The Philadelphia Story

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Timing: 1:53 (113 min)

7.622/10
825

7.543/10
10536

7.8/10
78000

All about film

Video 6

Photo 63

Actors and characters

Release date

1940-12-05

Country

United States

Production

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Genre

Comedy, Romance

Budget

$0

Revenue

$404 524

Website

Director

George Cukor

Actors

Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, Ruth Hussey, John Howard, Roland Young, John Halliday, Mary Nash, Virginia Weidler, Henry Daniell
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Producer

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Operator

Joseph Ruttenberg

Composer

Franz Waxman

Artist

Wade B. Rubottom

Audition

Editing

Frank Sullivan
All team (19)

• The screenplay was based on Philip Barry's play "The Philadelphia Story".
• Cary Grant agreed to star for a fee of $137,000, which he donated to the British War Charities Fund.
• Katharine Hepburn starred in the Broadway production of the play on which this film was based, and even owned the rights to the play. Howard Hughes (1905-1976) acquired them at one point and gifted them to her.
• The author of the play, Philip Barry (1896-1949), based the character of Tracy on Helen Hope Montgomery Scott (1904-1995), a Philadelphia socialite famous for her lavish receptions at her family estate. It is believed that the studio initially wanted to film on the grounds of the estate itself, but abandoned the idea after visiting. It is claimed that the producers decided that no one would believe that anyone could live in such luxury, especially in 1940s America.
• The year James Stewart was nominated for an Oscar for his work in this film, he did not intend to attend the awards ceremony. Just before the ceremony began, while he was at home, he received a phone call advising him to put on a suit and attend after all. The actor followed this advice and received the golden statuette for 'Best Actor'.
• The film's screenplay was based on Philip Barry’s play "The Philadelphia Story."