Movie Review - The Philadelphia Story (1940)
A romantic comedy classic directed by George Cukor and adapted to the screen by Donald Ogden Stewart from Philip Barry's Broadway hit play. Although Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart share top billing with Katherine Hepburn, this is clearly Hepburn's movie. The story revolves around her profound transformation from an “ice queen” to a warm human being who discovers what true love is -- which proves to be her ultimate salvation. The movie opens with a scene of marital disaster -- that legendary scene in which Cary Grant (playing the C. K. Dexter Haven), before leaving his home for good, palms Katherine Hepburn's face and pushes her down to the floor. But that does not happen before Hepburn (playing Tracy Lord, Dexter's wife), drives him mad by throwing out his pipe set and breaking his golf club as Dexter is trying to get into his car and leave the unhappy marriage behind. It must have been such a sacrilege to break an honorable man's pipes and wooden golf clubs back in the 40s. These days real men neither smoke smelly pipes nor own wooden golf clubs. They don't shove their wives rudely on to the floor either. Fast forward to two years later. Tracy is about to marry her new sweetheart George Kittredge (played by John Howard) who is a very proper gentlemen crazy for the appearances. Since Tracy comes from a blue-blood upper-crust family, her marriage is exactly the stuff the tabloids thrive on. Back then, the gossip-monger photo tabloid of the day happens to be the "Spy Magazine". Spy's unscrupulous Editor Sidney Kidd decides to send a cracker jack team of photographer Elizabeth "Liz" Imbrie (played by Ruth Hussey) and the writer from the other side of the tracks with serious literary ambitions, Macaulay “Mike” Connor (James Stewart) to cover this high-society event with as many scandalous details and photographs as possible. It is interesting to note that the “Editor Sidney Kidd” character is very similar to the one Cary Grant himself has played in another film released the same year, HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940). However, the Editor needs a ruse to slip Liz and Macaulay into the Lord mansion in the northern suburbs of Philadelphia (hence the name of film) in the eve of Tracy's marriage. Enter Dexter, who is itching to get back even with Tracy. Tracy's brother Junius is employed by the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires. With Kidd's direction, Dexter introduces himself to Mike and Liz as the Spy Magazine's Buenos Aires Bureau Chief and a friend of Junius. That will be their cover story to slip into the Lord estate. Questionable plot point: Dexter is actually coerced into this role by Kidd's blackmail. If Dexter refuses to cooperate, Kidd threatens to publish the full story of a potentially damaging illicit affair involving Tray's father Seth Lord (John Halliday). So why should a divorced man care about the reputation of his ex father-in-law? Is it because Dexter has not lost faith in his eventual reunion with his ex-wife and thus tries to protect the reputation of a family that he hopes to rejoin in the near future? Could be. Otherwise the blackmail does not really make sense. Both Tracy and her parents are surprised to see Dexter back in their house and Mike and Liz's cover are soon debunked. However, due to an unexpected development Mike is not chased right away from the Lord estate – Tracy and Mike are drawn to one another in a summer romance that does not go further than a few kisses and a midnight dip in the swimming pool. But it is enough to propel the story towards both Dexter's and George's reactions. The Tracy-George-Mike-Dexter love quadrangle evolves within the larger context of Tracy's personal transformation. No less than three men (Dexter, her father Seth and Mike) tell her in no uncertain terms the kind of royally spoiled and controlling personality she has. The indictment, issued by different parties but delivered the same way, forces Tracy to rethink who she is and where she is heading in life. She wants to be happy but doesn't know quite how and now realizes that her “ice queen” attitude and sense of entitlement might be a part of her misery. Cary Grant's Dexter is portrayed with much gentle humor (as usual with almost all Grant roles). But this Dexter fellow is nothing if not persistent and self-assured. He is like a farmer waiting for the golden fruit to fall into his lap when its ripe. Nothing fazes him – neither Tracy's upcoming marriage with George, nor her brief involvement with Mike. He is a character who mostly listens, observes, and reacts with a know-it-all snicker that I have not seen in any of his other movies. When George pulls out of the marriage at the last moment, Tracy proposes to Mike. Dexter still keeps his cool as a guy who has seen the future and the future belongs to him. When Mike turns her down because he feels their brief fling (and the immense social gap between the socialite Tracy and the working stiff Mike) is not a good enough reason for marriage, Dexter is the only groom candidate left standing. At the end of the movie, Tracy's character transformation is complete. She realizes the number of hearts she has broken in the past with her tempestuous temperament and decides what matters most in life is love and living in peace with the one who truly loves her and has never forgotten her – Dexter. The following scene in which she makes full peace with her father Seth pretty much summarizes the gist of her transformation: Tracy Lord: How do I look? Seth