Philadelphia Story
In George Cukor's 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, Tracy's 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 Tracey's heart. But the real twist of The Philadelphia Story is its subtle commentary on the three backgrounds and classes that each of Tracy's suitors comes from. In failing to take Tracy's 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 Tracy's love a suitor must be more than from the same class - he must understand what she truly wants. While the question of Tracy's 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. He
You can't treat her like other women. r concerns in marriage are easily assumed to be not material in nature. " This is the first time in the movie that Tracy is criticized for her personal strength. It seems that in giving each of these two suitors a flaw by which they cannot truly love Tracy, we are given a reason other than class as to why they fail. and George towards Tracy is seen immediately in the next scene. "When a girl is like Tracy, she's one in a million. In the office of Spy's publisher Sidney Kidd (Henry Daniell), MacCauley (Mike) makes it clear that he despises being a "hunter of buckshot in the rear", but he still acts as the very agent of Spy's intrusion into the home of Tracy Lord. Upon her protest of the idea, he meekly asks, "You mean, you've been in one too long?" It is in this scene, the only one in which they are alone together in the whole movie, that George shows his inability to have an intimate understanding of Tracy. So, how does George fit into the world of the Lords? Our indication at the beginning of the film is that he doesn't. Tracy first interaction with George is quite odd, as she throws him to the ground and smears dirt upon his newly purchased riding clothes. We gain further indication of her personality as her little sister Dinah (Virginia Walker) comments of Tracy's wedding day, "It won't rain - Tracy won't stand for it.
Common topics in this essay:
Lord George,
Mike George,
Philadelphia Story,
Tracy I'm,
Mike Tracy,
Tracy Lord,
Virginia Walker,
Sidney Kidd,
George Mike,
Tracy George,
mike george,
idea marriage,
tracy criticized,
spirit ck,
political aspirations,
level tracy,
mind spirit,
sidney kidd,
tracy's husband,
wedding day,
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Acceptance Essays
