Yes, it's High Society! The musical that asks the question "What did Katharine Hepburn have that I don't?"
Our story starts here as Louis Armstrong and his bandmates sit in the back of the bus (of course) and smoke pot. Take it away, Satchmo.
Louis and his band meet up with Bing Crosby, who's staying at the estate of his ex-wife in Newport for the upcoming jazz festival. Bing tries to act all down with the fellas and they all laugh behind his back because they've never seen a whiter man than him and they've never heard a whiter name than "Bing."
Meanwhile, Grace Kelly (Bing's ex) is in another part of the estate with her mother and her (judging by her mother's age) miraculous sister opening wedding gifts because she's getting married in a couple days and apparently when you're filthy rich you get to open your gifts any damn time you want.
Grace tries to comfort her mother because her father recently shacked up with a stripper, but this being the '50s and all, they call her a "chorus girl." Her mother tells her to fuck off. Politely, of course.
Grace stomps off to yell at her ex-husband for being a creepy old man who marries women young enough to be his daughter.
Suddenly, Prince Rainier shows up.
Bing decides to get back at Grace by seducing her younger sister.
Meanwhile, Uncle Willy (which sounds like a name a pedophile would call himself) calls from the offices of Spy magazine. Why he's in the office of a sleazy tabloid editor is not explained. Anyway, Spy is threatening to run a tell-all about Grace's father's philandering unless they're allowed to get exclusive picture rights to Grace's wedding.
Mother Lord breaks the news to a furious Grace in the gift-opening wing of the house. Grace is pissy through most of the first half of the movie and we kept hoping that someone would haul off and slap her or at least throw a drink in her face.
Frank Sinatra and Celeste Holm, the reporter and photographer from Spy, arrive seconds later. Apparently, they were camped out in the bushes outside or something. Celeste wears dowdy clothes in order to make Grace look better. She's thoughtful that way.
Grace decides to have a little fun with them by acting haughty and entitled, but since that's basically the way she acts all the time, the joke falls flat.
Y'know, it kinda pains us to say this, but there was a brief period in his life when Frankie was kinda hot. Right about the time this film was made. Unbelievably skinny, though.
She introduces her Uncle Willy to them as her father. We're not sure why. Even though these are two reporters from the very magazine that's blackmailing them, they seem not to know that her father walked out on them. Willy's hot to get into Celeste's matronly clothes, so he plays along.
Still with us? Then let's continue.
Bing meets Grace by the pool, where she's wearing the most pretentious-looking wrap we've ever seen. We get it. She's a goddess. Why not put a laurel wreath on her head and an owl on her shoulder next time?
Anyway Bing gives her a wedding gift and she unwraps both it and herself. It's a model of the yacht on which they spent their honeymoon. Instead of being outrageously offended by such a presumptuous and tacky gift, she instead dreamily flashes back to those days.
It's a pretty song, but ohmigod is that scene creepy. Like watching a grandfather seduce his granddaughter.
Grace's father arrives and lays into her for being cold and unforgiving. Her mother stands by and lets him and for that, we hate her a little. Hello? He walked out on you, bitch! Who the hell is he to criticize anyone in that family?
Grace stomps off (yet again) and forces Frank to go for a little projection-screen driving. She bitches and moans to him about how hard it is to be rich and we're still waiting for that slap to come.
Instead they wind up at Uncle Willy's estate, where they start drinking the afternoon away.
The director suddenly remembers that this is a musical, so they have Frankie sing to her about how he's falling in love with her. The hell? Sure, she's ridiculously beautiful, but she's a hardcore spoiled bitch.
At the party that night, she gets rip-roaring drunk and makes an ass out of herself. Prince Rainier is pissed and threatens to have her beheaded if she doesn't knock it off.
Meanwhile, Frankie and Bing perform their contractually obligated duet.
She sneaks out of the party with Frankie by climbing through a window because doors are so last year.
They head to the guest house for some more drinking and Grace takes her shoes off, which is code for "Fuck me, middle class boy!" But first, drunken singing:
Later, they show up undressed, shitfaced, and dripping wet. For some odd reason, this really pisses Prince Rainier off.
The next morning, everyone but Bing has a hangover. Grace puts a dainty glove to her forehead and tries to pretend that she doesn't remember acting like a low class whore the night before her wedding.
