloid reporter Macaulay Connor (Stewart) and photographer Elizabeth Imbrie (Hussey). In exchange for letting the event be covered by Spy magazine, the antics of Tracy's philandering father will not be exposed. Dexter has helped cook up this scheme and does everything he can to derail the marriage because he still loves Tracy. As the wedding nears, Tracy finds herself torn between Macaulay, Dexter and George.

Awards and honors

The film won Academy Awards for James Stewart (Best Actor), and screenwriter Donald Ogden Stewart (Best Adapted Screenplay). It also received Academy Award nominations for George Cukor (Best Director) Katharine Hepburn (Best Actress), Ruth Hussey (Best Supporting Actress), and Best Picture (Joseph L. Mankiewicz - producer).

The film was deemed "culturally significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. It was remade in 1956 as a musical titled High Society
, starring Grace Kelly in Hepburn's role.

Cast

Cary Grant
as C. K. Dexter Haven
Katharine Hepburn
as Tracy Lord
James Stewart as Macaulay Connor
Ruth Hussey
as Elizabeth Imbrie
John Howard as George Kittredge
Roland Young
as Uncle Willie
John Halliday as Seth Lord
Mary Nash as Margaret Lord
Virginia Weidler
as Dinah Lord
Henry Daniell as Sidney Kidd

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for The Philadelphia Story ]

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