Philadelphicon: Grace Kelly

This month marks the 25th anniversary of the death of our fabled but ill-fated East Falls movie-star-turned-princess, at the age of 52. Grace Kelly remains frozen in time, destined to forever remain the sinewy, ethereal goddess whose screen visage still hypnotizes. (Hitchcock’s lingering close-up of her kissing a sleeping Jimmy Stewart in Rear Window is still one of the sexiest moments ever captured on celluloid.)

In the past year she’s been the subject of a hit pop song, a biography, a coffee-table book, even a televised ghost hunt. Another lavish tribute tome, from publisher Skira, comes out next month; Philadelphia is currently a finalist for its accompanying museum exhibit.

Perhaps all of the attention should come as no surprise. After all, in a world of Lindsay, Paris and Britney, is it any wonder we’re still searching for Grace Kelly?