The best films of Cary Grant: #13 "The Philadelphia Story" (1940)

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“The Philadelphia Story” can best be described as the Katharine Hepburn show despite the presence of Grant and James Stewart in his Academy Award winning performance. Chased out of Hollywood as box office poison, Hepburn retreated back to Broadway starring in the huge hit “The Philadelphia Story” written for her by Philip Barry. Hepburn’s lover Howard Hughes purchased the screen rights and gave them to her. The actress then sold the rights to MGM at a low price on condition she star and have creative control. She selected her friend George Cukor to direct and sought Clark Gable who refused. Grant accepted on the stipulation he receive first billing and that his salary be donated to the British War Relief Society. Dexter (Grant) wants to stop the marriage of former wife Tracy (Hepburn) and enlists a reporter (Stewart) and photographer to crash the nuptials at Tracy’s family estate. This creates chaos that becomes crazier and more complicated. Witty dialogue abounds in this sophisticated comedy classic. “The Philadelphia Story” was a big box office success restoring Hepburn and receiving numerous Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Though not a film in which he dominates, “The Philadelphia Story” is a glittering title in Grant’s resume. The 1956 musical remake “High Society” cast Bing Crosby as Dexter.