The Philadelphia Story: Style and Substance

[Hemingway Jones]

I have always had a warm place in my heart for "The Philadelphia Story." Philadelphia is my hometown and I remember watching this film as a child on rainy Saturday afternoons when they used to run old, faded, and hole-filled prints of these films.

"C.K. Dexter Haven" is one of my favorite characters of all time. Grant is at his charismatic best here. His clothes are amazing, as we will discuss below. His character is well-rounded and fully sketched in a few lines of dialogue.

Stewart's "Macaulay Connor" expresses those early stages of compromise a man goes through as the dreams of his youth start to yield to the responsibilities of his adulthood. He is oblivious to his hypocrisy, and fortunately for him, his main digression is passing judgements on others that his is unwilling to level at himself. By the end of the film, his cynicism has given way to his innate goodness.

What can we say of "Tracy Lord" that has not already been said by generations of film critics? Let's use shorthand and say that Hepburn captures her arrogance and superciliousness with perhaps too much ease. It's a marvelous performance.

Of course, this being The Lounge, we cannot discuss a film without mentioning the clothes.

Here is Cary Grant in yet another odd hat choice, though this one works. Also, look at the cut and material of that jacket:



And the cut of Grant's double-breasted suit. Also, don't miss that the arm-holes are very high on all of these suits:


Here Stewart captures insouciance effortlessly, and Ruth Hussey looks so adorable in the entire film. BTW, She only just passed away last year:


I love Katherine Hepburn's outfit here, it sort of looks like a sleeping hat:


"C.K." in a great single-breasted:


A three piece Double-breasted:


Great riding outfits:

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Here is an interesting sport coat, buttoned:


This is one of my favorite scenes of any film:


Some vintage swimwear:


Grant wears an interesting unconstructed sportcoat at the end with no lapels, which I'll have to grab later.

OK, now I turn it over to you all. How do you like the movie, the actors, the clothes?

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Here is Grant's jacket and a photo of everyone at the end:

 

[Lauren]

re: the sleeping hat
This was a very popular style about 1940, which if I remember correctly, was the year this came out. You can see Barbara Stanwyk wearing a similar hat in The Lady Eve, which I believe came out the same year.

The costume designer for the film was Gilbert Adrian, who was among the most bizzare and in my opinion, wonderful designers of the 1930's. His designs on this film were more subdued then previous work (Marie Antoinette with Norma Shearer and The Wizard of Oz were also films he worked on) but you can still see his pizzazz in the outfit we see Tracy in as she meets the reporters for the first time. The cut and details of the ladies suits are very characteristic of his work as he began in the 1940's to make his own line of clothing available to the public.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I love this film. The premise is great, the actors suit their parts marvelously, and the clothes are terrific. All of the ladies suits and accessories are just incredibible. The woman's hats are simply perfect.
Just an all-around perfect film, thanks so much for all the screen grabs.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I always thought Grant's jacket at the end was like some sort of prototype Hollywood Jacket. Vintage leisurewear is some of the most interesting stuff.

 

[scotrace]

Great film, one of my all time favorites. Thanks for posting those!

 

[richstyle]

Here is Grant's jacket and a photo of everyone at the end:

The jacket without lapels. The Beatles revived the look courtesy of Pierre Cardin in the '60s.

 

[richstyle]

Here is an interesting sport coat, buttoned:


This is one of my favorite scenes of any film:


Some vintage swimwear:


Grant wears an interesting unconstructed sportcoat at the end with no lapels, which I'll have to grab later.

OK, now I turn it over to you all. How do you like the movie, the actors, the clothes?

Great movie, great style, from the cars to the clothes.

Nowadays CG is remembered as Mr. Conservative in terms of dress. I guess because of the mid-gray banker's suit he wears in North by Northwest, but he could be somewhat trendy in his early days. Look at the wide lapels on his suits in these pix. That was very fashionable and up-to-date, even a bit flashy, especially compared to Jimmy Stewart's more conservative boxy cut. But I guess CG was playing a rich guy and Stewart the hapless journalist/failed novelist, so the clothes reflect the characters as well as the actors' taste in clothes.

One last thing. The photo of the scene with CG hosting a drunken Stewart. It was improvised, according to Peter Bogdanovich, and if you watch the movie, CG almost cracks up at Stewart's funny drunk but pulls back just in time not to ruin the scene. Those guys were having FUN. Maybe that's why they movie is so enjoyable.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

One last thing. The photo of the scene with CG hosting a drunken Stewart. It was improvised, according to Peter Bogdanovich, and if you watch the movie, CG almost cracks up at Stewart's funny drunk but pulls back just in time not to ruin the scene.

Yes, this is visible, but it very naturally fits into CG's rôle. In real life, drunks do improvise, and non-drunks facing them are sometimes surprised and aware of the absurd comic side of the situation, in a good-humored and sympathetic way, ideally. In this scene, C. K. Dexter Haven's supreme ease is even stronger than in other scenes.

 

[Feraud]

A great film all around. Wonderful casting, story, costume, etc.
Those screencaps are fantastic!

 

[Lauren]

Richstyle, very good observations! Especially in his younger days, Grant took on whatever it needed for the role- be it huge spectacles and a ladies negligee in Bringing Up Baby, the more casual posh look we see here, or the straight laced and clean look of the later films.

And horray for another San Diegan on the board

 

[LizzieMaine]

We showed "Philadelphia Story" as part of our Summer Classics festival last summer, and all I can say is that if you get a chance to see it on a full-sized screen, do jump at it. The level of detail in the settings can only be described as *lavish,* and seeing Cary Grant in those clothes magnified to 14 feet high is a truly swoonworthy experience.....

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Richstyle,
Great observations and I am glad that you told that anecdote about the scene with Grant and Stewart; that's why I captured that screen grab at the precise moment that Grant stifles his laughter. -There is so much chemistry and talent in their performances.

From this film, I find myself saying, when appropriate, "__ you have unexpected depth!"

 

[richstyle]

Richstyle,
Great observations and I am glad that you told that anecdote about the scene with Grant and Stewart; that's why I captured that screen grab at the precise moment that Grant stifles his laughter. -There is so much chemistry and talent in their performances.

From this film, I find myself saying, when appropriate, "__ you have unexpected depth!"

Anyone out there who thinks Cary Grant is more than just a clothes horse? Do you think he transcended style and become something greater, a kind of timeless gentleman who speaks to all eras, past and future? And if so, how?

I think the self transformation of Archie Leach to Cary Grant is a fascinating journey, one we all try to make perhaps by evolving into something beyond our own seeming limitations. I think he's a pioneer in that way.

 

[Tomasso]

CG sure looks steamed, see what happens next.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I love that suit, especially those lapels. Those are the sort of lapels I love; the kind you could jump off a cliff with and sail safely to the ground with.

His choice of hat is another matter. I never thought Grant chose the most flattering hats.

 

[Kimberly]

I love this movie and try and watch it everytime it's on TCM.

Thanks Hemingway Jones for the screen caps!