Katharine Hepburn. All of their collaborations are impressive, but none so much as The Philadelphia Story. The leading lady plays Tracy Lord, a role quite literally written with her in mind. Tracy is on the eve of her second marriage when her ex-husband, Dexter (played by Grant), shows up to complicate things. Rounding out the cast is a reporter expertly played by Jimmy Stewart, who especially shines when delivering the character’s drunk ramblings. The film is invigorating — personally, I have yet to watch it without spending the runtime grinning ear to ear — but it also seems to have the risk of a highwire act. There’s never a dull moment, a statement that is at once a compliment and a recognition of how easily character development could have been sacrificed for the sake of the mile-a-minute, hijinks-heavy plot. But this doesn’t happen. The characters and performers are richly brought to life on screen, with perhaps Grant’s character demanding the most nuance of all. He was not especially kind to Tracy during their marriage and Grant is tasked with redeeming his character while maintaining the will-they-won’t-they dynamic at the heart of the story. It’s a hell of an accomplishment in a film full of brilliant accomplishments. (Anna Swanson)