Frankie declares his love for her, but she knows it'd never work because he's far too ethnic for her.
Prince Rainier decides he won't have her beheaded, despite her vulgar ways. Oddly enough, Grace thinks this is not a good way to start one's marriage, so she dumps him.
The wedding march starts and Grace is frantic because clearly, the movie's about to end and she hasn't had closure yet. Her father calls her a low class whore and says that he's never been prouder of her.
Bing decides to help her out of her pickle by marrying her again as if this 52-year-old is doing some sort of favor to the gorgeous 26-year-old. Why no one in this movie picked up on how incredibly creepy he is is beyond us.
So, all's well that ends well. Bing gets to sleep with a gorgeous woman half his age...
Celeste and Frankie decide they're suddenly in love...
And the Black folks are out on the patio where they belong. The end.
Our story starts here as Louis Armstrong and his bandmates sit in the back of the bus (of course) and smoke pot. Take it away, Satchmo.
Louis and his band meet up with Bing Crosby, who's staying at the estate of his ex-wife in Newport for the upcoming jazz festival. Bing tries to act all down with the fellas and they all laugh behind his back because they've never seen a whiter man than him and they've never heard a whiter name than "Bing."
Meanwhile, Grace Kelly (Bing's ex) is in another part of the estate with her mother and her (judging by her mother's age) miraculous sister opening wedding gifts because she's getting married in a couple days and apparently when you're filthy rich you get to open your gifts any damn time you want.
Grace tries to comfort her mother because her father recently shacked up with a stripper, but this being the '50s and all, they call her a "chorus girl." Her mother tells her to fuck off. Politely, of course.
Grace stomps off to yell at her ex-husband for being a creepy old man who marries women young enough to be his daughter.
Suddenly, Prince Rainier shows up.
Bing decides to get back at Grace by seducing her younger sister.
Meanwhile, Uncle Willy (which sounds like a name a pedophile would call himself) calls from the offices of Spy magazine. Why he's in the office of a sleazy tabloid editor is not explained. Anyway, Spy is threatening to run a tell-all about Grace's father's philandering unless they're allowed to get exclusive picture rights to Grace's wedding.
Mother Lord breaks the news to a furious Grace in the gift-opening wing of the house. Grace is pissy through most of the first half of the movie and we kept hoping that someone would haul off and slap her or at least throw a drink in her face.
Frank Sinatra and Celeste Holm, the reporter and photographer from Spy, arrive seconds later. Apparently, they were camped out in the bushes outside or something. Celeste wears dowdy clothes in order to make Grace look better. She's thoughtful that way.
Grace decides to have a little fun with them by acting haughty and entitled, but since that's basically the way she acts all the time, the joke falls flat.
Y'know, it kinda pains us to say this, but there was a brief period in his life when Frankie was kinda hot. Right about the time this film was made. Unbelievably skinny, though.
She introduces her Uncle Willy to them as her father. We're not sure why. Even though these are two reporters from the very magazine that's blackmailing them, they seem not to know that her father walked out on them. Willy's hot to get into Celeste's matronly clothes, so he plays along.
Still with us? Then let's continue.
Bing meets Grace by the pool, where she's wearing the most pretentious-looking wrap we've ever seen. We get it. She's a goddess. Why not put a laurel wreath on her head and an owl on her shoulder next time?
Anyway Bing gives her a wedding gift and she unwraps both it and herself. It's a model of the yacht on which they spent their honeymoon. Instead of being outrageously offended by such a presumptuous and tacky gift, she instead dreamily flashes back to those days.
It's a pretty song, but ohmigod is that scene creepy. Like watching a grandfather seduce his granddaughter.
Grace's father arrives and lays into her for being cold and unforgiving. Her mother stands by and lets him and for that, we hate her a little. Hello? He walked out on you, bitch! Who the hell is he to criticize anyone in that family?
Grace stomps off (yet again) and forces Frank to go for a little projection-screen driving. She bitches and moans to him about how hard it is to be rich and we're still waiting for that slap to come.
Instead they wind up at Uncle Willy's estate, where they start drinking the afternoon away.
The director suddenly remembers that this is a musical, so they have Frankie sing to her about how he's falling in love with her. The hell? Sure, she's ridiculously beautiful, but she's a hardcore spoiled bitch.
