THE PHILADELPHIA STORY [1940 / 2017] [The Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray] [USA Release] Hollywood’s Screwball Howling Run Away Comedy Hit!
With this furiously witty comedy of manners, Katherine Hepburn revitalized her career and cemented her status as the era’s most iconic leading lady — thanks in great part to her own shrewd orchestrations. While starring in the Philip Barry stage play “The Philadelphia Story,” where Katherine Hepburn acquired the screen rights, handpicking her friend George Cukor to direct. The intoxicating screenplay by Donald Ogden Stewart pits the formidable Philadelphia socialite Tracy Lord Haven [Katharine Hepburn], at her most luminous and against various romantic foils, chief among them her charismatic ex-husband C. K. Dexter Haven [Cary Grant], who disrupts her imminent marriage by paying her family estate a visit, accompanied by a tabloid reporter on assignment to cover the wedding of the year Macaulay “Mike” Connor [James Stewart], in his only Academy Award® winning performance. A fast-talking screwball comedy as well as a tale of regret and reconciliation, this convergence of golden-age talent is one of the greatest American films of all time.
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FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1940 New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Win: Best Actress for Katharine Hepburn. Nominated: Best Film. 1941 Academy Awards®: Win: Best Actor in a Leading Role for James Stewart. Win: Best Writing and Screenplay for Donald Ogden Stewart. Nominated: Best Picture. Nominated: Best Actress in a Leading Role for Katharine Hepburn. Nominated: Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Ruth Hussey. Nominated: Best Director for George Cukor. 1995 National Film Preservation Board, USA: Win: National Film Registry for the film ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY.’ 2016 Online Film & Television Association: Win: OFTA Film Hall of Fame for ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY’ Motion Picture.
FILM FACT No.2: Broadway playwright Philip Barry wrote the play “The Philadelphia Story” specifically for Katharine Hepburn, who ended up backing the play, and forgoing a salary in return for a percentage of its profits. Her co-stars were Joseph Cotten as Dexter Haven, Van Heflin as Mike Connor, and Shirley Booth as Liz Imbrie. The original play, starring Hepburn, ran for 417 performances. It made over $1,000,000 in box office sales and later went on to tour, performing another 250 times and making over $750,000 in sales. The play also originally featured another character named Sandy. However that role was eliminated for the movie to make more room for the character development of Mike. According to M-G-M records, the film earned $2,374,000 in the USA and Canada, and $885,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $1,272,000.
Cast: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, Ruth Hussey, John Howard, Roland Young, John Halliday, Mary Nash, Virginia Weidler, Henry Daniell, Lionel Pape, Rex Evans, King Baggot (uncredited), Hillary Brooke (uncredited), Veda Buckland (uncredited), Lita Chevret (uncredited), Russ Clark (uncredited), Sally Cleaves (uncredited), David Clyde (uncredited), Oliver Cross (uncredited), Robert De Bruce (uncredited), Dorothy Fay (uncredited), Dick Gordon (uncredited), Sam Harris (uncredited), Claude King (uncredited), Eric Mayne (uncredited), Florine McKinney (uncredited), Frank McLure (uncredited), Lee Phelps (uncredited), Hilda Plowright (uncredited), Paul Power (uncredited), Helene Reynolds (uncredited), Mildred Shay (uncredited), Joseph Sweeney (uncredited), Ellinor Vanderveer (uncredited), Helene Whitney (uncredited) and Florence Wix (uncredited)
Director: George Cukor
Producer: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Screenplay: Donald Ogden Stewart (screenplay), Philip Barry (based on the play) and Waldo Salt (contributing writer) (uncredited)
Composer: Franz Waxman (musical score)
Costume Design: Adrian (gowns)
Cinematography: Joseph Ruttenberg, A.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p (Black and White)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Audio: English: 1.0 LPCM Mono Audio
English: 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio
Subtitles: English
Running Time: 112 minutes
Region: Region A/1
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer / The Criterion Collection
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: With the film ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY’ [1940] we are two years after a nasty breakup, involving the unforgivable breaking of a golf club and an ensuing face-grasping push, Tracy Samantha Lord [Katharine Hepburn] is getting married to George Kittredge [John Howard], a General Manager for a coal company, at a lavish social event in Philadelphia, where the Lords family represent one of the oldest and richest families in the city. While mother Margaret Lord [Mary Nash] is overseeing the arrangements, younger daughter Dinah Lord [Virginia Weidler] waltzes in to stir up the pot – and is a pure delight as the wisecracking, sarcastic youngster with an opinion on everything. Dinah Lord’s also as much of a comedic fast-talker as Katherine Hepburn. Dinah Lord’s permanently loyal to mischievousness, interested in gossip, and intent on disrupting the wedding with both invented and real drama.
