THE PHILADELPHIA STORY BEST COMEDY, 1940 - 5 stars PERFECT COMEDY, AND WITH A MESSAGE! If you think The Philadelphia Story is just a wonderfully sophisticated, perfectly written, perfectly performed comedy about an aloof and spoiled society girl (Hepburn), her likeable but alcoholic ex-husband (Grant), her newly acquainted admirer (Stewart), her philandering father and overly proper mother, her man-of-the-people fiancé, and a host of other wonderful characters - you’re mistaken. There’s a message here, and it’s just as wonderful as the writing, directing and acting. Tracy Lord (Hepburn) believes that Truth is everything, and she has sacrificed her marriage to C. K. Dexter Haven (Grant) to prove it. Various characters in the film compare her to a cold and unfeeling statue or a lofty goddess in a hilltop shrine. Her father, on the other hand, believes that Grace is everything, and proves it by having a notorious affair with a New York dancer. This difference causes the primary conflict in the film, and its need to be resolved is what gives the film its delightful situations. Enter C. K. Dexter Haven on the eve of his ex-wife’s marriage, with writer Macauley Connor (Stewart) and photographer Miss Embry (Hussey) in tow. They’ve been sent there  - blackmailed, really - by Spy Magazine editor Sidney Kidd (Daniell) to cover the event, and thereby keep him from printing a story on Tracy’s father. Over the course of the weekend, Dexter adds the wise-cracks and insights that help Tracy figure out who she is and what she wants, and Macauley adds the catalyst to help her figure out who she isn’t and what she doesn’t want. Everyone sparkles in this film and every line is the epitome of wit and innuendo. Besides the three stars, standouts are Roland Young as Uncle Willie and Virginia Weidler as Tracy’s younger sister, Dina. In the end, Tracy finds the balance between Grace and Truth, her father is accepted back into the family (though he doesn’t seem especially repentant), Tracy accepts her ex-husband C. K. back, and Macauley and Miss Embry end up with who they should - each other. All the way around, it’s a fun, happy, witty film with a good message about balancing the seeming opposites of Grace and Truth. Waitsel Smith, October 10, 2005 Text © 2005 Waitsel Smith. Image © 2005 Warner Home Video. All Rights Reserved.

close window

make a comment

order DVD