Swellegant--'High Society'

The George Cukor remake that works:

Though Charles Walters' High Society has never been snubbed in the world of movie musicals, I don't think it has earned its rightful place as one of the best of the gengre either. A remake of the brilliant George Cukor 1940 screwball The Philadelphia Story starring the power trio of Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and James Stewart, 1956's High Society has constantly been judged against its predecessor -- it isn't witty enough, there's less chemistry among the leads, and there's no Kate Hepburn.

Of course, such critiques are ridiculous -- we might as well criticize The Philadelphia Story for lacking color, musical numbers, and Louis Armstrong. The two films are vastly different; they contain their own timely style and cleverness, one with cutting dialogue, the other via the genius of Cole Porter, whose tunes easily flow through the scenes as playfully as Katharine Hepburn breaking Cary Grant's golf club in two.

Unlike the big production number musicals of the time, High Society keeps its proceedings low-key and natural, as if these elite people just break into "True Love" mid-sentence and then go about their idly rich ways. And why not? Shifting settings from Philadelphia to Newport, Rhode Island (where the Newport Jazz Festival occurs -- an easy way to have Mr. Armstrong drop into the household), the story concerns rich, pampered, spoiled Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly who, need I mention, is almost painfully beautiful), the reluctant ice goddess, preparing her wedding. A gorgeous, humorous snob (she's never an insufferable blue-blood), Tracy's on to supposedly greener pastures with her spoilsport suitor, the dullard George Kittredge (John Lund). This safe union seems appropriate for Tracy after her first marriage -- to composer C.K. Dexter-Haven (Bing Crosby, whose with his intriguing mixture of softness and cruelty, is oddly sexy --he should have played villains) -- was, to say the least, torrid. Bing's Dexter is a bad-ish boy (how bad can he look next to Frank Sinatra?), sweater-wearing hep cat, an erratic fellow and (gasp!) jazz performer with a best friend in Louis Armstrong.

When a cynical gossip-rag catches wind of the upcoming nuptials, they assign wiseacre, hard-boiled reporter Mike Connor (Frank Sinatra) and a photographer (Celeste Holm) to cover the event, hopefully to capture the potentially gruesome details. And they've got a good scoop -- Dexter's still nuts for Tracy and is determined to stop the ceremony. Things get even nuttier when Mike falls for the irresistible Tracy and she, confused and drunk, has a little fling with Mike. We understand her temptation: In the original, a love-struck Jimmy Stewart rapturously cooed the illuminated ice goddess Tracy; in the re-make, Frank Sinatra serenades her with the beautiful "You're Sensational." Who wouldn't become weak in the knees?

Though High Society is less obviously class-conscious than The Philadelphia Story, it still notes the disparities between rich, the new rich, and the working class albeit with gentle little jabs. And then there's the "cool" factor. Eccentric C.K. not only allows a posse of non-service-oriented black men into his house, he even sings with them in the charming Crosby-Armstrong duet "Now You Has Jazz." There's a level of competition between Crosby and Sinatra as they deliver one of film's biggest highlights, "Will Did You Evah," during which Sinatra cracks the in-joke "Don't dig that kind of crooning chum" to a "bah-bah-booing" Crosby (I've watched this number too many times to count and it always makes me blissfully happy--and really wanting a drink....and really wishing I was Frank Sinatra. View it here.). Other standouts are the Sinatra-Holm duet, "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and Louis Armstrong's (who opens the film almost like a Greek Chorus) calypso "High Society." The picture is gorgeously shot in Technicolor, Cole Porter's songs are timeless genius, and the performances are delightful. Really, how much closer to perfect can a movie get? It's, as Bing and Frank sing, "Swellegant."

Comments

[Theron]

I dig what your laying down, chickie baby. This flick just plain swings. It's one of those films that is truly of its time, even though it's a remake of a film of a different time.

I think this remake of a true classic works because they reworked it into a musical. These days, this would've first been translated to Broadway as a musical, then they'd film it and it would stink. Maybe skipping the Broadway step is the key...hmmm.

[Matthew]

OMG -- I heart this movie. (You and I agree a lot. . .it's kind of weird. . .like, on very specific thing. . .like REPULSION and GREY GARDENS. . .) I can play "True Love" on the piano, and I think of the movie (naturally) ever time. Mmmm:~)

[Danny]

I used to be the a major "High Society" basher for all the reasons you stated but after a recent viewing I'm moving over to your side. Once you stop hating Grace Kelly for not being Katharine Hepburn, it's easier to appreciate how perfectly cast she is in that part. Kelly was born in Philadelphia to an upper crust society family, she basically IS Tracy Lord. I just wish they tweaked the script a bit more and didn't include long word-for-word chunks of dialogue from "The Philadelphia Story" that forces us to compare performances. I guess in 1956 it didn't matter so much but now in the age of videos and DVDs the first film is burned into our memories. Remakes need to respect that and switch it up a bit. But the musical numbers are very fun, I'm also a big fan of "Well Did you Evah."

Here's a question I always wondered about. All the characters have the same names in both films except for one: Tracy's little sister is named Dinah in "The Philadelphia Story" and Caroline in "High Society." Did they change the name to avoid comparisons between lackluster Lydia Reed with the brilliant scene-stealing Virginia Weidler?

[Fer Men]

Hello, arrived here looking for some material on High Society which I have always valued much more than every critic I´ve read. It´s been a pleasure to see this same opinion expressed by you in such a thorough, unbiased, professional and friendly way. Thanks.

[sharon corner]

thank you! I love High Society, it is my favorite movie and although PS is cute, this movie is charming and witty and fun to sing with! Grace Kelly is a riot, her range in this movie is hysterical!

[Melissa]

Swellegant indeed. i have watched that movie too many times to count, but each time i see it i catch yet another nugget of gold. the dialogue is amazing, Frank sinatra is sensational. Need i mention the cold godess who is irresistable?