High Society

High Society Review

Oh let me see now...( To coin the introductory phrase from the featured song, "Little One").
To describe this splashy, colorful, and stylish remake of "The Philadelphia Story" (sentimentally speaking this 1956 remake was also the favorite film of my late, maternal grandmother), one could use any number of superlatives, including, "Sensational", the title of a song that is part of the fabulous Cole Porter score crooned by stars Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Grace Kelly(the last of whom would soon become the Princess of Monaco, and as one can see in this film, had the ring to prove it).
The action moves from the original Philadelphia location(ironically Kelly's birthplace) to Newport, where a planned society wedding of one Tracy Samantha Lord(Kelly), to the stuffy George Kittredge, (John Lund), an executive who works for Tracy's father, Seth Lord(Sidney Blackmer) is the focus of the story.
Coinciding with the slated nuptials is the annual Newport Jazz Festival, where Louis Armstrong and his band are the guests of Tracy's ex-husband, fellow Jazz musician, C.K. Dexter-Haven (Crosby), whose estate is just a hedge and a lawn away from that of his former in-laws.
A black cloud over Tracy's happiness is the estrangement of her parents(Margalo Gilmore plays her mother) due to Mr. Lord's stepping out on his wife with a dancer.
The comic reliefs in the story are Louis Calhern as Uncle Willie, and young Lydia Reed, aptly cast as Tracy's tomboyish kid sister, Caroline,who laments losing Dexter as a brother-in-law.
One "Spy" Magazine threatens to expose the Lord Family's scandal, and to offset that, Tracy reluctantly allows journalists Mike Connor(Sinatra) and his photographer Liz Imbrie( Celeste Holm) to cover her wedding. Tracy pulls a charade when they arrive after they are more or less entertained by Caroline.
There is one poignant moment prior to that when Dexter presents Tracy, who sits at the edge of the pool, before the bathhouse, fashionably painted salmon pink and turquoise, with a model of the True Love, the boat on which they honeymooned, and Tracy begins to reminisce. Dexter makes Tracy confront the personal issues leading to their marriage's failure. George arrives soon afterwards, expressing displeasure at Dexter's continued presence in Tracy's life.
Tracy develops a relationship with Mike and Liz as the story progresses. She takes Mike on a tour of Newport, pointing out occupied estates as well as boarded-up ones to be sold for taxes. They end up at her Uncle Willie's residence where she fixes him a drink as he serenades her.
As Louis Armstrong continues to give commentary and musical segeways like a Greek chrous member, Tracy's bachelorette party gets underway at Willie's house (The last such event before the home becomes a boys' school), where hijinks ensue and there are moments of mismatched partnerships before eveything falls into place, with our dear Satchmo having the final word.
Although of its time this film is timeless, and will continue to rank high in the annals of film for many years to come.

High Society Overview

This witty, musical version of The Philadelphia Story stars Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and the jazz master himself, Louis Armstrong, playing the hottest trumpet in the land. Year: 1956 Director: Charles Waters Starring: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong

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