Lord: Like a queen - like a goddess. Tracy Lord: And do you know how I feel? Seth Lord: How? Tracy Lord: Like a human being. Seth Lord: Do you know how I feel? Tracy: How? Seth Lord: Proud. Given the reputation of this film as one of the classics of Hollywood history one wonders why a slightly above average romantic comedy with some smart and funny dialog is accorded such privileged status. My answer is, yes, there are many films out there shot during the 40s that are equally funny (and equally removed from the daily concerns and background of an average middle class movie fan) but rare indeed is the one in which we see such a touching character arc. It is Katherine Hepburn's fantastic performance that speaks to us at an emotional level and makes us root for her “deliverance from herself.” If it weren't for Hepburn, this is a 5-out-of-10 product. But Hepburn's scintillating and convincing performance lifts it to a solid 8. ----------------------------------------------------------- Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a Creative Copywriter, Editor, an experienced and award-winning Senior Technical Communicator specializing in fundraising packages, direct sales copy, web content, press releases, movie reviews and hi-tech documentation. He has worked as a Technical Writer for Fortune 100 corporations since 1999. He is the editor of PRIVATE TUTOR FOR SAT MATH SUCCESS web site http://www.privatetutor.us In addition to being an Ezine Articles Expert Author, he is also a Senior Member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC), and a Member of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI). A true movie fan since he was a child, Akinci provides FREE MOVIE PLOT IDEAS every day of the year at SCRIPT BOILER. Visit http://scriptboiler.blogspot.com today. You are most welcomed to visit his COPYWRITING WEB SITE http://www.writer111.com for more information on his multidisciplinary background, writing career, and client testimonials. |
Other Golf Betting Articles
The Best Birthday Celebration for Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille O'Neal has quite a celebration for his 34th birthday; he decided to go with a great victory for his team O'Neal was accountable for scoring a total of eight points in overtime and finished with a season-high 35 as the Heat once again beat a poorer opponent the NBA Charlotte Bobcats.This is the second straight NBA game that Shaqu ...Boston Celtics Basketball: Early 2005 Season Analysis Antoine Walker and Gary Payton had experience, but also had big egos and ample contracts. Danny Ainge knew that chemistry was a problem last year, and did away with the two like Minnesota did with Cassell and Sprewell. Now the team is completely in Paul Pierce’s hands, and the roster really is aimed for the future.The team is young and in ...The Ways Golfers Screw Up The biggest problem with us golfers, I suspect, is that we are eternally hopeful and anyone who plays the game demonstrates time and again that old adage about re-marrying – it demonstrates the triumph of optimism over experience.Despite the fact that the game can make happy men very old, that the best we manage is to ride the crest of a ...Don't Panic Just Yet Met Fans The last few days have featured some of the Mets worst baseball of the season. With Pedro likely headed to the DL for the 2nd time this season, joining Cliff Floyd, the Mets have dropped their first two games at Philadelphia by a combined score of 24-4. Pedro only lasted one inning before being removed with an injured calf and El Duque set a Met ...Bellsouth Classic Preview To play or not to play? The question pertains to this week’s Bellsouth Classic for those players who are scheduled to compete in The Masters next week. Fine tuning their game at Sugarloaf or at the range is the decision that needs to be made for the majority of the 103 players teeing it up at the season’s first major. It seems to be a split deci ...How To Bet On Golf: The Nassau For most of us, golf is an individual -- not a team -- game. Each golfer in your group is playing against the course, and nothing that they do has any real impact on your own game. You can actually play your regular group without ever talking.But because of this, golfers always are looking for ways to add some interaction to the game. Bes ...Six Advantages of Online Sports Betting Today millions of people log online to conduct their sports betting. Billions of dollars are wagered each year. There are many benefits to sports betting that can only be found online. The following are six of the top advantages to sbetting online.One of the greatest advantages is convenience. Using the internet, you can place a bet any t ...Selecting The Right Putter For Your Game Buying a putter that’s right for you isn’t easy. You need to do your homework to find one that fits both your budget and your game, which means learning the different types of putters and clubheads available and their advantages. But doing your homework is worth it because having a good putter, as I often say in my golf lessons, shaves strokes o ...Saratoga Springs, NY: A European-Style City in a Uniquely American Setting George Washington not only slept here, he brought his friends along and partied. “Here” is Saratoga Springs, New York, famous for its mineral waters, horse racing and fashionable culture. Since just after the Revolutionary War, the rich and powerful in American society have been flocking to the Saratoga region. Today, the wealthier classes still ...The Flintstones (DVD) Review Turning the television world flat on