Dinah and Tracy by Ivy

Ivy Sedam

Romantic Comedies

Professor Sinowitz

April 21, 2020

Dinah and Tracy

The Philadelphia Story has  been one of the films that I have watched at least a couple times a year since almost before I can remember,I know half the words by heart. I like that it doesn’t precisely follow how we expect romantic comedies to be. Dexter admitting the whole film he wasn’t over Tracy and the addition of Mike as a third possible partner for Tracy both take this story out of the realm of what we might expect of it. However the criticism of Tracy by almost everyone in the film put a negative light on a strong female character. The relationship between Tracy and her sister Dinah has always been one of my favorite elements because of how different it is. I think this is the case because while everyone else in the film seems to be making comments and acting as if Tracy believes she is better than everyone, her relationship with Dinah proves that she has a human side. In a film where everyone is judging Tracy condemning her for being too serious, Dinah’s relationship with Tracy shows a more human side long before her change at the end of the film.

I think a very important part of this relationship is the actresses involved. Kathrine Hepburn (Tracy) is widely known and respected as an actress of the time. Virginia Weidler who played Dinah was hardly unknown at the time of the film. She had been starring opposite some of the big-name stars like Norma Shearer since she was a small child. After this film she went on to be in films with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. The strong personality and ability to match Hepburn’s makes for a very interesting character. Significantly, when the film was remade in 1956 the actress cast as Tracy's little sister is very clearly chosen to be similar to Virginia Weidler in both appearance and attitude. The character of Dinah does not conform to Tracy’s ideas of perfection and yet they get along and spend plenty of time together.

The relationship between Tracy and Dinah is so interesting because of all of the different dynamics they're able to portray within the limited time frame of the film. They are at odds with each other but also clearly spend a lot of time together, even when Tracy is going to go on a ride with her fiance Dinah comes along. They prank Uncle Willie and laugh at him and are clearly in unison and ride together whereas George is not as in sync with them. Obviously this may be partially to show how much George is not suited for Tracy, however in this and many other moments with Dinah we see that Tracy is not as she's described throughout the film. Her father's criticism of her might have been appropriate in regards to her treatment of him and of CK Dexter Haven, but clearly she is not as stiff and proper at all times as they make her out to be. As Dinah watches on, Tracy tackles George and roughs up his clothes here even at the beginning of the film we see that Tracy doesn’t like the idea of George being so stiff and proper or see herself as above pranking and getting messy. As one of the first scenes in the film seeing this the audience would not really expect the criticisms that follow. It would seem that there are certainly areas where Tracy embraces flaws and supposed imperfection.

Dinah certainly does not abide by Tracy's strict standards that Dexter says everyone around her must live by. In one scene they are fighting because Dinah likes Tracy's ex-husband whom Tracy hates. While the exact details of Tracy and Dexter’s relationship are not known, certainly Dinah would not have understood the complexities of what was happening between them at the age she was when they split. However, while Tracy is irritated by Dinah’s changing around cards and jokes about postponing her wedding to George, she doesn’t seem to blame Dinah for liking Dexter and even seems to agree with her ridicule of the wedding gifts. Dinah jokes that Tracy wouldn’t allow rain on her wedding day and Tracy pays no attention, she merely lifts her leg over her sister’s head as she gets off the couch. The characters of Tracy and her sister always have a very interesting and realistic sibling dynamic. They are disagreeing about Dexter as Dinah is casually helping Tracy organize wedding gifts and playfully fighting. The very next scene they are working together to prank their uncle, and then in a few scenes they're working together to confuse and make fools of the people from Spy magazine. 

 In light of their relationship in the rest of the film it seems like the conflicts between the sisters in the opening scenes are more to give exposition to the audience. Dinah asks her mother if Tracy is “hard” and it seems out of place, not just because it is something that Dinah would have just realized if Tracy had been that way all her life. It is also strange because the relationship they have is casual and close, even with Tracy’s high standards.

 The relationship between these two characters is very clearly not one of siblings that grew up together exactly, Dinah is barely grown up and still very much treated like a child. Her relationship with Tracy is clearly one that has been formed and is a very realistic sibling relationship in my opinion. Most importantly Dinah seems to genuinely like and get along with Tracy, the audience didn't get the feeling that Dinah and Tracy begrudgingly spend time together to appease their mother but that while they might have some disagreements they genuinely get along. As they walk out of the room scheming to mess with the people from Spy they walk fully in unison, showing how in tune they are. When Tracy opens the door to see Dinah singing, terribly, the look on her face is positively proud. Later on before the party when Mrs. Lord criticizes Dinah, Tracy compliments and reassures her. The Tracy that we see with Dinah throughout the film is very similar to how she is at the end of the film. 

She is perhaps too strict and unforgiving with her husband and father and seems like a kind of goddess, but with her sibling she is quite human.My sister is much older than I am and I've always felt we have a sort of similar dynamic and I've always loved Virginia Weidler as an actress and the characters that she plays. The way Tracy acts around Dinah rings true to a real sibling relationship because of how naturally the actresses show them to fight, compromise, and collaborate. These things make Tracy a realistic character and most importantly show that she is capable of acting and treating others in the ways that both Dexter and her father condemn her for not being able to.