At the party that night, she gets rip-roaring drunk and makes an ass out of herself. Prince Rainier is pissed and threatens to have her beheaded if she doesn't knock it off.
Meanwhile, Frankie and Bing perform their contractually obligated duet.
She sneaks out of the party with Frankie by climbing through a window because doors are so last year.
They head to the guest house for some more drinking and Grace takes her shoes off, which is code for "Fuck me, middle class boy!" But first, drunken singing:
Later, they show up undressed, shitfaced, and dripping wet. For some odd reason, this really pisses Prince Rainier off.
The next morning, everyone but Bing has a hangover. Grace puts a dainty glove to her forehead and tries to pretend that she doesn't remember acting like a low class whore the night before her wedding.
Frankie declares his love for her, but she knows it'd never work because he's far too ethnic for her.
Prince Rainier decides he won't have her beheaded, despite her vulgar ways. Oddly enough, Grace thinks this is not a good way to start one's marriage, so she dumps him.
The wedding march starts and Grace is frantic because clearly, the movie's about to end and she hasn't had closure yet. Her father calls her a low class whore and says that he's never been prouder of her.
Bing decides to help her out of her pickle by marrying her again as if this 52-year-old is doing some sort of favor to the gorgeous 26-year-old. Why no one in this movie picked up on how incredibly creepy he is is beyond us.
So, all's well that ends well. Bing gets to sleep with a gorgeous woman half his age...
Celeste and Frankie decide they're suddenly in love...
And the Black folks are out on the patio where they belong. The end.
58 comments:
This movie was on cable the other day and You captured it just as I remembered. I kept thinking that the gals weren't so bad but wondered what happened to the guys of that age group when casting was underway for this film.
Watched this last weekend as well. So very creepy with Bing in the Cary Grant role.
Also, the actress playing Dinah wasn't nearly as precocious (in a good way) as the gal in the “real” movie (Virginia Weidler). Loved her!
Bing and Grace were playing characters in a movie. Part of the fun of film is entering a world of fantasy. This is especially true in the crazy world of musicals. One watches a musical for the entertainment value. This film is filled with some great set pieces, fun songs and a very good cast.
BTW, Bogie and Bacall married in real life. They were about 25 years apart in age. Their relationship has always been considered one of "True Love."
Why is it so hard to accept such age differences in the world of fictional film? It's no crazier than some of the casting where character actresses play the "mother" when they are barely older than their "son."
I think it's time for me to bid a fond farewell to Musical Mondays. I suspect we simply don't look at these movies the same way.
As always, thanks for the fine effort and the great clips.
Sue the anonymous musical fan.
Right on target, Boys! "What did Katharine Hepburn have that I don't?" Exactly. "The Philadelphia Story" is a great movie, but this musical version is a stinkeroo.
T&L, your comments are so much better than the movie.
One of the main things missing from this musical (after age appropriate casting) is, well, music. The best song (not saying much) is the Bing/Sinatra duet, "Did You Evah?" which is a Cole Porter song from an earlier show of his.
I don't have much to say about the movie because it really is so forgettable.
There was a Philadelphia socialite who was the real life inspiration for Tracy Lord. Her name escapes me, but it's long and WASPy sounding. Her family knew Philip Barry, playwright of "The Philadelphia Story."
Uncle Willie was played by Louis Calhern. He is most memorable today only for the fact that one of his four wives was Natalie Schafer, better known as Eunice "Lovey" Howell from Gilligan's Island. Calhern replaced Frank Morgan (Professor Marvel/Wizard in "The Wizard of Oz")as Buffalo Bill in "Annie Get Your Gun" when Morgan died of a heart attack during filming. After "High Society, Calhern died the exact same way while filming "The Teahouse of the August Moon" and was replaced.
Sidney Blackmer played Tracy's father. He is most noted for having played Teddy Roosevelt in a whole bunch of movies. Not a bad way to be typecast.
Mrs. Lord was played by Margalo Gillmore who is much better known as a stage actress. She was (hang on, girls) Mrs. Stephen Haines in the original Broadway production of "The Women." She was also Mrs. Darling in the original cast of Broadway's "Peter Pan" with the insufferable (to me at least) Mary Martin.
