High Society and Second Chances: The Philadelphia Story

Released in 1940 and directed by George Cukor, The Philadelphia Story is a quintessential romantic comedy starring Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and James Stewart. The narrative centers on Tracy Lord (Hepburn), a proud, strong-willed Philadelphia socialite preparing to marry a wealthy but remarkably dull self-made man, George Kittredge. Her upscale wedding plans are suddenly upended by the simultaneous arrival of her charismatic ex-husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Grant), and a cynical tabloid reporter, Macaulay “Mike” Connor (Stewart), who has been blackmailed into covering the high-society event alongside photographer Liz Imbrie.

As the wedding festivities commence, tension builds between Tracy and the three very different men vying for her affection. Her rigid, high-minded exterior begins to crack under the dry wit of her ex-husband and the unexpected poetic charm of the middle-class reporter. A night of heavy drinking and a late-night swim with Mike lead to a series of classic misunderstandings, forcing Tracy to confront her own vulnerabilities, her harsh judgments of others, and what it truly means to be a compassionate human being rather than an untouchable goddess.

On the morning of the wedding, the romantic chaos reaches its peak. Will Tracy go ahead with her marriage to George, or are Mike and Dexter a better fit for Tracy?

 

Ruth Hussey, James Stewart, Cary Grant, and Katharine Hepburn

George Cukor (1899–1983) was one of Golden Age Hollywood’s most sophisticated and enduring directors, celebrated for his elegant visual style, literary adaptations, and extraordinary skill at guiding actors to career-defining performances. Often labeled a woman's director due to his brilliant collaborations with fierce leading ladies like Katharine Hepburn—with whom he made ten films, including Little Women and The Philadelphia Story—Cukor possessed a sharp comic wit and a deep empathy that transcended gender, making him equally adept at handling sharp screwball comedies, lavish musicals, and intense dramas. Over a career spanning more than fifty years, he earned five Academy Award nominations for Best Director, finally winning the Oscar for the 1964 musical masterpiece My Fair Lady, and cementing his legacy as a master craftsman of classical American cinema.

Born Archibald Leach(1904 – 1986) in England, Cary Grant overcame a deeply traumatic childhood to become the definitive archetype of the debonair, sophisticated Hollywood leading man. Known for his impeccable comic timing, mid-Atlantic accent, and effortless physical grace, he moved seamlessly between screwball comedies like Bringing Up Baby and intense suspense thrillers directed by Alfred Hitchcock, including North by Northwest and Notorious. Grant remained one of Hollywood’s biggest box office draws for over three decades, famously retiring from acting in 1966 to focus on raising his daughter.

Katharine Hepburn (1907 – 2003) was a trailblazer whose fiercely independent spirit, sharp intellect, and unconventional style redefined femininity on and off the silver screen for over sixty years. Her career was a masterclass in resilience; she repeatedly defied studio executives, wore trousers when it was considered scandalous, and successfully revived her career whenever the industry tried to write her off. With a record-breaking four Academy Awards for Best Actress across six decades for films like Morning Glory, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, The Lion in Winter, and On Golden Pond, Hepburn stands as one of the greatest legends in cinematic history.

Beloved for his distinctive drawl and slow, deliberate delivery, James Stewart (1908 – 1997) embodied the quintessential decent, honorable, and relatable everyday American man. His early career thrived on idealistic, vulnerable roles in Frank Capra classics like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and It's a Wonderful Life, but he later displayed remarkable dramatic depth in darker Westerns and complex Hitchcock psychological thrillers like Vertigo and Rear Window. A decorated World War II bomber pilot who rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the Air Force Reserve, Stewart’s enduring integrity made him one of the most respected and cherished figures in American culture.

 

The Philadelphia Story trivia

• Before making the film, Katharine Hepburn had been labeled box-office poison by theater owners after a string of commercial flops, prompting her to return to Broadway to star in the stage version of this story. She wisely purchased the film rights to the play with the financial help of Howard Hughes, allowing her to control her Hollywood comeback by handpicking the studio, director, and co-stars.
• James Stewart won his only competitive Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Mike Connor, a victory that surprised him because he felt Henry Fonda deserved the award that year for The Grapes of Wrath. Stewart famously sent the Oscar statuette back home to his father in Pennsylvania, who proudly displayed it in the window of his hardware store for many years.
• The famous scene where Mike Connor visits Dexter Haven’s house while heavily intoxicated features a completely improvised moment when James Stewart lets out a sudden, genuine hiccup. Cary Grant, caught off guard but staying perfectly in character, ad-libbed the response, asking him to clear his throat, which George Cukor loved so much he kept the unscripted interaction in the final cut of the movie.
• Katharine Hepburn originally wanted Clark Gable to play the charming ex-husband Dexter and Spencer Tracy to play the reporter Mike, but prior film commitments kept them from signing on. Cary Grant was then brought in, demanding top billing and a massive salary of $137,000, which he entirely donated to the British War Relief Fund.

