Philadelphia Story essays

Philadelphia Story essays In George Cukors The Philadelphia Story, a definite class struggle is carried out in the pursuit of Tracy Lord (Katherine Hepburn). George Kitteridge (John Howard), a new-money industrialist with political aspirations, is engaged to Tracy. Upon the eve of their marriage, Tracys old husband and childhood friend C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) comes back in order to requite his love. A third suitor, a poetic writer named MaCauley Conner (James Stewart), also engages Traceys heart. But the real twist of The Philadelphia Story is its subtle commentary on the three backgrounds and classes that each of Tracys suitors comes from. In failing to take Tracys hand, George does not prove that a man in America cannot rise from one class to another to join the ranks of The Lords, quite the contrary he shows that in order to earn Tracys love a suitor must be more than from the same class he must understand what she truly wants. While the question of Tracys desire lingers throughout the movie, the question of her needs is addressed immediately. In the opening shot of the film, we see Tracy throw C.K out of her house, breaking a golf club of his over her knee in the process. She is obviously assertive, not to mention rich. Her concerns in marriage are easily assumed to be not material in nature. We gain further indication of her personality as her little sister Dinah (Virginia Walker) comments of Tracys wedding day, It wont rain Tracy wont stand for it. As the preparations for the wedding day continue, we can see that Tracy is the man of the house, accented by her wardrobe of masculine-cut suits and slacks. She has even advised her mother to take a stand against the infidelities of her father, and has subsequently taken his place at the head of the house. It seems that Tracy has wealth, power, intelligence and...