# The Philadelphia Story

> 1940 film by George Cukor

**Wikidata**: [Q498822](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q498822)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Philadelphia_Story_(film))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-philadelphia-story

## Summary
*The Philadelphia Story* is a 1940 romantic comedy and comedy of remarriage directed by George Cukor and produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Originating in the United States, the film is preserved in the National Film Registry and received critical acclaim, winning Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay.

## Key Facts
- **Director:** George Cukor
- **Production Company:** Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
- **Country of Origin:** United States
- **Release Dates:** January 1, 1940; December 26, 1940; January 17, 1941
- **Duration:** 108.0 minutes
- **Budget:** 914,000.0
- **Genres:** Romantic comedy, comedy of remarriage
- **Awards Received:** Academy Award for Best Actor, Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay
- **Preservation Status:** Part of the National Film Registry
- **Ratings:** Rotten Tomatoes score of 8.9/10 and 100%
- **Instance of:** Film (sequence of images that give the impression of movement, stored on film stock)
- **Notable Cast:** Cary Grant, James Stewart, John Howard
- **IMDb ID:** tt0032904
- **Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN):** n85151900
- **GND ID:** 7500294-2
- **Bibliothèque nationale de France (BNF) ID:** 16463069m
- **VIAF IDs:** 316751867, 5183, 16542, 709242, 2034364, 19427, t0001491, 32841, tt121899, 31506, 981, 434056, 142214, works/81325, works/82654, 10029, 1MV5c0d09fe74868c98f5fb3e02264ec230, 15152, 6050
- **EIDR:** 10.5240/9299-3496-DDE0-15FC-F6BE-X
- **Sitelink Count:** 44

## FAQs
**Who directed The Philadelphia Story?**
The film was directed by George Cukor, a prominent filmmaker during Hollywood's Golden Age.

**What awards did The Philadelphia Story win?**
The film won two Academy Awards: the Academy Award for Best Actor, awarded to James Stewart, and the Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay.

**Who produced The Philadelphia Story?**
The film was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), an American film and television production and distribution company founded in 1924.

**What are the genres of The Philadelphia Story?**
The film is classified as both a romantic comedy and a comedy of remarriage, a genre of dramatic works focusing on the rekindling of relationships.

**Is The Philadelphia Story preserved in a national registry?**
Yes, the film is part of the National Film Registry, a selection of films preserved in the United States Library of Congress.

**Who stars in The Philadelphia Story?**
The film features notable performances by Cary Grant, a British-American actor known for his sophisticated leading-man persona, and James Stewart, an American actor who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role. John Howard, an American actor, is also listed among the cast.

## Why It Matters
*The Philadelphia Story* holds significant cultural and historical importance as a defining example of the comedy of remarriage genre and the romantic comedy style of the early 1940s. Its selection for the National Film Registry ensures its preservation for future generations as a culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant film. The film's critical success, highlighted by its 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and its Academy Awards, underscores its artistic merit and enduring popularity. Furthermore, the collaboration between director George Cukor and the star power of Cary Grant and James Stewart represents a high-water mark for the studio system era of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, illustrating the studio's ability to produce sophisticated, star-driven entertainment that continues to influence the genre.

## Notable For
- **Academy Award Wins:** Won the Academy Award for Best Actor (James Stewart) and the Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay.
- **National Preservation:** Selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
- **Critical Acclaim:** Holds a 100% approval rating and an 8.9/10 score on Rotten Tomatoes.
- **Genre Definition:** Recognized as a classic example of the "comedy of remarriage" film genre.
- **Studio Production:** Produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during the studio's golden age, known for its high production values and "Leo the Lion" logo.
- **Directorial Vision:** Directed by George Cukor, known for his work with major stars and literary adaptations.
- **Cast Performances:** Features the Oscar-winning performance of James Stewart and the iconic style of Cary Grant.

## Body

### Production and Studio Context
*The Philadelphia Story* was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), a major American studio founded on April 17, 1924, through the merger of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures, and Louis B. Mayer Pictures Corporation. MGM was founded by Marcus Loew and Louis B. Mayer and became one of Hollywood's most prestigious studios, known for its "Leo the Lion" logo and high production values. At the time of the film's production, MGM was a dominant force in the industry, employing legendary figures like Irving Thalberg and maintaining extensive subsidiaries such as MGM Television and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio. The studio was later acquired by Amazon, but during the 1940s, it represented the pinnacle of the Hollywood studio system. The film's budget was recorded as 914,000.0, reflecting the substantial investment typical of MGM productions.

### Cast and Creative Team
The film features a cast of prominent actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
- **Cary Grant:** A British-American actor (1904–1986) known for his charm, wit, and debonair style. Grant studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London and worked for major studios including MGM, Paramount Pictures, and Universal Pictures. He is also known for roles in *North by Northwest* and *Suspicion*, and received an Academy Honorary Award in 1978.
- **James Stewart:** An American actor (1908–1997) who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in *The Philadelphia Story*. Stewart was also a distinguished military pilot, serving in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II where he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. His other notable films include *It's a Wonderful Life*, *Vertigo*, and *Rear Window*.
- **John Howard:** An American actor (1913–1995) listed among the film's cast.
- **George Cukor:** The director of the film, Cukor was a central figure in Hollywood's classical era, known for his work in comedies and literary adaptations.

