High Society (1956)

A dumb guy who works at a service station becomes an unwitting accomplice … wait, no. Socialite Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly) is getting remarried and is worried that her ex-husband C.K. Dexter-Haven (Bing Crosby), in town for the Newport Jazz Festival, might spoil the mood. Additionally, Spy magazine sends a writer (Frank Sinatra) and photographer (Celeste Holm) to cover the event in return for not publishing a scandalous story about her father’s affair.

High Society is a remake to The Philadelphia Story (1940) and bares no resemblance to High Society (1955). The major beats of the story are more or less intact as is most of the memorable dialog. The biggest difference is VistaVision color and musical numbers padding the film to just under two hours. Also, much of the subtext that was revealed in the first act of the original is spelled out on the outset.

Changes were made from the original story, and I don’t take issue with any of them. The biggest change is the music, which works for some people. The star power is every bit the 1940 version, but the script was uniquely Kathrine Hepburn’s. Kelly, as wonderful as she was, feels miscast. Hepburn’s dialog coming out of Kelly’s mouth simply doesn’t land the same.

Lydia Reed was almost as charming as Virginia Weidler was as Tracy’s little sister, no small feat. It’s curious they didn’t have her sing “Lydia, the Tattooed Lady”. That feels like a missed opportunity. Louis Armstrong and his orchestra appear briefly. This was Kelly’s last film, as was Louis Calhern’s. He died on the set of his next film.

The Philadelphia story is widely regarded as the better film. Still, High Society was a box office success and not hard to watch. Still, I wish Kelly could have ended her Hollywood career on a higher note. AMRU 3.