Willow ,'Him'
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It seems to be Philadelphia Story with a Cole Porter soundtrack. Nothing wrong with that.
It is exactly that, but in Newport. And with Satchmo! I prefer it actually. Well, I prefer Kelly and Sinatra. And if Grant could sing Crosby's role there would absolutely be no contest.
Yeah, I love High Society.
I guess I'm in the minority because I prefer the original. Although I'm glad Crosby and Sinatra got the chance to sing a duet.
I'm on the fence. On one hand, Katherine Hepburn is my all time favorite actress. On the other hand, I could listen to Bing Crosby sing for days. But--Cary Grant! And whoever's playing the stuffy fiancé in Philadelphia Story is less annoying than whoever's playing him in High Society. But then there's the whole Cole Porter thing. Life has far too little Cole Porter in it.
Life has far too little Cole Porter in it.
TRUTH
I love 'em both, that's my vote
I guess I'm in the minority because I prefer the original.
Not just you. I was disappointed in High Society because I loved TPS so much and it just didn't do it for me. Plus, as much as I'll take as much Grace Kelly as is available, IMO Sinatra (a fine actor in the right parts, I'll admit) and Crosby can't hold a candle to Grant and Stewart.
"C.K. Dexter Haven!!!"
Plus that crazed rendition of "Lydia the tattooed lady" by the younger sister.
IMO Sinatra (a fine actor in the right parts, I'll admit) and Crosby can't hold a candle to Grant and Stewart
Part of the problem there is that Kelly, Sinatra, and Crosby were all going up against icons at the height of their star powers. I think Crosby comes off the worst -- you can imagine how Tracy could be attracted to Dex as played by Cary Grant. Bing Crosby, especially at that point in his career, not so much.
Crosby was an affable presence in movies at best (not unlike Dean Martin, actually - Rio Bravo being the BIG exception). This was not him at this most affable.
OTOH, I'll take being LDB'ed by him and Bowie any day of the year.
For something completely different, but the same era as The Philadelphia Story, may I recommend The Walking Dead? Not the current series, but an old Boris Karloff movie.
Karloff plays John Ellman, a down-on-his-luck musician who's convicted (wrongly, but when you have the Mob against you -- including your own attorney -- you don't have much of a chance). Two young scientists witness the murder and know who's really guilty, but word doesn't get to the governor before the execution (thanks to that attorney I mentioned a moment ago, played by Ricardo Cortez). The young scientists work for a doctor (Edmund Gwenn) who's working on a way to revive the dead. So, instead of saving Ellman's life in the first place, our young scientists help the doctor raise Ellman from the dead. They succeed, and somehow Ellman just -- knows -- who railroaded him. And he just wants to find out why....
It's more gangster movie than horror movie, and I can't overstate how perfect Karloff is as Ellman -- a gentle soul, too trusting that the truth will out in time to save him, then confused and hurt over why the Mob did this to him. (He comes across not unlike Buffy in early S6.) Unfortunately, his performance is so perfect that everyone else comes off poorly.