In HIGH SOCIETY, a young socialite often accused of being an ice queen (Grace Kelly) finds herself torn between three suitors on the eve of her wedding – her bland but decent fiancé (John Lund), her Jazz musician ex-husband who lives in a neighboring mansion (Bing Crosby), and a tabloid journalist sent to cover the nuptials (Frank Sinatra). Sound familiar? Maybe that’s because this is a remake of the famous PHILADELPHIA STORY. This one takes a unique angle by adding the trappings of a musical to the proceedings, and one of the movie’s strengths is the way Louis Armstrong and his band (as themselves) are incorporated to help tell the story in musical narration and funny side dialogue.
One of the movie’s weaknesses, though, is the fact that it’s a remake of THE PHILDELPHIA STORY. It’s not that Kelly, Crosby and Sinatra aren’t any good. They are. They just aren’t Hepburn, Grant and Stewart. But who is? No one. It’s not really a fair comparison, and it definitely takes balls to remake a film starring three of the greatest movie stars of all time, but there you have it.
The movie shines during the musical sequences. There isn’t much in the way of complex set pieces or dance numbers, but Crosby, Sinatra and Armstrong each have undeniable stage presences and you don’t want to look away when they’re strutting their stuff. My two favorite sequences were probably the one featuring Crosby introducing Armstrong and his band, as each member got to show off, and a scene where Sinatra and Crosby drunkenly face off (and become buddies) while singing in the library-turned-bar. It’s clear the elements were here to make a classic, I’m just not sure their best use was at the service of remaking THE PHILADELPHIA STORY.
Visually the movie doesn’t give us much to look at. It’s shot in color and VistaVision and oddly sticks to long shots for what should be a fairly intimate story. Instead of a series of romantic close ups, we get big widescreen shots of… drawing rooms and backyards. This reduces the performers to little figures walking around immense sets, which might work in some movies, but is wrong for this one.
I didn’t notice this as much in THE PHILDAELPHIA STORY, but for much of the running time of HIGH SOCIETY I found it a little hard to sympathize with Kelly’s conflicted bride. She threw off a perfectly good husband, the laid back, affable, confident, sweet and talented Crosby, and romances a man she just met (Sinatra) on the eve of her wedding. This is the same stuff Hepburn pulled in the original, but for some reason it seemed less annoying when she was doing it. I guess Hepburn just has that X-factor that the otherwise talented and beautiful Kelly lacks – Hepburn projects intelligence and self-confidence, so even if you think she’s wrong, you feel for her.
What Kelly needs is a visit from the Bride Whisperer.
If you're a devout PHILADELPHIA STORY face, you have to take a moment to watch HIGH SOCIETY if for no other reason than to compare the incomparable. It's impossible not to see the intent and similarity of the plot, while also noting the differences. Paul is spot on in his assessment of Grace Kelly's Tracy Lord. Despite her beauty and acting talent, she just isn't Kate Hepburn, lacks the independent woman quality of the character (cue Destiny's Child), and she lacks the ability to draw empathy from the audience.
ReplyDeleteYes, relationships are hard. Yes, having two men in love with you ain't easy. Yes, you're wealthy and drop dead gorgeous. Yes, you could probably hire a great therapist to help with these issues of inadequacy and fear of commitment, but you don't. So, we just all have to watch you play it out in song and dance.
This isn't to say that the cast isn't dynamite and do the best they can in recreating what many to consider to be a perfect film in PHILADELPHIA STORY.
In retrospect, I think that part of the requirement for the next Sadiefest should include random Louis Armstrong cameos (there have been a couple so far), because he is just the coolest. Let's face it, he can make anything better...