Philip Barry wrote a comic play in 1939 titled the Philadelphia Story, to give Katharine Hepburn’s career a much needed boost. Made into a film in 1940 to appeal to larger audiences, Katherine Hepburn reprises her role as a socialite planning her wedding when her ex-husband and a tabloid journalist show up and complicate the preparations. The socialite is based on a real life acquaintance of the playwright, a Mrs. Helen Hope Montgomery Scott who was married to one of his friends and had a reputation for hi-jinx.
George Cukor directed The Philadelphia Story movie with Cary Grant, Ruth Hussey and James Stewart rounding out the principle cast. Tracy Lord, the principle character is used to things going her way and has high expectations for those around her. First born daughter to a well established Philadelphia socialite family, she divorced her first husband two years past for drinking too much, especially when she criticized him for it. Her ex, C.K. Dexter Haven, portrayed by Cary Grant, belongs to the same social group and is a successful yacht designer, while her fiance George Kittredge is Dexter’s opposite, a regular guy who struggles to fit into socialite circles with his personally earned wealth.
Hoping to cover the who’s who of Philadelphia at the wedding, is James Stewart playing a tabloid journalist. He shows up with his paper’s photographer, played by Ruth Hussey. She has a thing for him, but he is oblivious, taking her for granted, while she loyally gets what he needs to make his articles pop off the page.