its head, The Flintstones became the first animated hit series in prime time history. Set in the Stone Age town of Bedrock, the show explored the lives of ancient cave dwellers through the lens of a modern lifestyle, with bird beaks acting as phonograph needles, elephant trunks as vacuum cleaners, and firefli ...Casinos and the Coushatta Reservation Karla Y. Phelps, "The Casino, the Coushatta, and the Community: Road to Riches or Road to Ruin?" Touchstone, vol. XIX (2000), 23-38.This article by Karla Phelps examines the socioeconomic and political impact the Grand Casino Coushatta has had on the Coushatta reservation and the surrounding community in Allen Parish. Phelps discus ...What Does NASCAR Stand For? To the non-fan, NASCAR stands for "Non Athletic Sport Centered Around Rednecks"....it's real meaning is "National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing". To corporate America it stands for "Big Business"NASCAR and their premier division "Nextel Cup" is the second most watched sport in America, only the NFL tops ...Golf Games Golf is a game that originated in Scotland, but is played throughout the world. Golf is an international game today and there are worldwide championships for professional golf like the Masters, the Open Championship, the US Open and the PGA Championship. Golf is generally considered to be an elite game, but there are many kinds of golf games tha ...The Great White North Dream Team Team Canada is looking to repeat thier Gold Medal performance in Turin in the upcoming Olympics. The 2002 Victory in Salt Lake City over USA was the first on 50 yrs for the country that brought this great game to life. Canada along with the Czech Republic and Russia are the early favorites, but in the Olympics one-game situation a lot of teams ...Virtual Reality Golf Games According to common belief, golf is a rich man's game, but not anymore. Anyone can play it, and virtual reality lets you do so without even leaving your home. Even for those of you who have never been ardent golf fans, these games might prove to be quite addictive.Virtual golf games have an amazing level of detail. It's been proven that ...David Wells Apologizes For Criticism When Commissioner Bud Selig told the Yankees to remove their apology sign regarding the star players who chose to play in the World Baseball Classic, David Wells was not happy about the commissioner’s opinions. Apparently David Wells was so upset about the issue that he told a reporter that Bud Selig should resign. Wells was quoted stating he ...Bay Hill Invitational: Human Interest I thought the Olympics were over. But with Jimmy Roberts, the Olympics are never over because human-interest stories never end. Jimmy Roberts could find drama in a coin toss.During last week's coverage of the Honda Classic, NBC tossed to the Roberts package, which started in typically gripping fashion: "There's a strong gust of irony here ...Fantasy Baseball Exploding In Popularity Fantasy baseball has been around for decades. Fantasy baseball was once relegated to die hard stat crunchers who would have to sift through box scores and countless other sources to keep track of their teams. With the rise of the internet, Fantasy Baseball is now available to countless millions around the world and is increasingly becoming a f ...The International I can understand when people, on air and around the water cooler, call for a worthy adversary for Tiger. I was a Celtics fan when I was a kid in the 80s. I saw them win three championships out of five. That was sweet for many reasons, at or near the top of which is that they had their adversary. The Lakers and Celtics met head-to-head in the fin ...Everybody Loves Raymond (Season 2) DVD Review First telecast in the Fall of 1996, Everybody Loves Raymond became an instant favorite among TV audiences, a love affair that would last for nine memorable seasons. Following on the heels of a series of successful sitcoms starring stand-up comics - Seinfeld, Home Improvement, The Drew Carey Show, etc., Everybody Loves Raymond drew upon the comed ...Tiger Woods Wins Again Tiger Woods today strolled to his second British Open Golf title finishing fourteen shots under par, five shots ahead of the veteran, the Scot Colin Montgomerie. It was Tiger’s tenth success in major tournaments and now only Walter Hagen’s eleven majors, and Jack Nicklaus’s total of eighteen lie ahead of him.Earlier in the week on the Fri ...Golf Is Better When Stars Make Cuts I can't believe there's a debate over whether it's good or bad for the PGA Tour when top players like Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh miss the cut, like they did last week at Disney. What this boils down to is this: who would you rather see play, Tiger or Wes Short, Jr.?If there's any hesitation in that answer you are decidedly in the "it's g ...The Dish: Nothing Korny When ESPN announced Tony Kornheiser would man the Monday Night Football booth, I smiled.I used to watch Pardon The Interruption all the time, and while its formula has gotten old and tired (perhaps primarily because the wizards at ESPN Original Entertainment have sucked the life out of it by trying to apply it to just about every other sh ...Your Online Gambling Environment Ready to start gambling online? The difference between gambling online and gambling in a casino is like the difference between night and day. Casinos are designed to distract you from everything except gambling. Drinks are served regularly, people add to the crowd, and the smell and touch of money gets everyone excited. As casino owners know, th ...
|
