An Unscripted Moment In The Philadelphia Story Left Cary Grant 'Fascinated' By James Stewart

Director George Cukor's "The Philadelphia Story" may have been designed as a comeback vehicle for Katherine Hepburn, but it also served as delightful showcase for her two leading men, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart. In "The Philadelphia Story," Hepburn is Tracy Lord, a spit-fire of a socialite that everyone is convinced is a haughty, spoiled brat. She's about to marry her new-money fiancée when her ex-husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (that's Grant), comes back into town. Once a yacht designer, now a correspondent for "Spy" magazine, he's there to help reporter Macaulay "Mike" Connor (that's Stewart) and his photographer Liz Imbrie (Ruth Hussey) cover the nuptials with little to no pushback.

Admittedly, there's a lot going on in the film. But at the end of the day, Hepburn, Grant and Stewart are the stars of the show — and for good reason. The role of Dexter was obviously a great one for Grant, but "The Philadelphia Story" was a notable turning point for Stewart. Before this role, the actor was probably best known as the wholesome guy from "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," or perhaps the flustered, well-meaning guy from "The Shop Around the Corner." "Philadelphia Story" was a chance for Stewart to establish himself as a major name to watch — not just in the eyes of fans and critics, but with his co-stars as well.

"The Philadelphia Story" is pretty famous now for the impeccable rapport between its core trio. Hepburn and Grant's chemistry was well established after romantic comedies like "Holiday" and "Bringing Up Baby," both made the same year. But "Philadelphia Story" marked Grant's first collaboration with Stewart — and though it'd also be their last, it was one that Grant would never forget.

"Philadelphia Story" is especially memorable today because of Stewart's performance, particularly after his character gets ridiculously inebriated and turns up at Dex's home unannounced. Stewart plays drunk to hilarious effect, with unscheduled pauses and even a few hiccups for some added realism. The hiccups came as a notable surprise to Grant, who had to turn away and regain his composure before continuing the scene. His shock and recovery obviously worked for Cukor, who kept that particular take in the final cut of the film. It also cemented Grant's admiration for Stewart in a major way. Via Stewart's biography, "A Life in Film," Grant remembered his impact:

"In that scene I was absolutely fascinated by him. When you watch him you can see how good he is in the film. I think the reason Jimmy stood out from other actors was that he had the ability to talk naturally. He knew that in conversation people do often interrupt one another and that it's not always so easy to get a thought out. It took a little while for the sound men to get used to him, but he had an enormous impact."

Grant also noted how, despite the inconveniences that Stewart's style may have caused early on, it later became the calling card for a few actors that followed — the most popular being Marlon Brando. "Some years later, Marlon Brando came out and did the same thing all over again," Grant recalled. "But what people forget is that Jimmy did it first. And he affected all of us really."

It's funny that Grant found so much to admire in what seems like such a simple scene, but sometimes the most sophisticated choices can feel effortless to the naked eye. Stewart won his first (and, bafflingly, his only) Oscar for his performance in "The Philadelphia Story," so clearly his work made an impression on many more, not just Grant. It's not every day that a romantic comedy is recognized by the Academy — but with so much talent in one film, could anyone really have afforded to ignore it?