Meanwhile, Macaulay “Mike” Connor [James Stewart], an employee of Spy magazine, is assigned the task of getting the scoop on the wedding. With the help of Tracy Samantha Lord’s slightly obnoxious, upper class ex-husband C.K. Dexter Haven [Cary Grant], who still holds a grudge, Macaulay “Mike” Connor and his camera-ready photographer Elizabeth Imbrie [Ruth Hussey] are introduced to the family as very dear friends. Tracy Samantha Lord realizes C.K. Dexter Haven’s underhanded tricks immediately, but is extorted into allowing the two reporters to write about the family. Macaulay “Mike” Connor isn’t thrilled to cover a story about rapacious, spoiled, rich brats by commenting “privileged people enjoying their privileges,” but Tracy Samantha Lord is determined to put on a show and make them all equally as uncomfortable during the tumultuous weekend.
‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY’ is not as generally ridiculous as most screwball comedies, instead it feels it is reaching for the deeper themes of uncovering self-confidence, wanting the approval of others, disappointment with family, and character misdirection, in both the purposeful deception by Tracy Samantha Lord to the reporters, as well as C.K. Dexter Haven’s motivation for involving himself in disrupting the wedding. The whole film is a masterpiece in cast assemblage, firstly by putting together two male leads that could have carried their own films – which earned James Stewart an Oscar (for a turn topped by a particularly entertaining drunk skit, though the honour was ultimately somewhat compensatory for the previous year’s “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” while Cary Grant portrays his quintessential self. Secondly, Katherine Hepburn snagged a nomination (as did Ruth Hussey for her supporting performance for deliciously flirting with essentially extramarital affairs. The amusement of the roles can also be largely attributed to the writing – a brilliantly cynical, conspicuously smart collection of misanthropic, combative conversations penned by Donald Ogden Stewart, who took home an Academy Award for his sharp adaptation of Philip Barry’s stage play.
As with “Bringing Up Baby,” the rapid-fire dialogue headlines the nonstop humour, aided by brief slapstick and a bevy of colourful characters. Also included are a wonderfully witty switcheroo with Tracy Samantha Lord’s father Seth Lord [John Halliday] and jolly Uncle William Q. Tracy [Roland Young], and a love triangle/quadrangle complete with biting jealousy and adulterous insinuations. The overabundance of mix-ups, feigned surprise/excitement, bitter arguments, and complex situations makes for a brisk class riot, with a touch of drama and more than a dash of sophisticated intelligence over Tracy Samantha Lord’s displeasure with being worshipped like a goddess instead of being loved and thanks to her overactive ego, which is explained more than shown, and Seth Lord’s blackmail-worthy infidelity, which paints him out to be a solidly dislikeable man, inappropriately blamed on Tracy Samantha Lord. As a high society situational comedy, ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY’ film is a substantial picture that starts light and funny before gradually revealing layers of more poignant motifs as it unravels its mixed up love story – which provides continued interest and new, subtler elements upon every repeat viewing.
THE PHILADELPHIA STORY MUSIC TRACK LIST
LYDIA, THE TATTOOED LADY (1939) (uncredited) (Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg) (Music by Harold Arlen) [Performed by Virginia Weidler with vocal and piano]
OVER THE RAINBOW (1939) (uncredited) (Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg) (Music by Harold Arlen) [Sung a cappella by James Stewart]
Wedding March (1843) (uncredited) from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (Composed by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy) [In the score after the photographer takes the picture at the wedding]
SOBRE LAS OLAS (Over the Waves) (1887) (uncredited) (Music by Juventino Rosas) [Hummed by C.K. Dexter Haven [Cary Grant] while “playing” with the candles]
Bridal Chorus (1850) (uncredited) from "Lohengrin" (Music by Richard Wagner) [Played at the wedding]
I’VE GOT MY EYES ON YOU (1940) (uncredited) (Written by Cole Porter) [Played at the party the night before the wedding]
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Blu-ray Image Quality – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and The Criterion Collection has once again given us a very professional looking ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY’ Blu-ray disc, with a superb and stunning black-and-white 1080p image and of course shown in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio, that is now a vast improvement over the inferior DVD release, that has now given you something that is enormously impressive, especially with the massive upgrade in quality visual splendour with this amazing Blu-ray release. This new digital transfer was created in a 16-bit 4K resolution on an ARRISCAN film scanner from a 35mm fine-grain positive, which was created from the 35mm nitrate original camera negative. The camera negative was lost in a fire in 1978, so this fine-grain is the best surviving element for the film. Warping of the entire element was the biggest challenge of this restoration; that and thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, and splices were manually removed using MTI Film's DRS, while Digital Vision's Phoenix was used for jitter, flicker, small dirt, grain, and noise management. We get increased detail and textures are also almost immediately noticeable. Odds are that when Criterion gets their hands on ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY,’ especially when it’s one of America’s favourite films, the red carpet is rolled out and the results are simply astounding.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and The Criterion Collection has once again given us a very professional audio experience and generally speaking, and of course when the film ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY’ that was released in 1940, and the technology we get today was not available at that time, so that is why we only get a 1.0 LPCM Mono Audio experience and was remastered from a 35mm variable-density print. Clicks, thumps, hiss, hum, and crackle were manually removed using Pro Tools HD and iZotope RX and this 1.0 LPCM Mono Audio track breathes new life into this age-old soundtrack with great dexterity.