They mounted this mediocre musical on Broadway about ten years ago with some of my favorite performers in the cast (Melissa Errico, Marc Kudisch & Randy Graff) and a bunch more Cole Porter songs from other places stuffed in. It ran about 4 months. 'nuff said.
"doors are so last year." Hysterical!
"We get it. She's a goddess. Why not put a laurel wreath on her head and an owl on her shoulder next time?" PRICELESS!!!
You guys rocked a totally lame movie, and were spot on about everything. Kudos!
I do LOVE "Did You Evah?" and "True Love" regardless of whatever shortcomings in the rest of the movie. AND Grace Kelly's dresses, absolutely GORGEOUS.
"And the Black folks are out on the patio where they belong. The end."
Oh you two are BAD!!! ;)
I love "Well Did you Evah."
When I came to your page this morning, all I saw was "Musical" and "High" and a word beginning with S, and was all, "Oh HELL NO!" thinking that you guys had thrown to the wayside the original intent of Musical Monday, and decided to go pure snark with an analysis of High School Musical. Thanks so much for doing High Society instead.
Actually, the idea of "High School Musical" getting the T.Lo treatment is pretty funny, especially since most of us will never see it anyway. Of course, that would mean our GayBoys would have to sit through it. But that's what booze is for!
In both this and the Katherine Hepburn film, I always come away with the impression that the wrong people got paired up, as if a serious typo in the screenplay part of the way through inverted some names. Part of that might be because my attention always wanders off long before the last scene.
Aw, you guys left out the Bing Crosby/Louis Armstring "Jazz" number - that and the Bing/Frankie duet were always my favorites from this film.
The most horrifying thing is that, supposedly, Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly had an affair in real life.
Of course, I have not idea if this is true. But. Horrifying!
I think I've heard the same rumor about Ms Kelly and every one of her leading men, including Gary Cooper.
The Philadelphia Story is one of my favorite movies. I haven't seen High Society but from the clips the plot works so much better with Cary Grant as Dexter. Bing can sing but he ain't no Cary, and Frank can sing too but he ain't no Jimmy Stewart when it comes to acting (at least in this). I kept thinking how Jimmy said those lines by the pool - the intensity - and Frank just seems wooden in comparison. And that kiss had all the heat of a frozen daiquiri.
But Grace Kelly is gorgeous and her clothes are divine. Loved the way her dress moves when she's dancing by the pool.
Philadelphia Story is one of my absolute favorite movies of all time for two reasons: Katherine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart. High Society is a a shallow, pale imitation that I've always hated almost on principle. Please! Jimmy singing and carrying Kate drunkenly back from the pool? Classic! And Kate's ice queen is far frostier than Princess Grace...
And Kate's ice queen is far frostier than Princess Grace...
Oooohhh! Do I detect a D&D deathmatch in the making???
Bill, the socialite's name was Hope Montgomery Scott (she went by 'Hope') and she lived on an estate (in my town) on the Main Line called Ardrossan.
Grace is beautiful & stylish, but give me Katharine Hepburn any day. For me, this movie works with Kate, Cary & Jimmy - I can't get into the musical version. And the songs? They work a lot better for me in De-Lovely.
Let me say that one of my favorite movies of all time is "The Philadelphia Story" (partly because I have a diehard, all-consuming crush on Katharine Hepburn, but also because it's a damn fine movie). Part of the appeal of TPS is that it featured many actors of such extraordinary talent: Hepburn, James Stewart, Cary Grant, Ruth Hussey...you know, people that could actually act.
I hate to say it, but I don't think Grace Kelly could act her way out of a paper bag. She was a beautiful woman who wore beautiful things beautifully, but I think she was cast in films simply because she would be something pretty to look at just in case the rest of the film sucked. And Frank Sinatra... not the best actor. Awesome singer, fabulous personality, funny as hell, but not someone I would call a film legend.
Bing, however, is another story. Unfortunately, he couldn't save this movie. He and Ms Kelly just couldn't replicate the chemistry between Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. Plus, at the time TPS was made, Kate was in her "box office poison" stage and the public had turned against her because the thought her cold, callous, high and mighty, and, IMO, I think that made her a perfect choice for the role of Tracy Lord. She played it so well.
In my opinion, remaking TPS in the form of "High Society" is akin to a remake of "Forrest Gump" starring Rob Schneider and Tara Reid.
