Rent High Society (1956)
3.6 of 5 from 105 ratings
1h 47min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- The rich are generally different. But in matters of the heart, they’re just as scatterbrained as the rest of us. Heiress Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly) is engaged to one man (John Lund) attracted to another (Frank Sinatra) and, just maybe, in love again with her ex-husband (Bing Crosby) in this effervescent musical reinvention of Philip Barry’s play The Philadelphia Story featuring an endlessly delightful Cole Porter score. Among High Society’s high points: Sinatra and Celeste Holm ask Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Crosby and Kelly share True Love, Der Bingle and Ol’ Blue Eyes swing-swing-swingle Well, Did You Evah? And Crosby and Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong jive with Now You Has Jazz.
- Actors:
- Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm, John Lund, Louis Calhern, Sidney Blackmer, Louis Armstrong, Margalo Gillmore, Lydia Reed, Gordon Richards, Richard Garrick, Louis Armstrong and His Band, Don Anderson, Hugh Boswell, Paul Bradley, Steve Carruthers, Beulah Christian, Gene Coogan, Paul Cristo
- Directors:
- Charles Walters
- Writers:
- John Patrick, Philip Barry
- Others:
- Johnny Green, Saul Chaplin, Cole Porter
- Studio:
- Warner
- Genres:
- Classics, Music & Musicals, Romance
- Collections:
- A Brief History of Cinema Afloat: Part 3, A Brief History of Film Weddings: Part 2, All You Need to Know About Dump Month Movies, A Brief History of Film...
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Reviews (1) of High Society
Musical Comedy. - High Society review by Steve
Musical remake of The Philadelphia Story mostly follows the same plot, as a pair of tabloid reporters cover the lavish nuptials of the American aristocracy. This time, naturally, there are songs (no dancing). And what songs. Cole Porter's soundtrack is phenomenal, especially Well, Did You Evah and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? And True Love. And Now You Has Jazz...
Both words and music are exceptional. Also among the positives, Grace Kelly's stunning beauty at least helps us understand why so many eligible men want to take on Tracy Lord in spite of her mean, shrewish nature. On the debit, Bing Crosby is so square and stiff it's not obvious why she would marry him, twice.
And his singing voice hasn't stood the test of time. Frank Sinatra and Celeste Holm are convivial as the reporters, and Frank sings well, including his solo, You're Sensational. But any scene featuring Louis Armstrong is stolen with panache. The Vistavision and Technicolor make this a striking production even if Charles Walter's direction is prosaic.
Compared with The Philadelphia Story, this is superficial entertainment. There's no darker side. Nothing about class conflict and at times it feels like we're expected to fill in gaps from having seen the original. But Kelly's supreme elegance and particularly Porter's forever classics make me prefer High Society. And there are great songs I haven't even mentioned.
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