MovieChat Forums > The Philadelphia Story (1941) Discussion > Liz is my idol

Liz is my idol

posted 21 years ago by pinkmuramui
31 replies | jump to latest

After watching this movie probably fifty times over the past years, I have come to appreciate Liz more and more. Too often, her grace, patience, and sexiness are overlooked. At first I thought she was too cynical, but now I know she has a very idealistic center to trust Mike so much and keep loving him even when he's immature and crazy. She never nags, and yet she can tell it like it is when she needs to. She loves to flirt and have fun and be flirted with, but she always stays classy and dignified --never trashy.

So many times my friends and I have guy troubles and we end up considering Liz and what she would do.

Of course every girl would love to be like Kate, but Liz is way underrated.

"So they laughed and danced in the trees, and pretty fair nonsense I daresay you think" ~The Hobbit

[–] jen_78 18 years ago

Agreed.... hence why I asked my director to cast me as Liz in the play that my theater is doing. :-) And I got the part. We start rehearsals tonight.

[–] scratchp75838745 18 years ago

I totally agree with everything you've been saying about Liz. She is by far the more interesting character in the play, in my opinion, but having said both the lead women are wonderful characters!

I just saw a stage production of High Society and as well deciding once and for all that I do prefer the play I was pleased to see that the stage version of the musical fleshes out the character of Liz so much, while retaining her cynical wit and intelligence. She becomes even more wonderful and enviable in her self-confidence. Which makes you want to whack Mike over the head even more when he proposes to Red( can't bring myself to say Sam despite refering to HS not TPS!)

[–] browng 17 years ago

I just saw this comment for the first time. What did you learn about Liz while playing her?

[–] jen_78 17 years ago

Well, it's kind of different because in the play, Liz's part is much smaller. It was a fun part to play though. We kind of played up her fun, flirty side a little bit more. She still had her same snarkiness, but also in the play, there are allusions that she has a bit of a thing with Uncle Willy. Just a flirty, innocent kind of thing, but it's there. She's very observant and smart, just like in the movie though. She was one of my favorite characters that I've played.

[–] silvergirl606 18 years ago

As soon as I saw Liz, I loved the character. I love all the four in the movie (though not of course Cary Grant as first), but I did sort of hope that Haven and Liz ended up together or something. Mac didn't notice how great Liz was enough, and I rather disliked that she just took it from him. She's a great character, so dry and witty and unflapable. But I love Tracy, as well. Hepburn is one of my favorite actors ever.

Hell, I love everybody but Tracy's father in that whole movie. He was such a dreadful character.

[–] katlyn 18 years ago

I thought the same! Liz is so cool! My favorite character. And she's so pretty.

[–] joxerthemighty39 18 years ago

hehe, once I told a friend of mine that my situation with this one boy I liked was like that of Ruth Hussey in the Philadelphia Story (he too is obsessed with old movies) and he was like, "that's so upsetting!!" lol, I like that I have somebody to relate to.

[–] Harold_Robbins 16 years ago

Hussey was wonderful as Liz. Most people have forgotten or don't know that in the original production Liz was played by Shirley Booth - several of Booth's stage roles (such as this one) went to other actresses (including two that went to Hepburn) but she herself caught the brass ring (and an Oscar) for COME BACK LITTLE SHEBA.

"Somewhere along the line the world has lost all of its standards and all of its taste."

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Electric-Eyes 15 years ago

I loved her too. She was so smart and cynical and quite ahead of her time I think. I also really felt for her at the end, when Mike proposed to Tracy and the look on her face was one of such shock- her hard exterior was washed away at that moment and we see just how much she would have been hurt had Tracy not declined the proposal. I sort of hate though how Mike then just turns around and proposes to Liz then, like she is just second best.

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[–] skiddoo 14 years ago

Liz probably understood it was a momentary chivalrous moment for him. Sometimes when a person starts to seriously think about getting married it opens the floodgates of emotion that had been dammed up. It doesn't necessarily mean it isn't real. I'm sure Liz was wise enough to know her man had to go through an upheaval to become mature.

[–] Errington_92 13 years ago

It is a shame Liz's appearence was shorter than the main three characters in 'The Philadelphia Story', she had some great lines perfectly delivered by Ruth Hussey. Especially in her opening scene, "No, I-I can't afford to hate anybody. I'm only a photographer."

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".

[–] trpdean 13 years ago

Charming post!

I like Liz too - but I can't remember her loving to flirt and have fun and be flirted with - when?

[–] Bree_33 12 years ago

Macaulay Connor: I can fill them in right now: the rich, rapacious, American female. There's no other country where she exists.

Liz Imbrie: And would I change places with Tracy Samantha Lord for all her wealth and beauty? Oh boy just ask me.

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[–] j_grae 11 years ago

Liz is awesome! She was so cool and sure. My favorite lines:
Dexter:"Can you use a typewriter?"
Liz: "Thanks but I already have one."

Tracy: "Aren't you coming Liz?"
Liz: "It seems I have to commit suicide first."