 

Click HERE to watch the movie on The Internet Archive.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on July 13, 2026, 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation with a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

 

Publicity photo with Hepburn, Grant, Steward, and John Howard

Discussion questions

1. How does Tracy Lord’s character arc challenge the concept of the idealized, flawless woman, and what does the film say about the danger of putting a romantic partner on a pedestal?
2. In what ways does the movie use the contrast between the wealthy Main Line elites and the working-class journalists to critique or defend the American class system of the era?
3. Do you believe Tracy made the right choice by returning to Dexter in the end, or did she have more genuine growth and compatibility with Mike?
4. How does George Cukor’s directing style and the snappy, fast-paced dialogue of the screenplay shape the balance between broad comedy and deeply personal drama?

 

 

“Suspicion” drives a wedge between Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine

Suspicion (1941) is an American mystery-suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine. The supporting cast includes Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Nigel Bruce, Dame May Whitty, and Leo G. Carroll. It is based on the novel Before the Fact (1934) by  Francis Iles.

The film follows Lina McLaidlaw (Fontaine), a reserved and romantically inexperienced woman who is captivated by the charming and reckless playboy Johnnie Aysgarth (Grant). Despite her family’s warnings about his reputation as a spendthrift and a scoundrel, Lina quickly falls in love and marries him.

After a lavish honeymoon, Lina’s initial bliss begins to fade as she discovers the truth about Johnnie’s financial situation—he’s penniless, dishonest, and a habitual gambler. As Johnnie’s schemes become more desperate and his lies grow more elaborate, Lina’s disillusionment deepens into a terrifying suspicion.

Joan Fontaine, Cary Grant, and Nigel Bruce

Alfred Hitchcock (1899 – 1980) was an English film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is one of the most influential filmmakers of the 20th century. Hitchcock directed over 50 feature films, many are classics that have been honored and studied for years. Some of Hitchcock’s classic films include The 39 Steps (1939), Rebecca (1940), Suspicion (1941), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Notorious (1946), Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), and Psycho (1960).

Cary Grant (1904 – 1986) was an English-born American actor who became one of the most popular leading men in film history. Grant started his career in vaudeville before heading to Hollywood. He became a superstar in the late 1930s in a series of screwball comedies, including The Awful Truth (1937) with Irene Dunne. He was a memorable C. K. Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story (1940) opposite Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart. He received two Best Actor nominations for Penny Serenade (1941) and None but the Lonely Hearts (1944). Other classic Grant films include Gunga Din (1939), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944). He made four popular films with Alfred Hitchcock: Suspicion (1941), Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959). He was presented with an Honorary Oscar at the 42nd Academy Awards in 1970.

Joan Fontaine (1917 – 2013) was a British-American actress who starred in more than 45 films during Hollywood’s “Golden Age.” After secondary roles in Gunga Din (1939) and The Women (1939), her fortunes turned with her starring role in Alfred Hitchcock’s first American film, Rebecca (1940). She was nominated for Best Actress for her role in that film, but lost to Ginger Rogers. The next year, she worked with Hitchcock again in Suspicion and this time won the Best Actress Oscar, beating out her older sister Olivia de Havilland. She received a third and final nomination for The Constant Nymph (1943). Other popular Fontaine films include This Above All (1942), From This Day Forward (1946), Ivy (1947), Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948), The Emperor Waltz (1948), and Ivanhoe (1952). After the late 1950s, she appeared less in films and more on stage and television. Fontaine and her sister are the only siblings to have won major acting Academy Awards.

Suspicion trivia

• Joan Fontaine is the only performer to win an Oscar in an Alfred Hitchcock film.
• Fontaine read the novel the film was based on and sent Hitchcock a note offering to play the part for free, if necessary.
• This was the first film that Hitchcock produced as well as directed.
• Suspicion marked the first time Cary Grant worked with Hitchcock; he would go on to collaborate with the director on three more films, Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959).
• Grant was paid $112,500 and Fontaine earned $67,750.

Click HERE to watch to movie on the Internet Archive (this print is beautiful).

