The Philadelphia Story

The Philadelphia Story takes us back to a cinematographic archaeology in which stupidity and conformity were considered reprehensible. An enchanting highlight of screwball comedy, i.e. sound film comedy, i.e. American cinema. The Philadelphia Story is a sarcastic version of Sleeping Beauty and a film about an impeded wedding, in other words about hopeless insecurities in matters of love. As agents provocateurs and redeeming sparring partners, Mr Grant and Mr Stewart break uninvited into the private world of the dull moneyed aristocracy in order to free Miss Katharine Hepburn from the luxury coffin of the good life and from the boring sleep of dollar arrogance. George Cukor extracts the best of contradictory humour and different timing from the physical resources of the trio of protagonists. His staging style is so competent and compact that it remains invisible in the perfect result. Hollywood efficiency in 1940 (Harry Tomicek)

Photo: Austrian Film Museum