### Genre and Classification
*The Philadelphia Story* is categorized under two specific genres: **romantic comedy** and **comedy of remarriage**. As a film, it belongs to the broader class defined as a "sequence of images that give the impression of movement, stored on film stock." This medium is recognized globally as a distinct art form and cultural product, studied by disciplines such as film theory and film studies. The film's runtime is 108.0 minutes, adhering to the standard feature-length format of the era.

### Awards and Recognition
The film achieved significant critical recognition, particularly at the Academy Awards.
- **Academy Award for Best Actor:** This award, presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (inception 1929), was won by James Stewart for his role in the film.
- **Academy Award for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay:** This category of film award (inception 1929) was also awarded to the film.
- **National Film Registry:** The film is part of this selection of films for preservation in the United States Library of Congress, which was established in 1988 to ensure the survival of culturally significant works.

### Release and Technical Specifications
*The Philadelphia Story* was released on multiple dates according to different sources: January 1, 1940; December 26, 1940; and January 17, 1941. It originated in the United States, a federal presidential constitutional republic founded in 1776. The film has a duration of 108.0 minutes. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a score of 8.9/10 and a 100% approval rating, indicating universal critical acclaim.

### Global Identification and Metadata
The entity is cataloged in numerous global databases and knowledge systems, reflecting its wide recognition and preservation status.
- **Film Databases:** IMDb ID (tt0032904), Box Office Mojo ID (107968, 19787, 1320), AllMovie ID (philadelphiastory), Metacritic ID (m/philadelphia_story), Fandango ID (movie/the-philadelphia-story, movies/the-philadelphia-story-1940), AMG IDs (7718, mv7698, 1557, 1842, 438, 12778, the-philadelphia-story-m100033249, mf-tt-7056568380, movies/4377).
- **Library and Authority Systems:** Library of Congress Control Number (n85151900), GND ID (7500294-2), BNF ID (16463069m), VIAF IDs (316751867, 5183, 16542, 709242, 2034364, 19427, t0001491, 32841, tt121899, 31506, 981, 434056, 142214, works/81325, works/82654, 10029, 1MV5c0d09fe74868c98f5fb3e02264ec230, 15152, 6050), BFI IDs (v38000, 2322, 2006, 8759, 1292840, 4943, 6777, 21649, 980, 981, 31533, 10668, 29029, 4685, 17333, 4820, 51350, 24960, 901, 811, 5694, 44152, 58406), ISNI (855266), LCCN Personal Name (Philadelphia-Story-The).
- **Music and Audio:** MusicBrainz IDs (746, 1304503), Discogs IDs (2437, 981058515938506706, 5d7768286f4521001ea9962c).
- **Other Identifiers:** EIDR (10.5240/9299-3496-DDE0-15FC-F6BE-X), Freebase ID (/m/0gxfz), BBC ID (b007j85l), New York Times ID (topic/The-Philadelphia-Story-film-1940, The-Philadelphia-Story-1940-movie), YouTube IDs (oCfuPPR7wnQ, IMFXdEhfgfI, 601325650, 594317171, 4AOONxFn3Z4), Bibsys ID (27639), Bibcode (F020888), UMC ID (umc.cmc.3fyau0h2h3oeevkbhzvu897yp), ORCID ID (0000-0002-E869-0000-W-0000-0000-F), AFI Catalog ID (2007).
- **Wikipedia and Localization:** The film has a presence on Wikipedia with the title "The Philadelphia Story (film)" and 44 sitelinks. It has localized titles and IDs in Italian (scandaloafiladelfia, film/scandaloafiladelfia, scandalo-a-filadelfia-wvzp306i) and German (die-nacht-vor-der-hochzeit, filme/die-nacht-vor-der-hochzeit, philadelphia-story-die-nacht-vor-der-hochzeit).

### Country of Origin
The film originates from the **United States**, a sovereign federal republic located primarily in North America. The United States is the world's oldest surviving federation, established with the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, and recognized by the Treaty of Paris in 1783. It has a federal presidential constitutional republic government, a capital in Washington, D.C., and a population exceeding 340 million. As the country of origin for *The Philadelphia Story*, the U.S. provided the industrial and cultural infrastructure—specifically the Hollywood studio system centered in Los Angeles—that enabled the film's production and distribution.

## References

1. [Source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032904/)
2. [Source](http://www.filmaffinity.com/en/film567410.html)
3. [Source](http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/philadelphia-story-1940)
4. [Source](http://www.cinematografo.it/cinedatabase/film/scandalo-a-filadelfia/980/)
5. [Source](http://www.allocine.fr/film/fichefilm_gen_cfilm=746.html)
6. [Source](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032904/fullcredits)
7. [Source](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1941)
8. Virtual International Authority File
9. The Movie Database
10. [Source](https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-film-preservation-board/film-registry/complete-national-film-registry-listing/)
11. The Philadelphia Story. Rotten Tomatoes
12. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032904/releaseinfo/)
13. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
14. Kinopoisk
15. [IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032904/parentalguide/#certificates)
16. [Source](https://www.kijkwijzer.nl/films/philadelphia-story/)
17. terjesztesre_kerulo_filmalkotasok_nyilvantartasa.xlsx
18. List of film licenses issued from 1945 to 2020
19. [Source](https://www.cnc.fr/professionnels/visas-et-classification/5183)
20. Bechdel Test Movie List
21. mymovies.it
22. [Source](https://www.acmi.net.au/works/81325)
23. Trakt.tv
24. FilmVandaag.nl