Click HERE to join the online discussion on Monday, October 27, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. Ambiguity and Perception: To what extent does director Alfred Hitchcock use cinematic techniques (such as lighting, camera angles, and dialogue) to keep the audience as unsure of Johnnie's true nature as Lina is? Do you believe the ambiguity benefits or harms the film's overall suspense?
2. The Character of Lina: Lina transforms from a reserved "spinster" to a woman consumed by fear. Is her growing suspicion primarily a reasonable response to Johnnie's actions, or is it a sign of psychological instability, perhaps driven by her initial insecurity and desperation to be loved?
3. Cary Grant's Casting: Cary Grant was one of Hollywood's most popular leading men at the time. How does Grant's established charming on-screen persona affect your perception of his character, Johnnie? Do you think the studio's desire to keep Grant a "hero" altered the film's thematic impact from the source novel, Before the Fact?
4. Love vs. Self-Preservation: Why does Lina remain with Johnnie even after repeatedly discovering his dishonesty, embezzlement, and the possibility that he intends to kill her? Does her decision reflect a desperate, all-consuming love, or does it say something about the limited options and societal roles for women in the period the film was made?

Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Melvyn Douglass star in “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House”

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) is an American comedy film directed by H. C. Potter and starring Cary Grant, Myna Loy, and Melvyn Douglas. The supporting cast includes Reginald Denny, Sharyn Moffett, Connie Marshall, Ian Wolfe, and Louise Beavers. The screenplay was written by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama (White Christmas), the  music was by Leigh Harline, and the cinematography was by James Wong Howe.

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House follows the misadventures of a New York City advertising executive, Jim Blandings (Grant), and his wife, Muriel (Loy). Feeling cramped and fed up with their small apartment, they decide to escape the city's confines and build their ideal country home in Connecticut. Their pursuit of this "dream house" begins with an idyllic vision of pastoral bliss, promising a life free from urban stress and full of domestic tranquility.

The film chronicles the couple's journey from a naive fantasy to a harsh reality. They purchase an old, dilapidated farmhouse and a large plot of land, only to discover that their new property is riddled with unexpected problems. From a collapsing chimney to a waterlogged basement and a host of hidden structural flaws, their simple plan spirals into a series of costly and chaotic construction nightmares. The Blandings must contend with an assortment of eccentric contractors, rising costs, and a project that seems to have a mind of its own.

As their dream home transforms into a seemingly endless money pit, will the Blandings keep their sanity?

H. C. Potter (1904 - 1977) was an American theatrical producer and director, and a director of motion pictures. Potter graduated from Yale University in 1926 and was part of the Yale Dramatic Association. He founded a theater group, the Hampton Players, based in Southampton, Long Island. He eventually made his way to Hollywood, where he became a film director. Some of his popular films include The Shopworn Angel (1938) starring Margaret Sullivan and James Stewart, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Mr. Lucky (1943) starring Cary Grant and Laraine Day, and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) starring Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Melvyn Douglas.

Cary Grant (1904 – 1986) was an English-born American actor who became one of the most popular leading men in film history. Grant started his career in vaudeville before heading to Hollywood. He became a superstar in the late 1930s in a series of screwball comedies, including The Awful Truth (1937) with Irene Dunne. He was a memorable C. K. Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story (1940) opposite Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart. He received two Best Actor nominations for Penny Serenade (1941) and None but the Lonely Hearts (1944). Other classic Grant films include Gunga Din (1939), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944). He made four popular films with Alfred Hitchcock: Suspicion (1941), Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959). He was presented with an Honorary Oscar at the 42nd Academy Awards in 1970.

Myrna Loy (1905 - 1993) was an American film, television, and stage actress. Loy was a trained dancer but decided to concentrate on acting, appearing in silent films before becoming a major star with the advent of sound. Perhaps Loy is most famous for playing Nora Charles opposite William Powell in The Thin Man (1934) and its subsequent sequels. Loy and Powell were one of the screen’s most popular acting teams; they appeared in 14 films together. Loy starred opposite the top leading men of the day, including Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Tyrone Power, and Cary Grant. Some of her films include Wife vs. Secretary (1936), Libeled Lady (1936), The Great Ziegfeld (1936), Test Pilot (1938), Too Hot to Handle (1938), The Rains Came (1939), Love Crazy  (1941), The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948).