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
Special Feature: Audio Commentary featuring Jeanine Basinger [2004] [1080p] [1.37:1] [112:22] With this featurette, we have this audio commentary that was recorded in 2004 and features the film historian Jeanie Basinger. To listen to the audio commentary while view the movie ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY,’ press the AUDIO button on your remote control and select 1.0 Dolby Digital Mono Audio experience. Here we are introduced to film historian Jeanine Basinger, though this one is a bit of a mixed bag, but does do a very in-depth analysis of the wonderful movie ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY,’ and Jeanine Basinger feels it is one of the all-time classic film from the M-G-M studio and definitely in the golden age of Hollywood movies and especially in the year 1940. Jeanine Basinger says at the start of the film notice the star power of Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn and James Stewart and you cannot better than that, and also says, notice also the Cary Grant name is in the official leading role position to the left of Katherine Hepburn, in order to get Cary Grant’s participation, because M-G-M had to grant the actor three things he asked for, and that was No.1 – Top billing over Katherine Hepburn, No.2 – A $100,000 which was a very large salary at the time of that period and No.3 – Donating out of his salary to the British War Relief. On top of all that, that actress Katherine Hepburn agreed to all of Cary Grant’s agreement about his salary and the donation out of his salary to the British War Relief, and also as a friend to Cary Grant, to agree to have him top billing over Katherine Hepburn. Jeanine Basinger is obviously in love with the film and she seems fully committed in conveying that, but it’s a bit stale as this passion is held back by the obvious fact Jeanine Basinger is reading from her notes. Jeanine Basinger talks at length about the original Broadway play, and how the film came about, talks about the film’s sets, costumes, photography, and so forth, while also covering the performers who were allowed to improvise and George Cukor’s direction. Jeanine Basinger who is one of the foremost historians of the Hollywood studio system, and quite obviously a true fan. Jeanine Basinger makes no secret of which man she thinks Tracy Lords ought to end up with marrying, which of course you will have to listen to find out. Though it does touch on the topics one would expect and does so in a well laid out manner it’s also fairly by-the-numbers and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t catch myself drifting off now and again. As we get to the final scene of the film, Jeanine Basinger comments that we see Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn are getting married for the second time, and Jeanine Basinger says, who appears is another person from the SPY publication taking a photo of the couple just getting married and there is the little humours ending of a still frame which ends up in the SPY publication, which is what it was all about and what motivated the film from the very beginning and with The End title ends one of Hollywood’s most beloved and memorable film and especially with a great cast whose names are all repeated on the screen for you to enjoy and an absolutely wonderful movie with these three greatest stars]in motion picture history, and directed by the master George Cukor from M-G-M. This is Jeanine Basinger sating thank you. Please Note: due to the limited amount of space provided for my Blu-ray Reviews, this audio commentary has had to be edited quite a lot, so I hope this will not disappoint your enjoyment in reading my review for this particular audio commentary.
Special Feature: In Search of Tracy Lord [2017] [1080p] [1.78:1] [22:09] With this featurette, we are informed that playwright Philp Barry and actress Katherine Hepburn, were both experiencing career downturns in the late 1930’s, so they decided to work closely together to create the iconic Tracy Lord, Philadelphia’s “Main Line” socialite, for Philip Barry’s plat “The Philadelphia Story.” This new documentary by The Criterion Collection explores Tracy Lord’s real-life origins and includes interviews with Miranda Barry, Philip Barry’s granddaughter, Donald Anderson, author of “Shadowed Cocktails: The Plays of Philip Barry from “Paris Beyond” to “The Philadelphia Story,” and Jenny Scott, Edgar and Hope Scott’s granddaughter of one of the “Mail Line” socialites, who was said to be an early model of that character Tracy Lord. Of course throughout this featurette we get to view clips from the film ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY.’
Special Feature: A Katharine Hepburn Production [2017] [1080p] [1.78:1] [18:53] With this featurette, we are informed that filmmakers David Heeley [Director] and Joan Kramer [Producer] have produced several documentaries of the stars of the movie ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY,’ including three about the actress Katherine Hepburn, as well as co-authorising a book entitled “In the Company of Legends.” In this new documentary, produced by The Criterion Collection, David Heeley and Joan Kramer describe Katherine Hepburn’s single minded focus on rescuing her career by way of “The Philadelphia Story,” first onstage and then on-screen.
