Rating: 
Summary: A REAL COMIC GEM!
Review: "The Philadelphia Story" concerns itself with Tracy Lord (Katherine Hepburn), a spoiled socialite scheduled to remarry when her first husband, C.K. Dexterhaven (Cary Grant)shows up to pitch some rice and mayhem. Add to the mix, Mike Connor (James Stewart) a reporter who is supposed to be covering the wedding for the tabloids but winds up falling for Tracy himself.
The play on which the movie is based has an interesting backstory. At this point in her career, for various reasons, Katherine Hepburn had been branded "box office poison". Unable to find suitable work in Hollywood, Ms. Hepburn decided to do the next best thing - get playwrite, Philip Barry to write her a hit. And so he did. The Broadway production of "The Philadelphia Story" was a phenomenal success. However, when L.B. Mayer, the head of MGM, decided that he simply had to have the rights to the play he discovered that Barry didn't own them - Katherine Hepburn did. Hence, the only way to make the movie was to cast box office poison in the lead. What good fortune that he did, since the film revitalized Katherine Hepburn's image with the movie going public and launched her career through another six decades of wonderful performances.
Now, about the DVD. Warner Home Video has inherited another MGM Home Video import with "The Philadelphia Story". Having said that, this one's pretty good looking. Yes, there is fine grain, dirt, scratches and aging present throughout. There's also some rare instances of edge enhancement and shimmering details. But these are minute and do not distract one from enjoying this fantastic film. The gray scale (it's a B&W movie) is well balanced. Contrast and shadow levels are accurately defined. The soundtrack is mono as originally recorded. At times there is a slight background hiss that crops up but overall, the audio is remarkably well represented. There are no extras.
BOTTOM LINE: YES.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the great comedies of all time
Review: In 1940, Katherine Hepburn's movie career was in desperate condition. Her 1938 film BRINGING UP BABY, although recognized as a Howard Hawks's masterpiece today, was at the time a box office failure. The failure signaled the temporary end of demand for her talents in Hollywood, although she had HOLIDAY in the can (and costarring, like both BRINGING UP BABY and THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, Cary Grant). So, she went back to the stage, in a play written specifically for her, and the subsequent hit was an unexpected and triumphant return to the screen for Hepburn. Her career never looked back again, especially when two years later she teamed with Spencer Tracy for the first time. Ironically, she originally requested that Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy play the Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart roles.THE PHILADELPHIA STORY is such an extraordinarily well-done film that one can watch it repeatedly, reveling each time in new and hidden details. It strikes the perfect balance of being spectacularly well-acted, hysterically funny, and delightfully silly while maintaining an elegant veneer. The cast is nearly overwhelming in its quality, with Hepburn and Grant turning in especially fine performances. Jimmy Stewart is also superb, though he won an Oscar for this year that he probably didn't deserve. The Academy in 1940 may have been giving him the award as an apology for not having won the year before for MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON. Unfortunately, this meant that Jimmy Stewart's best friend Henry Fonda failed to win for one of the finest performances in the history of American cinema, as Tom Joad in THE GRAPES OF WRATH. Still, although the Oscar clearly should have gone to Fonda, Stewart manages a great turn. He and Grant manage a great moment when Stewart adlibbed a hiccup, and Grant, not batting an eye, adlibbed, "Excuse me." The rest of the cast is flawless. Too many excel to mention, but special mention must be made of Roland Young as Uncle Willie, Virginia Weidler in a marvelous turn as Tracy Lord's precocious younger sister, and the erstwhile Errol Flynn nemesis Henry Daniell as the devious and unscrupulous Sidney Kidd. Although this film holds up magnificently upon reviewings, there is nothing like seeing it for the first time. I remember vividly how exciting it was to watch this in the lamentably demised Lincoln Theater in New Haven, Connecticut, having absolutely no idea how the film was going to end only five minutes before the closing credits. Who will Tracy marry? Will she marry? How will the film managed to tie up all the loose ends. I have a list of my all time favorite lines from films. One of my favorites comes from this one. On the morning after Tracy has gotten rip-roaringly drunk, she has almost no memories of what happened, but what she does recall makes her fear that she might have been in a compromising situation with Jimmy Stewart. After Stewart assures the confused and fearful Tracy Lord that nothing happened because she was drunk and "there are rules about that sort of thing," the infinitely relieved Tracy says, "I think men are wonderful." The film has managed to permeate our culture in subtle ways, from inspiring musical remakes, to providing famous adult movie stars with their names, to providing foundations for jokes (in the Rocky and Bullwinkle adventure "The Ruby Yacht of Omar Khayyam," whenever Bullwinkle sees his jewel encrusted small boat, he mutters under his breath, "Yar, yar").
Rating:
Summary: The Philadelphia Story
Review: The film opens with Tracy Lord throwing C. K. Dexter Haven out of the house, breaking one of his golf clubs over her knee in the process. He responds by putting his hand on her face and pushing her over. This is a superb opening scene and if you don't want to keep watching after that I'd be surprised! Two years later, it is the eve of Tracy's wedding to George Kittredge, a self made man and wannabe politician.
Enter ex-husband Dexter who agrees to help Sidney Kidd, editor of Spy Magazine, introduce two reporters into the high society wedding. Kidd has otherwise threatened to expose Tracy's father's dalliance with an exotic dancer. The two reporters are Macaulay Connor (Mike), a writer who thinks the upper class are all worthless; and Liz Imbrie the photographer, who is in love with Mike.