 

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House trivia

• Mr. Blandings $15,000 a year salary would be equivalent to $193,000 today.
• The house built for the movie still stands on the old Fox Ranch property in Malibu Creek State Park, in the hills a few miles north of Malibu. It is now used as the park’s office and as offices for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.
• Director H. C. Potter wanted Irene Dunne for the role of Muriel Blandings, but she was working on I Remember Mama at the time and was unavailable. Potter wanted Dunne because all three of her pairings with Grant were box office gold.

 

Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Melvyn Douglas

 

Click HERE to watch the movie on the Internet Archive.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on September 8, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an email invitation and link to join the discussion on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

1. Idealism vs. Reality: How does the film's portrayal of the Blandings' "dream house" project serve as a commentary on the American ideal of home ownership? In what ways do their romanticized expectations clash with the harsh realities of construction, and what does this say about the pursuit of perfection?
2. The Role of Consumerism: The film is set against the backdrop of post-war American consumer culture. How does advertising executive Jim Blandings' profession influence his decisions and desires regarding the house? What message does the movie convey about the pitfalls of consumerism and the pursuit of material goods?
3. Humor and Relatability: The film is a comedy, but it deals with serious themes like financial strain and marital stress. How does the use of humor, satire, and exaggeration make these challenges relatable to a modern audience? Can you identify specific scenes or characters that effectively use comedy to highlight the frustrations of building or renovating a home?
4. On-Screen Chemistry: This was the third and final film starring Cary Grant and Myrna Loy. What did you think of their on-screen pairing? Were they believable as husband and wife?
5. Recommendation: Would you recommend this film to your friends?

Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Shirley Temple star in “The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer”

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) is an American screwball comedy-romance directed by Irving Reis and starring Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Shirley Temple. The supporting cast includes Rudy Vallee, Ray Collins, Henry Davenport, Veda Ann Borg, Johnny Sands, and Lillian Randolph. The screenplay, written by Sidney Sheldon, won an Academy Award for Best Writing Original Screenplay. It was the only Academy Award nomination for the film.

Richard Nugent (Grant), a carefree and charming artist who finds himself in legal trouble after being accused of corrupting a minor. The accuser is the stern and elegant Judge Margaret Turner (Loy), whose younger sister, Susan (Temple), has developed a fierce crush on Richard. Susan's infatuation, sparked by his magazine photo, leads to a series of chaotic misunderstandings that land Richard in Margaret's courtroom. In a fit of frustrated fury and a desire to teach her sister a lesson, Margaret sentences Richard to "rehabilitate" Susan by pretending to be her boyfriend until her teenage crush fades away.

What could go wrong?

 

Irving Reis (1906 – 1953) was a radio program producer and director, and a film director. Reis directed several notable and popular films, including Hitler’s Children (1943), The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), and All My Sons (1948).

Cary Grant (1904 – 1986) was an English-born American actor who became one of the most popular leading men in film history. Grant started his career in vaudeville before heading to Hollywood. He became a superstar in the late 1930s in a series of screwball comedies, including The Awful Truth (1937) with Irene Dunne. He was a memorable C. K. Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story (1940) opposite Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart. He received two Best Actor nominations for Penny Serenade (1941) and None but the Lonely Hearts (1944). Other classic Grant films include Gunga Din (1939), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944). He made four popular films with Alfred Hitchcock: Suspicion (1941), Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959). He was presented with an Honorary Oscar at the 42nd Academy Awards in 1970.

Myrna Loy (1905 - 1993) was an American film, television, and stage actress. Loy was a trained dancer but decided to concentrate on acting, appearing in silent films before becoming a major star with the advent of sound. Perhaps Loy is most famous for playing Nora Charles opposite William Powell in The Thin Man (1934) and its subsequent sequels. Loy and Powell were one of the screen’s most popular acting teams; they appeared in 14 films together. Loy starred opposite the top leading men of the day, including Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Tyrone Power, and Cary Grant. Some of her films include Wife vs. Secretary (1936), Libeled Lady (1936), The Great Ziegfeld (1936), Test Pilot (1938), Too Hot to Handle (1938), The Rains Came (1939), Love Crazy  (1941), The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948).

