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High Society
 
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High Society

Rated: Unrated | Format: DVD
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
Price: CDN$ 9.97 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over CDN$ 25. Details
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  • This item: High Society ~ DVD DVD

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    Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.
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MGM's bold idea to remake George Cukor's Oscar-winning upperclass romantic farce, The Philadelphia Story, into a star-studded, Technicolor musical with Cole Porter tunes somehow works splendidly and remains an underrated gem. Even the plot and character names--and some bits of dialogue--all remain the same as the original. Crooning Bing Crosby replaces Cary Grant as the wealthy ex-husband trying to win back his soon-to-be-remarried ex-wife, spoiled ice queen Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly, stunning and aloof in her last film role, originated in the earlier comedy by Katherine Hepburn). Unlike Grant, however, Crosby has jazz great Louis Armstrong, playing himself, in his corner for quixotic persuasion. Frank Sinatra (cocky in James Stewart's former role) and Celeste Holm add support as the nosy reporters covering, and subsequently complicating, the upcoming wedding. Sure, High Society lacks the original's witty satire, sarcasm, and character complexity; but it's assuredly paced and wonderfully acted, and contains enough romantic chemistry to keep the plot engaging. And then there's the music. Unlike the grandiose production numbers of many '40s and '50s musicals, High Society's musical sequences are considerably low-key and intimate, focusing on Porter's lyrical content, and the style in which it's delivered by the charismatic performers. Armstrong kicks the film off in telling style: he sings the title track, a calypso tune outlining the plot like a Greek chorus, not as an elaborately choreographed song-and-dance number, but instead stuffed claustrophobically in the back of a limousine with his jazz band. Other musical standouts include Sinatra and Crosby playfully tossing barbs during "Well, Did You Evah?"; Crosby and Armstrong teaming up for an energetic clash of styles in "Now You Has Jazz"; the two soaring, archetypal ballads by the leads--Crosby's "I Love You, Samantha" and Sinatra's superior "You're Sensational"; and, finally, the satirical Sinatra/Holm duet, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?," the closest High Society ever comes to social or class commentary. --Dave McCoy

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Customer Reviews

24 Reviews
5 star:
 (12)
4 star:
 (8)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (24 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars FOR COLE PORTER, Nov 9 2000
By 
ALAIN ROBERT (ST-HUBERT,QUEBEC) - See all my reviews
This review is from: High Society (VHS Tape)
COLE PORTER's last good score for the movies is the main thing here, since this remake of THE PHILADELPHIA STORY is uninspired.It's fun to see three legends in the same film ,but it is also sad that this was the only real teaming of FRANK with his idol BING.It was simply an impossible task for GRACE KELLY to walk in the footsteps of KATHARINE HEPBURN ,but her beauty compensates a lot.A product typical of M-G-M,s galaxy of stars.Enjoy TRUE LOVE,MIND IF I MAKE LOVE TO YOU,WELL DID YOU EVAH and forget the rest.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars High Sociey, Dec 3 2003
By 
This review is from: High Society (VHS Tape)
Absolutely one of the best movies of its ilk of all time! Great fun, light, fabulous to look at, super catchy songs, and the best collection of great actors! I LOVE High Society!!!!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Grace is Great!, May 25 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: High Society (VHS Tape)
If you're "holed up" for a long weekend (of rain, as it turns out this Memorial Day), and haven't seen it, "High Society" is a great diversion, almost as good as a Memorial Day barbecue, and maybe better.

I raaaally liked the original Philadelphia Story, being a huge Katharine Hepburn fan, but I must say, Grace Kelly is just fantastic in this role and to me, even better than Kate. Probably because, Grace is Tracy, the central character in the story.

Otherwise, except for the sets, including the great collection of 50's classic cars, Newport mansions, women's dresses, and the dancing, this is a lesser film than the originial.

But it's worth watching for Grace Kelly alone. I didn't realize she was such a talented comedienne. The movie gets better as it goes along, stick with it. Grace Kelly makes the best tipsy, goofy, adorable woman I've ever seen! ---Wow. This alone is worth the price of a DVD.

My feeling is, and this is not being a Kelly fan at all before, that the U.S. should have done something to prevent her from moving to Monaco. I was too young to follow that story as it happened, but it seems a crying shame for America's entertainment and film industry and us people. She's got something that, say, Gwyneth Paltrow tries for but doesn't have to the same degree. I now understand why people made such a big fuss about her, and this movie will help you do the same.

If you don't like musicals, which I don't, you can fast forward through the frankly mediocre, ill-timed, and happily not-too-frequent musical numbers. (Sorry, I beg to differ with the other reviewers.) Even Louis Armstrong is forgettable in this. Not every movie's a musical, for Godsake. (Besides, Grace doesn't sing!!!) Except, the most enjoyable singing in the movie, to me, was Grace Kelly's drunk amateur singing! It was terrific!

The great Sinatra and also Bing Crosby (whom I admit to not liking either as an actor or a ba ba ba boom singer), don't get very good songs to sing in this movie, compared to the timeless and great songs Frank got in Pal Joey, say. They should develop a button that skips through singing in 50's and 60's musicals! Some of these films woulda been fine without the singin' and with the same performers anyway.

As I said, if you're in the mood for watching a great female performer, WATCH THIS, folks! Grace is TIMELESS in this film.

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