This movie never could hold a candle to The Philadelphia Story.
Hey, I think we need a Grace Kelly vs. Katharine Hepburn D&D Deathmatch!
As someone else said, Bing and Grace really were getting it on during the making of this film. Supposedly she only married Rainier to get back at him, or something stupid like that.
Hey! Did you guys catch this on PBS this weekend, too? I actually skipped to a different channel whenever people started singing. I love Musical Mondays, but I don't actually care for musicals. I just wanted to see how it compared to The Philadelphia Story. For the record, the concensus on both is a big eyeroll. It was good to see that they kept Daddy's hypocritical, creepy, reverse-Oedipal attack on his daughter for his own infidelity. Ick.
(Despite its fab cast, I sort of hate TPS. Is that sacrilege?)
And the Black folks are out on the patio where they belong. The end.
LOL!
Didn't they all end that way?
Emma P.
Anonymous said...
This movie never could hold a candle to The Philadelphia Story.
Hey, I think we need a Grace Kelly vs. Katharine Hepburn D&D Deathmatch!
WORD!
Emma P.
Thanks for the link, Scarlett.
Helen Hope Montgomery Scott sounds like quite a dame.
Speaking of -- you know, it seems so obvious that Katharine would wipe the floor with Grace if they got into a D&D match. And, yet... that bitch Grace was tough!
-- desertwind
I just can't help it, but I've loved this movie (and Philadelphia Story) since I was a wee catlet. Why Helen Rose didn't get an Oscar nomination for the costumes I shall never understand.
That said, Cole Porter has some explaining to do. As Bill says, "Did You Evah" is the best song in the movie, and that's mostly due to Bing and Frank layering on the ham. "True Love" makes me shudder.
But Tracy's blue dress when she's trying to snow Mike and Liz, and the white day dress suitable for a second marriage outside a church to someone with a Highly Suspect Moustache...mmm. *goes off to Netflix this and TPS*
The casting in this film always bothered me.
The women's heads are bigger than the men's heads, which makes those lovey-dovey close ups look positively creepy.
The best part of the original film: the grapefruit in the face... totally missing in the musical remake.
One small point: I thought Dexter lived next door (on the neighboring estate) and was richer than the Lord family.
There's no grapefruit in the face in the original film.
I've always wanted to like this film but could never stand Bing Crosby in it--he looks as old as her father and not in a good way. Also, the age difference between Grace and her screen sister is too big. It looks like she is Grace's daughter, by Dexter, when she was 16.
Last week was the 25th anniversary of the Princess's death. Can you believe it's that long that Grace has been gone?
I'll probably get flamed for this, but here goes -
re: the 25th anniversary of Grace's death - She was killed during my senior year of high school, a month before Halloween.
Vic Morrow had been killed that summer (decapitated by a helicopter on the set of "the Twilight Zone" movie) and Natalie Wood had drowned about a year earlier.
My friends Mary, LeighAnn and I were going to dress as the 3 dead celebs for Halloween (wet nightgown, life preserver and seaweed for Natalie; lots of blood and a propeller beanie for Vic Morrow; prom gown, tiara askew, Monaco roadmap and steering wheel around the neck for Grace).
We had grand plans and were all psyched to do it. But we chickened out Halloween week when we realized the nuns would probably send us right home for our poor taste and cruelty.
Plus, there was a whole lot of bitching about who was going to be Grace (the star role as far as all were concerned). I wanted it so badly but the girls had an edge on me since I didn't own any gowns (yet!).
I was so confused reading this post, because I had no idea someone had the audacity to turn my favorite movie into a MUSICAL? WTF?
Thank you for the recap...what if I had wandered onto this on PBS?
The horror.....
God, Bill that would have been hilarious! Even better that it was a Catholic High School.
What are you going to be this year?.... I love Halloween.
Bill:
You just sent me back to highschool with the dead celebrities. Natalie Wood (RIP)especially for some reason had all of the "good" jokes: "the one wood that doesn't float...no shower on the boat as she prefers to wash up on shore...", etc. We were morbid little things.
And to clarify on the age difference, I have no issues with that in general, it's just that these roles were all supposed to be about peers, making mistakes and discovering things at the same time. Putting someone that much older into the mix makes Bing's Dexter seem way to calculating and manipulative in a totally different (and yes, creepy) manner than having someone around the same age.