 

Cary Grant, Shirley Temple, and Myrna Loy

Shirley Temple (1928 – 2014) was an American actress, singer, dancer, and diplomat. Temple was Hollywood’s number-one box-office star from 1934 to 1938. As the most famous child star of all time, Temple achieved worldwide fame. Her films are still popular today. Some of Temple’s movies during her child star period include Baby Take a Bow (1934), Bright Eyes (1934), Captain January (1936), Stowaway (1936), Heidi (1937), Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938), and The Little Princess (1939). Her popularity as a top star at Twentieth-Century Fox ended with the release of The Blue Bird (1940). The film was Fox’s answer to The Wizard of Oz (1930), but it was a disaster with critics and, more importantly, with audiences. She had some success as a teen star in films like Since You Went Away (1944) and The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947). Temple turned to politics in the 1960s. She was the United States Ambassador to Ghana (1974 – 1976). She was the first female Chief of Protocol of the United States (1976 – 1977), where she was in charge of President Jimmy Carter’s inauguration and inaugural ball. She was appointed the United States Ambassador to Czechoslovakia (1989 – 1992) by George H. W. Bush.

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer trivia

• At the time of filming, Shirley Temple was 18 and had been married for ten months. Cary Grant was 42 years old.
• Movie in-joke references to Shirley Temple appear in the film. Cary Grant is served a “Shirley Temple” drink in a soda shop. When Shirley’s character is packing in her room, she takes a Shirley Temple doll off the mantle of her fireplace in her bedroom.
• Myrna Loy was almost 23 years older than her younger “sister” in the film.
• This was the second of three movies starring Cary Grant and Myrna Loy:
• Wings in the Dark (1934), and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dreamhouse (1948).

 Click HERE to watch the movie on the Internet Archive.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on September 1, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. How does the film's title, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, reflect the central conflict and themes of the story? What does the term "bobby-soxer" reveal about the period in which the film was made?
2. Analyze the character of Judge Margaret Turner. Is her decision to sentence Richard to "rehabilitate" her sister an abuse of power, a clever solution, or both? How does her professional role as a judge contrast with her personal role as an older sister?
3. The film uses a significant age gap between the characters of Richard Nugent and Susan Turner for comedic effect. How do the performances of Cary Grant and Shirley Temple ensure that the relationship remains a lighthearted infatuation and never feels inappropriate?
4. Beyond the central love story, what does the film say about the differences between generations and the expectations placed on young people and adults in the 1940s?

Carole Lombard, Cary Grant, and Kay Francis star in “In Name Only”

In Name Only (1939) stars Carole Lombard and Cary Grant in rare dramatic form in this marital melodrama directed by John Cromwell (Since You Went Away).

Grant is Alec Walker, a man stuck in a loveless marriage with his wife Maida (Kay Francis). Maida married Alec for his money and his social position; she never loved him. One afternoon Alec runs into Julie (Lombard), a commercial artist with a young daughter named Ellen (Peggy Ann Garner). They are instantly attracted to each other, but Maida stands in the way of their happiness.

Lombard, Grant, and Francis mug for this publicity photo for In Name Only.

Although the public loved Lombard and Grant for their comedy performances, both are believable as a couple deeply in love. Will their love survive Maida’s intrigue?

One of the great melodramas of the late-1930s, In Name Only was praised by the critics. Variety said, “In the steering of the story director John Cromwell has made every situation as believable as could be accomplished in order to sustain the dramatic undercurrent, strife and the beleaguered romance which has developed. Cary Grant and Carole Lombard emerge highly impressive.” Frank Nugent of the New York Times called the film “Soap opera par excellence…blessed with a peerless cast.”

Click HERE to watch the movie at the Internet Archive.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on March 17, 2025, Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and link to join the discussion on Zoom.

In Name Only trivia

• Photoplay magazine named Lombard and Grant as the best movie performers for the month of October 1939.
• Katharine Hepburn was supposed to play the female lead and reunite with Grant, but due to the failure of Bringing Up Baby, Lombard was brought on board to replace her.
• The Hollywood Reporter said that Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was set to play the role of Alec.
• Lombard insisted on casting her friend Kay Francis in the role of Maida after Francis was dropped from Warner Bros.
• The home used as the location for the garden party, is the front portico of the old Selznick Studio in Culver City, where Gone with the Wind (1939) was being filmed at the same time as In Name Only.
• This was Peggy Ann Garner’s first credited role.
• In Name Only premiered in New York at the city’s famed Radio City Music Hall on August 4, 1939 where it was held over for several weeks.

Discussion questions

1. What did you think of the acting of Grant and Lombard? Were they convincing
2. Was Lombard right to insist that Kay Francis play the part of Maida? Was Francis convincing as the gold-digging wife?
3. Was the romantic triangle realistic and/or believable?
4. Charles Coburn did a rare dramatic turn as the father of Alec. What did you think of his performance?
5. Was there anything about this film that surprised you?
6. Did In Name Only remind you of any other films?

