Why I Love... The Philadelphia Story (1940)
"Hello, friends and enemies." Oh, The Philadelphia Story . One of the best romantic comedies out there, Old Hollywood or not. With a cast of familiar favorites, filled with one-liners and Oscar-winning acting and Jimmy Stewart singing "Over the Rainbow," it's hard not to love this movie. After Top Hat , this was the second classic film I watched, and the one that I've rewatched the most. It also has one of the most compelling backstories. Katharine Hepburn, spurred by a late 1930s lull in her popularity (which included a feature on 1938's list of "Box Office Poison" actors), had made her way to New York City to return to her Broadway roots. In 1939, she was starring in Philip Barry's play The Philadelphia Story, which he had written specifically for her. The show was a smash hit, and completely reversed the Great Kate's negative publicity - the only remaining question was, would Hollywood welcome her back?