paraphrasing.

The Philadelphia Story

1. A mansion and beautiful territory surrounding it are almost the first things a viewer is offered to look at and estimate. They seem to be no less important the characters than people themselves, and they are telling a lot about their owners. The Lords' house belongs to the upper-class properties, showing its inhabitants are used to living in grand style. Its servants, luxurious furniture, flowers, numerous statuettes, paintings and musical instruments serve to demonstrate the wealth of the family. Although parks, cars, yachts, stocks and bonds constitute only the tip of their property's iceberg, the Lords are no ordinary money-bags, they pretend to be famous for their aristocratic manners and habits.

2. The story begins in a rather unusual way showing not the beginning of romantic relationships between a man and a woman, but the very end of them. We see a very hot-tempered couple incapable to coexist peacefully and tolerate each other's whims. They seem to enjoy making minor mischiefs and spoiling each other's life, which soon leads them to divorce. Nevertheless, Dexter's love to Tracy is still apparently seen from his behavior and attitude to her and her family. He maintains cordial relations with all family members, including little Dinah, who adores him, and only Tracy seems to detest him. However, Dexter (Cary Grant) requites her like for like, so that their conversations contains but caustic remarks and mutual reproaches.

3. Costumes, as in the real life, are very important for women and may reveal a lot of information about their characters. Tracy (Katharine Hepburn) who is often compared to a goddess or a perfect statue, likes to wear white, light and frivolous costumes, especially when she means to stress and use her female attractiveness to achieve some goals, as to enchant or confuse somebody. But sometimes she prefers comfortable pantsuits that fitted her frank and independent nature more than ruffles, lace and bows. She often changes, which must prove not only her easy circumstances, but also her moodiness and inconstancy. Ms. Ingrie (Ruth Hussey) also has her own style. She is a smart, good-looking woman, obviously influent by some modern feminist ideas, which makes her choose in favor of strict, slightly aggressive style. It should demonstrate men that she is not a girl to trifle with, though her funny bonnets hint at her female vulnerability.

4. The movie is dedicated to the theme of complexity of relationships between men and women. It contains the questions of love, adultery, jealousy and forgiveness. We see a failed marriage of Dexter and Tracy, which, nevertheless, was saved or, rather, reborn by the power of real love and care. The movie shows us that real, deep love can survive anything, had it only been a wish to make one more effort to understand and forgive each other. Thus, wise and loving Dexter, despite all the obstacles in his way, showed the wonders of resourcefulness to make his wife come back. Unlike him, stubborn and self-willed Tracy had to survive an adventure to realize her love to her former husband.

5. Macaulay Connor (James Stewart), a highly vivid and racy character, deserves special mentioning. A poor writer, he has to work on an insidious tycoon, Sidney Kidd (Henry Daniel). Despite his prejudices against the rich, his self-conceit and other shortages, he is a good person with an interesting life position, who just cannot commit a dishonest deed. He seemed to fall in love with Tracy, and the viewers could expect they would make a nice couple. With his talent of a writer he could understand her better than her relatives, groom and even her former husband. He helped her to open her eyes on herself and realize what she really was, but this revelation benefited other man. Fortunately, he did not look very upset to miss the young woman, but instead he was glad to see the couple married and happy again.