Irene Dunne and Cary Grant discover “The Awful Truth”

 In 1937, Irene Dunne was at the height of her career. The year before, Dunne received a Best Actress Academy Award nomination for Theodora Goes Wild, a comedy role she was reluctant to take. That picture was a critical success for Dunne and a huge box office hit for Columbia Pictures. So it wasn’t surprising that the next picture she would make for the studio would be another comedy.

From Stage To Screen
The Awful Truth was based on a play by Arthur Richman and brought to the screen with the aid of screenwriter Vina Delmar and Theodora Goes Wild screenwriter, Sidney Buchman, who went uncredited. Teamed with Dunne for the first time was Cary Grant. Grant quickly became a top leading man in Hollywood, but his pairing with Dunne was inspired and their on-screen chemistry delighted movie-going audiences. B.R. Crisler writing in his New York Times review said, “Miss Dunne and Mr. Grant, as the couple...have fun with their roles, and the pleasure seems to be shared, on the whole, by the [Radio City] Music Hall audience.”

What Is The Awful Truth?
The plot revolves around the marital woes of Lucy (Dunne) and Jerry (Grant) Warriner. Each becomes suspicious of the others’ marital fidelity, which eventually leads them to divorce court. After the divorce, Lucy and Jerry are consumed with foiling each other’s new romantic interests. Is the awful truth the fact that Lucy and Jerry are still in love?

Get Me Out Of This Picture

Irene Dunne and Cary Grant

Like Dunne in the previous year’s Theodora Goes Wild, Grant wasn’t too happy working on this film. Director Leo McCarey’s working style didn’t sit well with Grant and he tried to get out of the movie, even going so far as requesting he swap roles with supporting player Ralph Bellamy! McCarey liked to get spontaneous performances out of his cast, which meant a lot of on-set improvising, which Grant found unsettling. Eventually, things worked out for all concerned. Ironically, this is the movie that catapulted Grant to superstar status and is responsible for the Grant movie persona beloved by generations of moviegoers.

Comedy Triumph
For Dunne, The Awful Truth was a delightful experience. She loved working with both McCarey (who became a personal friend) and Grant. Professionally, it was another triumph. Once again, the critics raved about her and the film. And once again she was nominated for Best Actress by the Motion Picture Academy. If there was any doubt about Dunne’s comedy chops, they were all dispelled when the film was first released on October 21, 1937. Dunne and Grant would go on to star in two other popular films: the comedy My Favorite Wife (1940) and the melodrama Penny Serenade (1941).

Award Winner
The Awful Truth was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor. McCarey won the only Oscar for his direction and ensured his place in motion picture history.

Lasting Legacy
In 2000, the American Film Institute listed The Awful Truth at #68 on its list of 100 Years…100 Laughs. In 2002, the AFI listed it at #77 on the 100 Years…100 Passions list.

Leo McCarey (1898 – 1969) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. McCarey is perhaps most famous for his critically acclaimed and commercially popular comedies like Duck Soup (1933), The Ruggles of Red Gap (1935), and The Awful Truth (1937). Other popular films directed by McCarey include Going My Way (1944), The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945), and Good Sam (1948). McCarey won two Best Director Oscars for The Awful Truth and Going My Way.

Irene Dunne (1898 –1990) was an American actress and singer who was one of the most popular movie stars during Hollywood’s Golden Age. She is probably best remembered for her comedic roles, though she first became famous playing in melodramas like Back Street (1932) and Magnificent Obsession (1935). In fact, Dunne was so popular as a star of melodramas that she was dubbed “The Queen of the Weepies” by the press. Her comedic breakout performance was in Theodora Goes Wild (1936), earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. She would go on to make other comedy classics like The Awful Truth (1937) where she earned another Best Actress nod, and My Favorite Wife (1940). Dunne and Grant were one of the most popular screen teams in movie history. All three of their films were critical and box office successes. Dunne earned five Academy Award nominations for Best Actress but never won a competitive Oscar. The fact that the Motion Picture Academy never awarded her an Honorary Academy Award for her work is a travesty.

Cary Grant (1904 – 1986) was an English-born American actor who became one of film history's most popular leading men. Grant started his career in vaudeville before heading to Hollywood. He became a superstar in the late 1930s in a series of screwball comedies including The Awful Truth (1937) with Irene Dunne. He was a memorable C. K. Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story (1940) opposite Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart. He received two Best Actor nominations for Penny Serenade (1941) and None but the Lonely Hearts (1944). Other classic Grant films include Gunga Din (1939), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944). He made four popular films with Alfred Hitchcock: Suspicion (1941), Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959). He was awarded an Honorary Oscar at the 42nd Academy Awards in 1970.

