IMDb > High Society (1956)
High Society
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High Society (1956) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   4,124 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 8% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Charles Walters
Writers:
Philip Barry (play)
John Patrick (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for High Society on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
17 July 1956 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Musical | Romance more
Tagline:
They're all together for the first time! more
Plot:
C.K. Dexter-Haven, a successful popular jazz musician, lives in a mansion near his ex-wife's Tracy Lord's family estate... more | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(9 articles)
Grace Kelly: To Catch A Thief, High Society, The Swan
 (From Alternative Film Guide. 24 November 2009, 12:10 AM, PST)
Twilight Odds And Ends For Thursday 10/15/09
 (From TwilightersAnonymous. 15 October 2009, 2:37 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
Mildy Pleasant Musical Remake Of A Classic Film more (106 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Bing Crosby ... C.K. Dexter-Haven

Grace Kelly ... Tracy Samantha Lord

Frank Sinatra ... Mike Connor
Celeste Holm ... Liz Imbrie
John Lund ... George Kittredge
Louis Calhern ... Uncle Willie
Sidney Blackmer ... Seth Lord
Louis Armstrong and His Band ... Themselves
Margalo Gillmore ... Mrs. Seth Lord
Lydia Reed ... Caroline Lord
Gordon Richards ... Dexter-Haven's butler
Richard Garrick ... Lords' Butler
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hugh Boswell ... The Parson (uncredited)
Barrett Deems ... Louis' drummer (uncredited)
Edmond Hall ... Louis' clarinetist (uncredited)
Paul Keast ... Editor (uncredited)
Richard Keene ... Mac (uncredited)
Billy Kyle ... Louis' pianist (uncredited)
Ruth Lee ... Ruth (Jazz Festival organizer) (uncredited)
Arvell Shaw ... Louis' bassist (uncredited)
Reginald Simpson ... Lawrence (Uncle Willie's butler) (uncredited)
Helen Spring ... Helen (Jazz Festival organizer) (uncredited)
Florence Wix ... Party Guest (uncredited)
James Young ... Louis' trombonist (uncredited)
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Directed by
Charles Walters 
 
Writing credits
Philip Barry (play "The Philadelphia Story")

John Patrick (writer)

Produced by
Sol C. Siegel .... producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
Cole Porter 
 
Cinematography by
Paul Vogel (director of photography) (as Paul C. Vogel)
 
Film Editing by
Ralph E. Winters 
 
Art Direction by
Cedric Gibbons 
Hans Peters 
 
Set Decoration by
Richard Pefferle 
Edwin B. Willis 
 
Costume Design by
Helen Rose 
 
Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff .... hair stylist
William Tuttle .... makeup designer
 
Production Management
Dave Friedman .... production manager (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arvid Griffen .... assistant director
Hank Moonjean .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Wesley C. Miller .... recording supervisor (as Dr. Wesley C. Miller)
Van Allen James .... sound editor (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
A. Arnold Gillespie .... special effects
 
Editorial Department
Charles K. Hagedon .... color consultant: Technicolor
 
Music Department
Saul Chaplin .... music adaptor
Saul Chaplin .... music supervisor
Johnny Green .... music adaptor
Johnny Green .... music supervisor
Nelson Riddle .... orchestrator
Conrad Salinger .... orchestrator
Charles Walters .... stager: musical numbers
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
111 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Perspecta Stereo (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
Argentina:Atp | South Korea:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Australia:G (original rating) | Australia:PG (alternate rating) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:Btl | UK:U
Filming Locations:
750 Bel Air Road, Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, USA more
Company:
Bing Crosby Productions more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Though hers is the central character in the story, Grace Kelly does not sing a solo. Indeed, but for accompanying Bing Crosby on "True Love" and drunkenly shouting, "Sensational," she wouldn't sing at all (rare for a musical). more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Tracy comes up from below deck in the "True Love" flashback scene, she is wearing blue tennis shoes. Although the dialogue is continuous, she is barefoot in the very next shot, then the shoes appear again, though we never see her take them off (or on). more
Quotes:
Caroline Lord: What's this?
[holds up a weird silver object]
Mrs. Lord: I don't know dear.
Caroline Lord: It stinks.
Mrs. Lord: Caroline, don't say stinks. If absolutely necessary, smells, but only if absolutely necessary.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "A Touch of Frost: Not with Kindness (#1.2)" (1992) more
Soundtrack:
True Love more

FAQ

Chapter Headings, an unofficial version:
Is Clarendon Court, the von Bulows' mansion, featured in this movie?
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful.
Mildy Pleasant Musical Remake Of A Classic Film, 21 April 2005
8/10
Author: gftbiloxi (gftbiloxi@yahoo.com) from Biloxi, Mississippi

Tracy Lord is a society woman with an inflexible sense of propriety: not only has she divorced her socially liberal first husband C.K. Dexter-Haven, she has forced her mother to separate from her father over the latter's questionable behavior with a chorus girl. Now she plans to marry George Kittredge, a social climber with a sense of propriety as inflexible as her own--only to find her wedding suddenly beset by her first husband, two pesky reporters, the possibility of a paternal scandal, and a local jazz fest.

If all this sounds a bit familiar, it should be no surprise. Originally written for the stage by Philip Barry under the title THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, it proved a smash hit during the 1940s on both stage and screen, and this remake follows the original very closely, only fiddling with the story and characters to the extent of introducing and rationalizing Cole Porter's musical elements.

The original non-musical film cast included Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and James Stewart--a hard act to follow, to say the least. But while they don't best that teaming, stars Grace Kelly (Tracy), Bing Crosby (C.K. Dexter-Haven), and Frank Sinatra (Mike Connor, one of the reporters) carry off the roles with considerable charm. But the real strength of this film is the guest appearance of Louis Armstrong and the Cole Porter score. Only Porter would be brazen enough to write lyrics that rhyme Circe with Mercy, and while this is one of his lesser efforts it is still pretty impressive stuff, including such memorable tunes as "True Love," the satirical "Well, Did You Ever?," and such throw-away charmers as "Little One." As for Louis Armstrong, his star quality is powerful enough to put even Sinatra in the shade.

The failure of the film is the fact that every one in the cast seems to play a bit too casually, and although they are all clearly having a good time they never really achieve the sparkle a truly great musical comedy requires. Even so, musical fans--particularly those of Cole Porter, Armstrong, Crosby, and Sinatra--will find it quite enjoyable, and Grace Kelly fans will find the actress as lovely as ever. Recommended.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

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Watching it Now! monroehepburn
Age Differences Doogiebee
This movie sucks laxlon
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Great Movie Peerce
Claus Von Bulow and the' High Society 'Mansion?? wjmansperger
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