I must be an odd duck because I have never liked Grace Kelly.
She always seemed like a spoiled pampered WASP princess who literally sold herself for a title.
I'm not a Hepburn fan either, but in a D&D match she would wipe the floor with Kelly for actually daring to be herself, whereas Grace seemed content to be whatever her family and public thought she should.
Bill, Bill, Bill, how I envy your misspent (or perhaps that should just be spent) youth.
I'm not big on Musical Mondays because I'm not a fan of the genre, but I always love the T&L humor and always look for your comments.
Me2
(And by the way Kitty, the thought of Tara Reid yelling, "Run, Forest, run," to Rob Schneider had me in tears of joy)
Hahahaha oh lord...the last little blurb about "black folks" was hilarious/horrible.
And I've never even heard of this movie. Saw The Philadelphia Story and I'm pretty sure this junk doesn't measure up.
Dexter wasn't staying with the Lords. He had the neighboring estate.
How could you guys have left out the scene where Bing said something about Grace being virginal and she said, "Stop using that foul word" or something like that?
Ew ew ew.
And yeah, that whole father's attack on the daughter - WTF?!?!
Liked KH in it much better, of course.
Anne
Bill,
You are a treasure.
Thanks for brightening my day.
Sewhat?
The best part of the original film: the grapefruit in the face... totally missing in the musical remake.
Grapefruit in the face was Jimmy Cagney in a totally different movie. In The Philadelphia Story, Cary Grant broke Kate's golf clubs over his knee and then put his hand on her face and pushed her down.
Whenever I see "High Society" listed as being on TV, I tune in just for the "Did you ever / what a swell party this is" duet with Der Bingle and Sinatra. I *love* that scene, and it makes me grin as widely as Gene Kelly singing and splashing in the rain.
They are both so loose and such experienced troopers, but you KNOW that they're both bound and determined not to let the other guy show each other up. Good stuff, Maynard -- way good stuff.
BIll, you just made my day. And gave me food for thought for a Halloween costume....
the scarlett - thanks for the Tracy Lord inspiration name. That was bugging me.
sewhat? - you're welcome (& I'm blushing)
sewing siren - no stroke of genius or inspiration just yet. But I do love Halloween. What are you doing?
The last really fun outfit was Ed & I as a post-mauling Sigfried and Roy in 2003.
Last Year, I wanted to be Laura Bennet from Project Runway but figured I'd just look like a redheaded drag queen in a black dress. (Sadly) I ended up dressed as a bag of e-coli contaminated spinach.
If I felt like carrying around a bathroom stall all night, I suppose I could go as Senator Larry Craig.
"Bill said...
If I felt like carrying around a bathroom stall all night, I suppose I could go as Senator Larry Craig."
ROFL!
Well, someone just HAS to go as Traci Lords in the role of Tracy Lord after all this Philadelphia Story talk...
Another musical remake of a classic film. With any remake of a classic, the remake is picking up the gauntlet, but they are almost invariably doomed. It hurts that much more if the remake isn't even good.
I briefly added _Sweet Charity_ to my queue after reading TLo's review and then took it off. Masina's performance in Fellini's _Nights of Cabiria_ (as well as Fellini's direction) was just so stellar, I'm not sure Fosse's choreography will make me feel _Sweet Charity_ is even worthwhile.
In this case, the "Why bother?" sentiment is deafening. "Why bother making it?" "Why bother watching it?"
Thanks for the pictures of Grace's outfits. I was taking pictures off the the TV screen last week. That wedding dress is the main inspiration for my own dress.
I'm with the folks who count The Philadelphia Story among my all-time favorites. Bing as Cary Grant? Frank as Jimmy Stewart? It just makes me shudder.
Re: Suggestion of a D & D deathmatch between Kate Hepburn and Grace Kelly. For her beauty and regal appearance, not to mention becoming a real princess, Ms. Kelly deserves to start against an opponent against whom she'd have an actual chance. I'm having great difficulty imagining very many who could go against Ms. Hepburn without getting slaughtered (though put her against Lauren Bacall and my head might explode).
How about Mrs. Spencer Tracy? (He never did divorce her.)