Click HERE to watch the film on the Internet Archive.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on December 9, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation with a like to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. Did either character, Jerry or Lucy break their marriage vows?
2. Do you think there was a serious message about marriage underneath all the comedy?
3. What did you think of Irene Dunne and Cary Grant together as a team?
4. Ralph Bellamy made a career out of being the other man. What did you think of his performance?
5. Did you have a favorite scene or piece of dialogue?

Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman are "Notorious!"

Notorious (1946) is a film noir/spy thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Raines. The film’s screenplay was written by Ben Hecht (Nothing Sacred) with cinematography by Ted Tetzlaff (My Man Godfrey).

Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant

Alicia Huberman (Bergman) is recruited by the American government to infiltrate a group of Nazis hiding out in Brazil after World War II. Alicia’s father was a convicted Nazi spy who committed suicide in prison. Government agent T. R. Devlin (Grant) recruits Alicia and informs her of her assignment. Part of her assignment is romancing the head of the Nazi group in Brazil, Alexander Sebastian (Raines), a man she had a relationship with in the past.

Things get complicated when Devlin and Alicia fall in love and the Nazi plot becomes more elusive. Will Devlin and Alicia be successful in exposing the Nazis? Will they be able to find happiness once their assignment is over?

Alfred Hitchcock (1899 – 1980) was an English film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is one of the most influential filmmakers of the 20th century. Hitchcock directed over 50 feature films, many are classics that have been honored and studied for years. Some of Hitchcock’s classic films include The 39 Steps (1935), Sabotage (1936), Rebecca (1940), Suspicion (1941), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), and Psycho (1960).

Ben Hecht (1894 – 1964) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, journalist, and novelist! Hecht was born in New York City but went to Chicago at age 16. He became a journalist of some note and in 1920 he co-wrote The Front Page which became a huge Broadway hit. In the 1930s and 1940s, Hecht was one of the most popular and prolific screenwriters in Hollywood. He often acted as a “script doctor” for many screenplays, often without credit. Some of Hecht’s famous screenplays include Spellbound (1945), Kiss of Death (1947), Design for Living (1933), Wuthering Heights (1939), and Gunga Din (1939). Hecht was one of the dozens of writers who had a hand in the Gone With the Wind (1939) screenplay. Supposedly, Hecht never worked more than eight weeks on a screenplay.

Ted Tetzlaff (1903 – 1995) was an Academy Award-nominated cinematographer in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s. He was a favorite of Carole Lombard—he photographed her in 10 movies. Some of the movies he photographed include Hands Across the Table (1935), Remember the Night (1940), The Road to Zanzibar (1941), I Married a Witch (1942), The Talk of the Town (1942), and The More the Merrier (1943).

Cary Grant (1904 – 1986) was an English-born American actor who became one of the most popular leading men in film history. Grant started his career in vaudeville before heading to Hollywood. He became a superstar in the late 1930s in a series of screwball comedies including The Awful Truth (1937) with Irene Dunne. He was a memorable C. K. Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story (1940) opposite Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart. He received two Best Actor nominations: Penny Serenade (1941) and None but the Lonely Hearts (1944). Other classic Grant films include Gunga Din (1939), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944). He made four popular films with Alfred Hitchcock: Suspicion (1941), Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959). He was presented with an Honorary Oscar at the 42nd Academy Awards in 1970.

Cary Grant, Alfred Hitchcock and Ingrid Bergman celebrate Cary Grant’s birthday on the set of Notorious. 

Ingrid Bergman (1915 – 1982) was a Swedish actress who became an international star upon her Hollywood debut in Intermezzo (1939). Few actresses were as popular as Bergman during the 1940s. In fact, she was the number two box office draw (after Bing Crosby) in 1946. She starred opposite Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) opposite Gary Cooper, Gaslight (1944) for which she won the Best Actress Academy Award. She starred opposite newcomer Gregory Peck in Spellbound (1945) which was her first collaboration with director Alfred Hitchcock. Bergman would go on to win another Best Actress Academy Award for Anastasia (1956) and a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for Murder on the Orient Express (1974).