Tracy has apparently divorced Dexter because of his drinking. "I thought it was for life but the nice judge gave me a full pardon", she says in one of their fiery exchanges. However, throughout the film we are shown Tracy as a very aloof and cold person. Dexter says that she is generous to a fault, "except to other people's faults" and it emerges that this failing is the real reason for the divorce.
That night Tracy, who usually never drinks, starts on the champagne as if it were going out of fashion. Mike, who has also had too much to drink, ends up going for a swim with Tracy at which point the alcohol really hits her. He carries her back to the house where they are met by Dexter and George in the early hours of the morning. Needless to say, George immediately thinks the worst. So does Tracy the next morning when she wakes with an enormous hangover and no memory of the previous night's events.
However, Mike eventually reveals to George that the affair consisted only of "two kisses and a rather light swim". "Why, was I so unattractive?" bridles Tracy. Tracy decides not to marry George, because he has assumed that she has had an affair with Mike. The Wedding March starts as the groom exits stage left. What happens next? Well, let's just say, there's still a happy ending!
This film is a joy to watch, the dialogue is magic, especially between Dexter and Tracy. The acting is spot on, Cary excels as the suave, debonair and unruffled Dexter, Hepburn is perfect as the ice goddess who melts into a human being and Jimmy Stewart's drunk is hilarious.
Rating:
Summary: The Philadelphia Story
Review: One of my favorite movies of all-time. Simply every performance is flawless and every character has such a charisma! Of course we are talking about 3 actors who are virtually unparrelled in the art of charisma - Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart. The first time I saw this film I was blown away by the fast-paced dialogue that is so witty and sarcastic that it rivals anything writers have even attempted today. The thing I liked most about the film was that the romance between Hepburn and Stewart seemed totally real, the look that Stewart gives Hepburn when they're in the library she's telling him about his book is simply genious! Undeniably one of the greatest movies to ever grace the screen!
Rating:
Summary: The cast is wonderful!
Review: Every time I rented this, I would watch it at least twice if not more. I decided it was time to purchase it instead. It is lighthearted and fun and just plain entertaining.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice DVD
Review: The film is, of course, wonderful. What you probably want to know is that the DVD is a nice clean transfer with great contrast. On a big screen it almost looks like you're watching it on a film print. If you like screw-ball comedies or happen to be a fan of the stars, definately get this DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Enchanting!
Review: In the Philadelphia Story, Katherine Hepburn stars as Tracy Lord, one of Philadelphia's socialites. Tracy is about to marry a rich industrialist, George Kittredge (John Howard). Her ex-husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), shows up on the day before her wedding with a newspaper reporter, Macaulay "Mike" Connor (James Stewart) and photographer, Liz Imbrie (Ruth Hussey) with a proposition for Tracy. Since she kicked him out of the house years earlier, C.K. blackmails her into having her wedding day covered by the two reporters for Spy, a gossip magazine. As the plots begin to twist and love's in the air, who will Tracy marry? This is a funny, distinctive and romantic classic! You can't go wrong with Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart (who won an Oscar for his flawless performance) as the three lead characters. They're all ideal in their roles. The supporting cast is wonderful, too. Especially Virginia Weidler as Dinah Lord, Tracy's younger sister. The Philadelphia Story is a must-see classic!
Rating:
Summary: The Philadelphia Story
Review: The Philadelphia Story is a wonderful romantic-comedy starring Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart. This classic is about a young rich heiress who is planning her wedding. However, when her ex-husband and two tabloid writers show up things get a little crazy. Before the wedding the woman, Hepburn, becomes unsure of who she really wants to marry as she jumps from one love-struck man to the next. The movie includes a wonderfully hilarious scene where Kate and Jimmy Stuart's characters are drunk. The Philadelphia Story is one of the best romantic comedies to come out of that time.
Rating:
Summary: Good screen adaptation of the play
Review: Tracy Lords is getting married again. This time to a man who worked his way to the top instead of starting there. Dexter her first husband invites himself to the wedding and the wedding preparations. Also inviting their selves with a little blackmail to the wedding is a writer, and cameraman, from a magazine of dubious reputation. Throw in a philandering father and a friendly uncle. We watch as they go through the motions and emotions of courting and re-evaluating their lives.
This is basically a comedy and yes it has all the actors and writers to make this a piece of cinematic art. However you will find it is just fun to watch.
Rating:
Summary: A Comedy With a Heart
Review: I first watched this movie expecting a riotous screwball comedy. I was disappointed. This may not be one of the funniest comedies ever made, but it is certainly one of the best. Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart all turn out first-rate performances. Cary Grant especially caught my eye, however. His part is surprisingly small in the movie as far as the number of lines he has or the amount of screen time. But he conveys so much emotion with just a few words or even a glance. This is, in my opinion, his best role. He seems to just be there to provide a few quips here and there, but if you look closer you can see his disgust for the society he lives in and the pain he feels to see his only true love to be married to someone else. Hepburn and Grant are the two who propel the film forward. Grant is madly in love with his ex-wife in spite of her flaws while Hepburn feels that she can only love a perfect man. They are so completely opposite that they belong together, which is why the ending is so suspenseful (I won't give anything away.) These are real people--real people who are clever and funny, perhaps, but real just the same--which is why we don't remember the laughs so much as the tears. I think most everyone can identify with Grant because everyone has loved someone who doesn't love them. Everyone has had to give their own happiness up for the one they love, even if they get nothing in return. And everyone wants a happy ending.
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