Special Feature: Katharine Hepburn on The Dick Cavett Show: With this featurette, we get to view two rare archival episodes of The Dick Cavett Show, and we are informed that the famously private actress was reluctant about giving interviews, so Katherine Hepburn reluctantly visited the set of Dick Cavett’s talk show in October 1973 with no audience, just the crew. Deciding that Katherine Hepburn approved of her surroundings, but with one notable exception, Katherine Hepburn agreed to be interviewed then and there and later returned for a second interview and of course it featured rare interviews with Katharine Hepburn, and discusses various phases of her career and how she was hired and fired by different people in the business, some of her greatest fears while performing, her appearance and style those she was expected to have on the stage and in front of the camera, her professional relationship with Spencer Tracy, some of the differences between English and American actors and here is what we get to view:
EPISODE ONE [1973] [480i] [1.37:1] [60:53]
EPISODE TWO [1973] [480i] [1.37:1] [68:59]
Special Feature: George Cukor on The Dick Cavett Show [1978] [480i] [1.37:1] [15:02] With this featurette, we are presented with an excerpt from an archival episode of The Dick Cavett Show that was broadcast on 18th May, 1978 in which director George Cukor discusses his work with actors, the disappearance of the “Old Hollywood,” and particularly his work with the actress Katharine Hepburn, ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY’ and its lasting appeal, and also talks about some of his film failures.
Special Feature: LUX Radio Theatre (Audio only] [1943] [1080p] [1.78:1] [59:26] With this featurette, we get presented with a LUX Radio Theatre adaptation of the film ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY,’ featuring an introduction by filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille and starring Loretta Young [Tracy Lord], Robert Taylor [C.K. Dexter Haven], Robert Young [Mike Connor], Roland Drew [George], Mary Lou Harrington [Dinah], Regina Wallace [Margaret] and Vicki Lang [Elizabeth]. It is split into four separate sections, which are Introduction; ACT I; ACT II and ACT III. The LUX Radio Theatre adaption of the film ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY,’ was broadcast on the 14th June, 1943.
Special Feature: Restoration Demonstration [2017] [1080p] [1.78:1 / 1.37:1] [6:25] With this feature, Lee Kline [Technical Director at The Criterion Collection] addresses some of the complex challenges that his team faced while restoring the film ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY.’ Also included are comments from Alyson D'Lando [Restoration Artist at The Criterion Collection] and we also get to view visual examples and comparisons. We also get to view the test reel of Warner Bros. safety copy of ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY’ and we also get to view the test reel from the George Eastman Museum safety copy of ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY.’
Special Feature: Trailer [1940] [1080i] [1.37:1] [3:34] This is the Original Theatrical Trailer for the film ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY.’
PLUS: We have an amazing a 16-page booklet that includes an essay by critic Farran Smith Nehme entitled “A Fine Pretty World” and includes several black-and-white images scenes from the film. Also included is ABOUT THE TRANSFER. SPECIAL THANKS. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. PRODUCTION CREDITS. Please Note: Farran Smith Nehme has been writing about classic films in her blog, Self- Styled Siren, since 2005. Farran Smith Nehme is also a freelance movie reviewer for the New York Post, and her writings have appeared in The New York Times, Barron's Magazine, The Baffler, and many other publications. Farran Smith Nehme now lives in New York City.
BONUS: New Blu-ray cover design is by Fernando Vicente Sánchez who is a Spanish painter and illustrator, born in Madrid in November 1963. Fernando Vicente Sánchez is self-taught, his early work as an illustrator appeared in the first half of the eighties. His art has appeared in magazines such as Europe Viva, Ronda Iberia, Pencil, Rock de Lux, Vogue, Playboy, Gentleman, Letras Libres, Interviu, Cosmopolitan or DT. Besides his work for newspapers and magazines, has done covers of books and records. As well as illustrations of more than twenty books, both aimed at children and young people and adults.
Finally, there’s no denying that with ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY’ was a runaway smash movie, repaying Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s extravagant purchase many times over; and it also broke the Radio City Music Hall record previously held by the cartoon classic ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.’ James Stewart and Donald Ogden Stewart won Oscars. Katharine Hepburn did not, losing to Ginger Rogers. Katharine Hepburn told reporters, after remarking that she’d turned down that role as Kitty Foyle; this was the sort of thing that contributed to Katharine Hepburn’s haughty reputation in the first place. ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY’ was turned into the classic musical entitled ‘High Society’ in 1956, with Grace Kelly no less, and has its equal pleasures, but it never had a chance to outdo the original classic movie. “I don’t want to be worshipped,” Tracy Lord tells stuffy old George, “I want to be loved.” ‘THE PHILADELPHIA STORY’ manages to be both and a classic film lives and breathes again. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