Claude Raines (1889 – 1967) was a British-American film and stage actor. He was one of the most popular character actors working in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s. He was a favorite of actress Bette Davis; they worked together in four films including Now, Voyager (1942). Other classic Raines films include The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), Kings Row (1942), Casablanca (1942), Phantom of the Opera (1943), Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), and Deception (1946).

To watch the film, click on the YouTube here. Be sure to use this link because there are many versions of this film on the channel. None are as good as this print.

To join the discussion on Zoom on October 16, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions:
1. One of the major themes of the film is trust. Trust withheld or given too freely. What did you make of it all?
2. Some critics consider this one of Hitchcock’s most complicated romances. Do you agree with that assessment?
3. Hitchcock is known for the “mothers” in his films. Madame Anna Sebastian is a major character in Notorious. What did you make of her character?

4. Did you think Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman worked well together? Was their romance believable?

5. Claude Raines was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award. Do you think his performance was worthy of the nomination?

6. Did the ending surprise you? Was it a satisfying ending?

Cary Grant and Doris Day star in “That Touch of Mink”

That Touch of Mink (1962) is an American romantic comedy film directed by Delbert Mann and starring Cary Grant, Doris Day, Gig Young, and Audrey Meadows. Also in the cast are John Astin, Richard Deacon, and Richard (Dick) Sargent. And as themselves, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, and Roger Maris.

Cathy Timberlake (Day) is an unemployed New York City career woman. One day when she goes to the unemployment office she is harassed by Beasley (Astin), the clerk who tries to get her into bed. After she leaves the unemployment office, Philip Shayne (Grant) drives by in his chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce splashing her dress with mud while she’s on her way to a job interview.

Philip wants to make it up to Cathy so he proposes that he become her lover, an offer she wasn’t expecting since she was holding out for marriage. What will Cathy do? And how will Philip react?

Delbert Mann (1920 – 2007) was an American television and film director. He won the Best Director Academy Award for his first film, Marty (1955). Other Mann films include The Bachelor Party (1957), Separate Tables (1958), Middle of the Night (1959), Lover Come Back (1961), and Dear Heart (1964). Mann still worked in television, directing several movies including Heidi (1968), David Copperfield (1969), and Jane Eyre (1970).

Cary Grant (1904 – 1986) was an English-born American actor who became one of the most popular leading men in film history. Grant started his career in vaudeville before heading to Hollywood. He became a superstar in the late 1930s in a series of screwball comedies including The Awful Truth (1937) with Irene Dunne. He was a memorable C. K. Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story (1940) opposite Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart. He received two Best Actor nominations for Penny Serenade (1941) and None but the Lonely Hearts (1944). Other classic Grant films include Gunga Din (1939), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944). He made four popular films with Alfred Hitchcock: Suspicion (1941), Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959). He was presented with an Honorary Oscar at the 42nd Academy Awards in 1970.

Doris Day (1922 – 2019) was an American actress and singer. She began her career as a big band singer. With Les Brown and His Band of Renown, she had two number one hits with “Sentimental Journey” and “My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time.” She made her film debut in 1948 with her role in Romance on the High Seas (1948). Day became one of the biggest box office stars of all time starring in films like Calamity Jane (1953), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), and Pillow Talk (1959) for which she received her only Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Pillow Talk with Rock Hudson was such a hit that they co-starred in two other successful comedies: Lover Come Back (1961) and Send Me No Flowers (1964). Other Day movies include Love Me or Leave Me (1955), The Pajama Game (1957), The Thrill of it All (1962) and Move Over Darling (1962).

 

That Touch of Mink trivia

• Cary Grant was a big fan of The Honeymooners and Audrey Meadows in particular. He was responsible for her getting the role of Connie.
• Cary Grant was involved with many details of the film’s production including set design and some of Doris Day’s wardrobe.
• Rock Hudson thought he was going to be cast as Philip, but director Mann wanted Grant.
• Doris Day was 39 at the time of filming. Her character was supposed to be in her twenties. Grant was older than his character was supposed to be as well. Grant was 57.
• Day said that Grant was professional and courteous but remote.
• This was the fourth highest grossing film of 1962.

 

To watch the film on YouTube, click here.

 

 To join the discussion on October 9, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation with a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. This was the only pairing between Grant and Day; do you think they had good chemistry together?
2. This film was made in the early 1960s. Do you think a film like this could be made today? Who would you cast in the leads?
3. Was Day believable as an out-of-work career woman?
4. What advice would you have given Day’s character regarding her relationship with Grant?
5. Do you think the film would have been different or better with Rock Hudson?
6. Did you have a favorite scene or piece of dialogue?