Die Nacht vor der Hochzeit (1940)

Die Nacht vor der Hochzeit: Directed by George Cukor. With Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, Ruth Hussey. When a rich woman’s ex-husband and a tabloid-type reporter turn up just before her planned remarriage, she begins to learn the truth about herself.

“After Katharine Hepburn was one of a group of stars dictated u0026quot;box office poisonu0026quot; by the ruling moguls of Hollywood she went east and scored a complete triumph on stage with The Philadelphia Story. But our Kate was the shrewd one, she had the foresight to buy the film rights from author Philip Barry and peddle them to the studio that would guarantee her repeating her stage role and giving her creative control. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOn stage she had co-starred with Joseph Cotten, Van Heflin, and Shirley Booth all of whom became movie names later on, but meant nothing to Hollywood in 1940. She had the choice of leading men and cast in their places, Cary Grant, James Stewart and Ruth Hussey. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis was Grantu0026#39;s fourth and final appearance on screen with Hepburn. Itu0026#39;s a typical Cary Grant part, witty and urbane, with a touch of the rogue in him. Heu0026#39;s Hepburnu0026#39;s ex-husband, still very much in love with his ex-wife, but sheu0026#39;s marrying stuffed shirt John Howard.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eReporter James Stewart and photographer Ruth Hussey are covering Hepburnu0026#39;s wedding for Spy Magazine, the National Enquirer of the day. Through a little judicious blackmail theyu0026#39;re invited to this premier society wedding, but both feel out of place and used.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAfter The Philadelphia Story, Katharine Hepburn was a movie name the rest of her long life. Even with an occasional clinker no one ever questioned her about being box office poison.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eJames Stewart won the Best Actor Oscar in probably the most romantic he was ever on the screen. A lot felt it was a consolation Oscar for not winning it for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington in 1939. Stewart himself proclaimed to all whou0026#39;d listen that he voted for good friend Henry Fonda in the Academy Sweepstakes for The Grapes of Wrath. Iu0026#39;ve always felt that when Stewart talked about those hearth fires banked down low to Hepburn, he was really talking about himself. Heu0026#39;s a cynical fellow at first and his romantic side comes as a surprise to him more than even the audience.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Philadelphia Story has become such a classic that even the musical remake High Society doesnu0026#39;t try to copy it, it just presents a softer musical alternative. But Iu0026#39;d kind of liked to have seen Hepburn do this with her original cast as well. Oscars were in the future for Van Heflin and Shirley Booth and Joseph Cotten the following year made his debut in the biggest film of all.”