I admit I've always felt a bit guilty for loving Philadelphia Story as much as I do. The whole it's the women's fault that Dad had an affair thing. You have to admit it's just wrong. Not to mention Uncle Willy.
But I'll take this moment to remember all the reasons I adore that movie anyway...
Cary Grant knocking over the candles while singing goofily, then ducking under the table when Mother Lord walks in and says he shouldn't be there.
Katherine Hepburn's outrageously silly laugh while shes drunk.
Jimmy Stewart drunkenly asking Cary multiple times whether he can drink from his own bottle of champagne.
Somewhere over the rainbow.
Uncle Willy.
The Massive Vagina Hat that Katharine gets married in.
Now I'm going to go watch His Girl Friday, Desk Set and ... Rear Window? Wait. That can't be right.
And maybe Arsenic and Old Lace.
sewing siren - no stroke of genius or inspiration just yet. But I do love Halloween. What are you doing?
For Halloween I like costumes that involve wigs and wickedness. For myself I am thinking about the Bride of Frankenstein. However,I have a mummy, werewolf, and vampire on the drawing board that I have to finish before I can start on the bride. I have a lot of back up costumes so its no big deal if I don't finish (I can always be la Sirena).
A Kate vs. Grace deathmatch? Good lord, Kate would eat Grace for breakfast and pick her teeth with the bones. I love me some Grace Kelly, but she wouldn't have a PRAYER.
Great recap, boys, as always!
But back to this sad bore of a movie. Used to love it when I was little, now it is, as TLo rightly state, creepy as all hell. Grace is gorgeous and wears clothes very very well but she bores the shit out of me after a few seconds of appreciating how gorgeous she is.
I can add nothing to previous posters on the patheticness (patheticity?) of remaking a classic that starred Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart and Katherine Hepburn.
The thing I most resent about this film *now* is that the true giant in the film is Mr. Louis Armstrong. In a musical deathmatch of Armstrong, Frankie and der Bingle, Armstrong wipes them out with one magical phrase on that horn. sigh.... He cannot be appreciated enough.
But one last thing - you must never never never do anything on High School Musical, please, for the love of God! I'll be redundant - I had to sit through a production of this for a nephew but it is not worth wasting the time of our fabulous Tom & Lorenzo.
Bill, you and your friends would have been absolutely outrageous in those costumes...but then, I love people who have wonderfully twisted senses of humor!
I never could understand the casting of Bing Crosby as the romantic lead in this one. I know that older man/younger woman pairings were common, and more accepted than older woman/younger man would be, but still, I get queasy at the thought of Bing and Gracie-excuse me, Her Serene Highness....
And, no, this film can't hold a candle to the Philadelphia Story-who could possibly compete with Cary, Jimmy, and Kate??
As long as we're talking creepy, I can't wait for your take on Funny Face!
Celeste wears dowdy clothes in order to make Grace look better. She's thoughtful that way.
Once again, you sum it up in regal fashion.
I think I agree with the masses--Phila. Story is SOOOO much better than this watered down remake. I could never get past the opening scene on the bus. What the?!?
Hee! So true, so true.
I can't stand "The Philadelphia Story" either, to tell the truth. Sure, the acting is much better, and Cary Grant is approximately 5 million times hotter than Bing, but the story is the same: twisted and disturbing. The scene with the dad essentially blaming his atrocious behavior on his daughter? I can't even watch that. It makes me want to jump into the TV and bitch-slap Mom and Dad. A lot. Oh, there'd be some blood spilled if I were on that screen, baby. Since I can't do that, I end up yelling and throwing things, which disturbs the neighbors, so, despite the presence of several of my favorite actors, I hate "The Philadelphia Story." Since "High Society" has inferior actors and not even any fabulous songs to redeem it, I have even less use for it than for the non-musical version.
Except now it has given me a laugh, because of you guys. So thank you for that!!
Dawn,
Don't forget to check the Archives, top left on the home page, under Categories. Though, I'll warn you, it can be a dangerous thing to do if you don't have a lot of free time ... pretty hard to extricate yourself from there once you get going, especially with the musicals!
Funny Face
My favorite thing about High Society is the dress Celeste Holm wore to the party.
The one helpful thing about High Society is that Uncle Willy and Father look different from each other. As a young 'un I could never tell them apart in Philadelphia Story, which took away from the humor of their crossed identities.
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