"High Society" is a musical remake of "The Philadelphia Story" film and play. Starring Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra and featuring Louis Armstrong as well, the film cannot help but dazzle given the outstanding acting, singing, and music (by Cole Porter). The lovely setting of Newport, Rhode Island also enhances the film. For these reasons alone I happily give the film four stars right off the bat.
I found the story, however, less satisfying and would have given the film three stars had it not been for the outstanding features cited above. Had the story been more cohesive, the film would have garnered five stars.
The graceful and talented Grace Kelly plays Tracy Lord, the daughter of a wealthy Newport family. Her father has abandoned the family due to his philandering ways. Tracy herself is divorced; her former husband, C.K. Dexter-Haven, played by Bing Crosby, lives next door to the Lord mansion. Tracy is to be married the next day to George Kittredge, a man who has worked his way up as opposed to the older wealth of the Newport set. Tracy's uncle Willy informs the family that "Spy" magazine will publish an expose of her father's scandalous behavior unless she allows the magazine to cover her wedding. For the sake of her mother, Tracy reluctantly agrees to allow the presence of a "Spy" reporter and photographer. Frank Sinatra plays Mike Connor the reporter and Celeste Holm is Liz Imbrie, his wise-cracking photographer sidekick. Tracy's father surprises everyone by showing up for the wedding. Crosby's Dexter is still in love with Tracy and wants her back. Sinatra's character is dazzled by her good looks and charm as well. Tracy's fiancee George is a humorless fellow who worships her supposed virtue and perfection, rather than loving her for who she is, warts and all, as does Dexter.
Tracy demands perfection from others, especially a husband, and projects a lofty image to the world. Her attitude is depicted as burdensome to her family; it is implied that this was the cause of her divorce from Dexter. In a critical scene with her dissolute father, he faults her for being unforgiving and unsympathetic to his own needs and situation. The key idea the film imparts is that she is not understanding of normal human frailty as she should be, and that this is in itself a serious character flaw.
The loose ends of the story are all tied up at the climax and conclusion when Tracy learns her lesson that she is as weak morally as anyone else and that there is honor and integrity to be found where she did not expect it--in the relative self-restraint of Mike Connor and the loyalty of Dexter. She can live honestly with her true self and accept the love of those who also see her for who she really is.
This more serious theme of an otherwise light-hearted movie is both of great interest and importance. That we are all prone to poor choices and even worse actions is the great leveler of all mankind. Understanding this about human nature should make us more humble about ourselves and more generous towards others despite their failings. At the same time, we are all capable of great good, and those whom we might look down on or even despise may be the ones who rise to the occasion in a time of need or even crisis with valor, self-sacrifice and generosity. "High Society" does give one pause to reflect in this regard, another reason to recommend the film.
However, there were two problems with the film that weakened the theme. First, despite Grace Kelly's wonderful acting, the film did not depict her character in keeping with the main conflict. Up until the revelation of her problem, she comes off as a witty, slightly wacky, fun-loving society girl. There was really little I can recall in the scenes prior to her confrontation with her father that gives credence to her being some kind of "holier-than-thou" ice maiden.
Most jarring is the fact that the principal expositor of her moral blindness is her philandering father, who even seems to indirectly blame Tracy for his own erring ways. Worse still, this scene between Tracy and her father and the successive events could be understood as minimizing his adultery, and adultery in general. This unfortunate view is reinforced by the character of Uncle Willy, who is hot in lustful pursuit of the photographer Liz Imbrie. The most serious flaw in "High Society" is that it might be presenting a view of humanity that goes beyond acknowledging the fact that all are flawed and prone to errors, but that these errors and misdeeds, including adultery and uncontrolled womanizing, are not really that big of a deal. Anyone who has been hurt by adultery knows its destructive impacts. Such a moral failure is not something one can make light of. Tracy Lord's coldness and fear of intimacy are actually understandable seen in the light of her father's abandonment and betrayal.
"High Society" is a wonderful film in many respects. Yet the lesson that Tracy Lord learns does not quite convince and satisfy this viewer. Yes, we need to be reminded to be understanding of each other's foibles and falls, trivial and serious. But this cannot be achieved by pretending that immoral actions are harmless and inconsequential.
| Additional DVD options | Edition | Discs | Price | New from | Used from |
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April 21, 2015 "Please retry" | DVD | 8 | $35.99 | $53.36 |
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October 9, 2006 "Please retry" | UK Import | 1 | $12.87 | $4.97 |
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A MUST SEE! One of the LAST of the classic MGM musicals. A fun romp with a FANTASTIC musical score. PLUS you see musical generations meet for the first time on the big screen with CROSBY and SINATRA.
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