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By
NICK ZEGARAC
Based on Philip Barry's
Broadway smash, the story concerns itself with
tempestuous diva, Tracy Lord (Katherine Hepburn),
who's first marriage to C.K. Dexterhaven (Cary
Grant) left her with a decidedly skewed
perspective on men. Not that Tracy allows that
venom to permeate the optimistic ideals
surrounding marriage number two to George
Kittridge (John Howard). Only, after an absence of
two years, Dexter shows up to pitch a little rice
and romantic larceny on the side. Add to this
already convoluted mix, Mike Connor (James
Stewart) and Liz Imbrie (Ruth Hussey), reporters
forced upon the bridal party as part of a
blackmailing trade off for keeping a sex scandal
about Tracy's father Seth (John Halliday) quiet.
The results are vintage escapism and classic
charming cinema.
The play on which this movie is based has an
interesting back story. At this point in her
career, Katharine Hepburn had been branded "box
office poison." Unable to find work, Hepburn
decided to do the next best thing -- get Philip
Barry to write her a stage hit. And so he did. The
Broadway production was a phenomenal success.
However, when L.B. Mayer, the head of MGM, decided
that he simply had to have the rights to turn the
play into a movie he discovered that Barry didn't
own them -- Katharine Hepburn did. Hence, the only
way to make the movie was to cast Miss "box office
poison" in the lead. Good fortune all around that
Mayer did not balk at the idea. "The Philadelphia
Story" revitalized Katharine Hepburn's image and
launched her career through another six decades.
Warner Home Video has inherited yet another MGM
Home Video to DVD import with "The Philadelphia
Story" and it's a pretty good-looking one at that.
Yes, there is fine grain, dirt, scratches and
aging present throughout. There are also rare
instances of edge enhancement and shimmering
details. But these do not distract from enjoying
this fantastic film. The grayscale is properly
balanced. Contrast and shadow levels are
accurately defined. Fine detail is stunning, even
during the darkest scenes. The soundtrack is mono
but sounds decades younger than it is. There are
no extras. |
