The Philadelphia Story

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Sabrina C @SabrinaCheek Jan 17 I had high expectations going into this, especially with such a legendary cast, and they splattered from stories high. Every performance was immaculate, I particularly liked Jimmy Stewart in this film. It isn't too often he played just straight comedy, so it's a treat when you get something like this. However, I felt no connection to the story or the characters. The hate for Liz felt outdated, and frankly sexist, making the love triangle feel more like an arrangement than a romance. The long rants given to her, referring to her as a cold "Queen" or a "Goddess" felt strange, because the film never showed her act in that manner. Anyone she was "cold" to deserved it. Her father was having an affair, and her ex husband was a drunk. I don't understand how she is the bad guy? And that ending... If she ended up with Jimmy Stewart's character, who was set up to UNDERSTAND her, everything would have clicked. They backed out last minute, I imagine to subdue the "scandal" of divorce See more L S @sp1np0rtal1 Dec 17 Mike’s return to Liz feels like a "consolation prize." In the reality version: By Mike seeing the "Fake Wedding," he realizes the high-society world is absurd. When he looks at Liz, it’s not because he lost Tracy; it’s because he realizes Liz is the only real person in the room. It gives Mike and Liz their own growth arc without a single line of dialogue—just a look. Since Dexter and Tracy "wed" w/o a license, the optics are moral. The "Dry Pact" is seen as a virtuous reform. It fixes the "Victim Blaming" and gives Tracy agency. It acknowledges the complexity of addiction and recovery. Cary Grant fans are appeased: He still "gets the girl," but he has to earn her, which makes his character more heroic. This preserves the "Sparkling Wit" and the "Champagne" energy of Act 1 but grounds it in Emotional Intelligence. It makes the rapid-fire dialogue feel like a precursor to a high-level business merger rather than just a bunch of people shouting at each other. See more Mitch S @sp1np0rtal Dec 17 Dexter and Tracy Lord's remarriage is a sham and would end in less than 2 years. Here is the "Adult" version of the movie that Hollywood was too afraid to make. It replaces the frantic, childish "I do!" with a sophisticated, high-stakes negotiation. By making the wedding a "Strategic Truce" and using Mike as a "What If," hedge, Tracy is transformed from a woman being bullied into a woman who has successfully stabilized a volatile situation. 1. The "Dry Pact" (The Real Stakes) In the original, the movie ignores Dexter’s alcoholism as soon as he becomes "funny" again. In a reality version, the Dry Pact gives the relationship weight. The Conflict: Dexter has to prove he can stay sober and non-violent without a "Goddess" to blame. The Power Shift: Tracy isn't "taking him back"; she is granting him a one-year conditional lease on her life. 2. Tracy patrons Mike as a Check/Hedge 3. The Mike & Liz "Smoldering Glance" See more Mason M @RT73597940 Oct 15 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. See more Polina S @RT84619064 Sep 11 Fantastic movie. One of the best comedies ever. Beautiful videography, costumes and setting, fantastic acting, clever characters and great plot. Loved it! See more Curtis M @RT24102748 Jul 11 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 performance 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. The film also 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 all at once. Overall, The Philadelphia Story was a surprisingly enjoyable watch and possesses a certain charm that’s certainly hard to come by in films nowadays. See more Read all reviews

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