The Philadelphia Story: Humanizing a Woman’s Drive for Perfection

comedy, drama, romance

1:52

1940

Review by Brandon Talks Movies on Nov 18, 2025

Oh, it's all right, Tracy. We all go haywire at times. And if we don't, maybe we ought to.

One thing I love about classic films is discovering the intellectual depth many of them had. Movies like A Streetcar Named Desire and Forbidden Planet had a lot to say about society and layered meanings beneath the surface. The Philadelphia Story is a film that I’m still thinking about. George Cukor (My Fair Lady, Gaslight) directs, and a power trio of Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart star in what first appears to be a romantic comedy that has some lines that haven’t aged well. But there’s a reason for the misogyny and comedic abuse, and that’s where the meaning lies.

The plot follows socialite Tracy Lord on the day before her wedding to honest, honorable man George. A tabloid magazine wants to cover their wedding and sends in reporters Macaulay and Elizabeth. Entry will be a problem, but another reporter has an in: Dexter is Tracy’s ex-husband. “Love triangle” doesn’t begin to describe what happens here. All five characters get entangled in a web of misguided love. (And Tracy’s uncle tries to get in on that web, too.) Tracy and her family hatch a plan to antagonize the reporters, but the plan seems to change every 10 minutes as the characters interact. Chaos and comedy ensue.

You'll never be a first-class human being or a first-class woman until you've learned to have some regard for human frailty.

Some of the misogyny in this film irked me, but my opinion changed when I found out it was Katharine Hepburn’s pet project. She had a knack for playing intelligent, independent women, but developed a reputation for being arrogant and condescending. After a few box office flops, including the hilarious Bringing Up Baby, she was labeled “box office poison,” and the film industry avoided casting her. She turned to theatre and starred in the play this film is based on. She liked it so much that she acquired the film rights, sold them to MGM, and starred in this intelligent film about an arrogant, condescending woman who learns to accept imperfection. The film saved her career, partly because it was a self-aware poke at herself. That’s what tipped me off that the misogyny had a point.

In the opening scene, there’s a comedic reference to domestic abuse. At first, I thought this was distasteful, but I realized it was a clever way to get around the Hays Code and show that domestic abuse did happen—they just couldn’t show it due to censorship. Some of the characters give their opinions of Tracy, and they’re awful. That’s not for laughs; it shows the unfair standards of perfection that women faced in that time (and, unfortunately, still face today). Tracy finds herself torn between three men: one who had unfair expectations of her and treated her horribly, one who has no expectations of her, and one who develops unfair expectations of her. We see Tracy change as she reacts to each of these men, and her growth is the real story.

Knowing that the darker parts played for laughs are part of a deeper message would have helped me enjoy the film a lot more on my first watch. The film is very entertaining. The jokes are funny, and Hepburn proves her talent as a comedic and dramatic actress. Many of the scenes have a classic beauty and charm you just don’t see in modern film. My only qualm with it, as I watched, was the misogyny in much of the film, but I like it much more now that I realize why it was there.

Should I Watch The Philadelphia Story?

I’m making all of this sound academic and dry, but The Philadelphia Story really works well as a romantic comedy with dramatic elements. It’s not as light as films like Bringing Up Baby, but it’s far from boring. If you want a straightforward romantic comedy with good vibes, this might be a little dark for your tastes. But if you’re looking for something you can dig into and analyze as well as enjoy, The Philadelphia Story might be what you’re looking for.

Movies Like The Philadelphia Story

The Shop Around the Corner (1940) - A man and woman who can’t stand each other unknowingly fall in love with each other as anonymous pen pals. If this sounds familiar, it was remade in the 90s as You’ve Got Mail. While The Philadelphia Story is glamorous and smart, The Shop Around the Corner is much warmer and more intimate, being a true romance story with comedic elements. If you want a romantic comedy with a similar sense of humor, though, this is a great one.
The Awful Truth (1937) - A formerly married couple, each convinced the other was unfaithful, now sabotage each other’s new marriage. Like The Philadelphia Story, it’s classy, funny, and romantic, but it’s more optimistic, more like a traditional romantic comedy. As Lucy and Jerry try harder to sabotage each other, comedic tension builds—a great, witty screwball comedy.
Bringing Up Baby (1938) - Grant and Hepburn co-star in this screwball comedy about a wild woman who brings a timid man out of his shell. Even by modern standards, the film is hilarious and holds up well. Knowing that The Philadelphia Story saved Hepburn’s career, it’s interesting to watch the film that killed it. Also, there’s a leopard.

Academy Awards

Winner: Best Actor (James Stewart), Best Screenplay

Nominee: Best Picture, Best Actress (Katharine Hepburn), Best Supporting Actress (Ruth Hussey), Best Director

Runtime: 1:52
Director: George Cukor
Year: 1940
Genres: comedy, drama, romance
Rating: NR

About Brandon

My name is Brandon, and I love movies. Not bad ones, though—just the good ones. I’m curating and reviewing a list of classic, essential-viewing, or just plain good movies from all decades, and I've been reviewing them since 2016. I also co-host Peculiar Picture Show, a podcast about movies and mental health and write about Dungeons & Dragons options, builds, and optimization.