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Philadelphia Story, The
Warner Bros. // Unrated // January 1, 1999
List Price: $19.95 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
Features: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1. Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono). Theatrical trailer. Subtitles – English.
The Movie:
Recently the American Film Institute made The Philadelphia Story number fifteen on its list of the top one hundred funniest films of the last century and it's hard to disagree with that assessment. The movie, adapted from Philip Barry's Broadway show by director George Cukor, The Philadelphia story stars Katherine Hepburn (reprising her stage role) as East Coast society girl Tracy Lord. Tracy is a fast-talking beauty with a sharp mind and an equally sharp tongue who's approaching marriage to self-made millionaire George Kittredge (John Howard) attracts the attention of a tabloid gossip magazine called Spy. This is Tracy's second marriage and as fate would have it her first husband (Cary Grant as the inimitable C. K. Dexter Haven) is a Spy employee. Haven is quickly dispatched to Tracy's home along with a hard edged reporter (James Stewart as Mike Connor) and a photographer (Ruth Hussey as Liz Imbrie) to dredge up a juicy story for the magazine. What follows is a very sophisticated comedy of words that never seems to strike a bad note. Hepburn is outstanding as the superficial Tracy and her over-the-top performance is nicely balanced by Grant's earthy, bemused persona. James Stewart has some of the best lines in the film and his drunken scene is a classic that's not to be missed.
The Picture:
Having seen The Philadelphia Story on television several times over the last few years I wasn't expecting much from this DVD release. The broadcast prints were in battered condition and I was expecting the same here but was very pleasantly surprised. Warner used nearly pristine film elements for this transfer and the film looks simply fantastic. There are occasional instances of scratching but they're few and far between and I wasn't able to detect any fading or streaking of any kind. The fact of the matter is that The Philadelphia Story looks as good as the day it was released on this DVD. The full frame transfer itself is free from digital artifacting, edge enhancement effects and excessive grain. The shadow detail and black levels are exemplary.
The Sound:
Because it was made in 1940 The Philadelphia Story isn't going to tax your home theater system. The audio track is very limited in dynamic range and anchored firmly on the center channel. In light of the beautiful video transfer I was hoping for a better audio track but it falls a little short. On the positive side there are no pops and little hiss to he heard here. The dialogue is easily understandable throughout and the levels are very consistent. Unfortunately the track seems a little 'wispy' and unsubstantial, lacking presence and depth. Be that as it may you can tell that Warner put a good deal of effort into restoring the track and the result is quite satisfying.
The Extras:
Warner again drops the ball when it comes to extra on this DVD. The Philadelphia Story is an established classic and could have benefited immensely from ancillary content. As it stands you get the theatrical trailer and nothing more.
Conclusion:
The Philadelphia Story is one of the most appealing and witty comedies to come out of the first half of this century. It may not appeal to contemporary viewers whose senses have been dulled by movies like Dumb and Dumber and Booty Call but if you have even the slightest appreciation for the films of Hollywood's golden age then you owe it to yourself to add this DVD to your collection. I'm disappointed that Warner neglected to provide any substantial supplements but the amazing transfer alone makes this disc worth owning. I give it my highest rating: Collector's Series.
The Movie:
Recently the American Film Institute made The Philadelphia Story number fifteen on its list of the top one hundred funniest films of the last century and it's hard to disagree with that assessment. The movie, adapted from Philip Barry's Broadway show by director George Cukor, The Philadelphia story stars Katherine Hepburn (reprising her stage role) as East Coast society girl Tracy Lord. Tracy is a fast-talking beauty with a sharp mind and an equally sharp tongue who's approaching marriage to self-made millionaire George Kittredge (John Howard) attracts the attention of a tabloid gossip magazine called Spy. This is Tracy's second marriage and as fate would have it her first husband (Cary Grant as the inimitable C. K. Dexter Haven) is a Spy employee. Haven is quickly dispatched to Tracy's home along with a hard edged reporter (James Stewart as Mike Connor) and a photographer (Ruth Hussey as Liz Imbrie) to dredge up a juicy story for the magazine. What follows is a very sophisticated comedy of words that never seems to strike a bad note. Hepburn is outstanding as the superficial Tracy and her over-the-top performance is nicely balanced by Grant's earthy, bemused persona. James Stewart has some of the best lines in the film and his drunken scene is a classic that's not to be missed.
The Picture:
Having seen The Philadelphia Story on television several times over the last few years I wasn't expecting much from this DVD release. The broadcast prints were in battered condition and I was expecting the same here but was very pleasantly surprised. Warner used nearly pristine film elements for this transfer and the film looks simply fantastic. There are occasional instances of scratching but they're few and far between and I wasn't able to detect any fading or streaking of any kind. The fact of the matter is that The Philadelphia Story looks as good as the day it was released on this DVD. The full frame transfer itself is free from digital artifacting, edge enhancement effects and excessive grain. The shadow detail and black levels are exemplary.
The Sound:
Because it was made in 1940 The Philadelphia Story isn't going to tax your home theater system. The audio track is very limited in dynamic range and anchored firmly on the center channel. In light of the beautiful video transfer I was hoping for a better audio track but it falls a little short. On the positive side there are no pops and little hiss to he heard here. The dialogue is easily understandable throughout and the levels are very consistent. Unfortunately the track seems a little 'wispy' and unsubstantial, lacking presence and depth. Be that as it may you can tell that Warner put a good deal of effort into restoring the track and the result is quite satisfying.
The Extras:
Warner again drops the ball when it comes to extra on this DVD. The Philadelphia Story is an established classic and could have benefited immensely from ancillary content. As it stands you get the theatrical trailer and nothing more.
Conclusion:
The Philadelphia Story is one of the most appealing and witty comedies to come out of the first half of this century. It may not appeal to contemporary viewers whose senses have been dulled by movies like Dumb and Dumber and Booty Call but if you have even the slightest appreciation for the films of Hollywood's golden age then you owe it to yourself to add this DVD to your collection. I'm disappointed that Warner neglected to provide any substantial supplements but the amazing transfer alone makes this disc worth owning. I give it my highest rating: Collector's Series.
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