Jan 21 movie: The Philadelphia Story. This is another first for the movie list: I'm writing the post before watching the movie. Because I know I'm going to watch it tonight, but I've seen it so many times I don't need to refresh my memory before writing this. The Philadelphia Story is the perfect screwball comedy. The humor is just the right level of wacky, the romance is utterly charming, and the clothes are fabulous. My two favorite moments in the film are 1: little sister Virginia Weidler pretending to be eccentric, speaking French and singing "Lydia the Tattooed Lady"; and 2: drunken Jimmy Stewart bursting in on Cary Grant in the middle of the night and constantly repeating his name. "C.K. Dexter Haven! C.K. Dexter HAAAYYYYVENNNNN!"
I've always wondered if the sleazy tabloid in the movie, Spy Magazine, was the inspiration (in name at least) for the Spy I loved reading during the 80s. And I have nothing else to say about this movie except: if you haven't seen it yet, you're in luck! It starts at 8 tonight on TCM.
4 Comments
i think it must have been that drunk scene that got jimmy stewart the oscar... it's unbelievable!
have you seen "high society"? it's on DVD now.
High Society is a fine movie in its own right -- Frank, Bing, and Satchmo, after all. And "Well Did You Evah" is a high point. But I don't think it can touch "Philadelphia Story" which across the board has better acting. Stewart clearly tops Sinatra and Grant brings something to C. K. Dexter Haven, a certain slyness that Bing just can't match. But the biggest problem is Grace Kelly. She's quite good in other movies but in "High Society" she's a cipher where Hepburn is a force of nature.
One of Grant's best lines: "to barely know him is to know him well." (or something like that)
but grace & bing singing "true love"... oh, it melts my heart just thinking of it.
you're right, though... 'philadelphia story' is far & away a better movie.
Does anyone have the dialogue between Dinah Lord and Mike and Liz? I wanted to use that for an audition piece when she's en pointe and babbling about her family, it's absolutely hysterical. This is by far one of the best movies of any time, and I hope that future generations continue to enjoy it.