High Society

"You could play football in this room."
"I know, but can you rehearse?"
"Is that chandelier tied tight up there?"
"If it gets to swinging a little put a mute in your horn."

Tracy Lord (Kelly) is preparing for her perfect wedding to handsome, self-made-man, George Kittredge (Lund).  All the preparations are going well, until Tracy's first husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Crosby) arrives the day before the wedding to open his home (beside the Lord home) to the jazz festival musicians, specifically Louis Armstrong and band.  Dexter is still in love with Tracy, and even wrote a song for her...

Meanwhile, Tracy's Uncle Willie (Calhern) is coerced into allowing two reporters from Spy Magazine, Mike Connor (Sinatra) and Liz Imbrie (Holm), to do an article on the wedding to stop an "unsavory" article about her father, Seth Lord (Sidney Blackmer), and his affair with a dancer.  Tracy, with a little help from her sister Caroline (Lydia Reed), decides to give the reporters a story... and switch the personas of their father and Uncle Willie.

As the wedding draws nearer Tracy starts to have doubts about George and is drawn to Mike.  Who will Tracy choose?


Take a successful Broadway show... turn it into an award winning, popular screwball comedy FILM ... turn that film into a musical with new songs by Cole Porter, and you have High Society. It is rare when a remake of a popular film is good... but this one works.  Yes, The Philadelphia Story is a great film.  It has an "A" list cast: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart; and plenty of slapstick and other funny moments.  And High Society does not take away from that film, or try to do the same things.  Yes, it is the same plot, most of the characters are the same, and some of the dialog is verbatim, BUT there are some interesting changes.

The role of George has been downsized and lost any interesting characteristics, which did not seem possible.  The role of the sister, Dinah in The Philadelphia Story and Caroline in this film, is a little different.  Caroline has more interaction with Dexter and the other characters, but her role is played down in the pool scene and the story of her "dream."

While the first film may have better actors and embrace the comedy of the situation, this film also works well.  The leads are talented actors... and the male leads (Crosby & Sinatra) have careers in music and musicals.  Crosby's Dexter is different than Cary Grant's Dexter.  He may not be as smooth or suave, but when he starts to sing you know he's the right man for Tracy.  Sinatra's Mike is a little smoother than the one James Stewart portrays, and he falls for Tracy (through song) sooner.  Grace Kelly is more believable as the icy Tracy.  Hepburn is great, but I prefer Kelly's version.  She does not sing as much as her co-stars (she performs a duet with Crosby), but she holds her own.

While the leads are great, they can't hold a candle to the supporting cast.  Louis Armstrong steals the show as the narrator / Greek chorus.  He starts and ends the film and you look forward to his appearances.  Also memorable are Celeste Holm and Louis Calhern.  Holm is a great side-kick as the sarcastic Liz.  Ruth Hussey was better in The Philadelphia Story, but Holm works.  Calhern is fantastic in every film, and this is no exception.  His Uncle Willie is funny and memorable and just about steals his scenes.  You know the character, and while you may be repulsed, you do want to know what happens next.

A decent revamp of a classic film.  Not the best musical ever, but there are some great songs (check out the Crosby and Sinatra duet of "Well, Did You Evah?").

High Society (1956) 111 minutes
Director: Charles Walters
Starring: Bing Crosby as C.K. Dexter Haven
Grace Kelly as Tracy Samantha Lord
Frank Sinatra as Mike Connor
Celeste Holm as Liz Imbrie
John Lund as George Kittredge
Louis Calhern as Uncle Willie
Louis Armstrong as Louis Armstrong