MovieChat Forums > High Society (1956) Discussion > Why?

Why?

posted 19 years ago by jonasjobbar
26 replies | jump to latest

PHiladelphia Story Was SOO GOOD. Why did they do this? Poor actors being pited against the Giants of the last movie (OK these are Giants too, Celebretywise, not not Performancewise...)

Grace Kelly is probably the most beautyful woman that ever lived, but by far less funny and good as an actress than Hepburn (as are 99% of all actresses).

Frank Sinatra CAN act: See "The Man With the Golden Arm" instead

They sing well though, but I don't really love the songs the are singing

+ Louis Armstrong is just TOO COOL

Cheers

"Where there's a whip, there's a will"

[–] Natalia86 19 years ago

I like this film. I think that all the songs in it are great and although the performances aren't as good as Katharine Hepburn's, Cary Grant's or James Stewart's, Frank, Bing and Grace are still good. I think it is a nice little film.

[–] pilarina85 19 years ago

I like this movie. Grace kelly is great, even better than katherine hepburn in this film. And i really like true love, is the best song

[–] Golden_Oldies 19 years ago

None of the actors in this are as good as the ones in the Philadelphia story, but I prefer Frank most. he is more rugged and it'smore believable that Tracy would fall in love with him than Jimmy Stewart. However I know prefer Stewart's performance! It's a cool musical and cuts out all of the talk the philadelphia story had. My fav song is who wants to be a millionare and Well did you evah

Like Websters dictionary we're Morocco bound

[–] noveltylibrary 18 years ago

I agree Sinatra is the most believable...Bing sure isn't next to Cary Grant!!

[–] david464 19 years ago

You might as well ask "Why'd they write 'My Fair Lady' when 'Pygmalion' was so good?"
Or "Why do we need 'Cabaret' when 'I Am a Camera' was so moving?"
Comparing a musical with its source is comparing apples and oranges.
If "The Philadelphia Story" weren't so good, nobody would've bothered turning it into a musical.
If you don't like musicals, don't watch them. But don't expect them to match the source material.

[–] stfrontiers 19 years ago

Grace Kelly is the most beautiful, elegant and probably one of the most talent actress that I've ever seen in the movies and in the industry. I'm also working in the industry and I believe, that some of the living actresses should learn from her.

Anyway, the movie is brilliant. All the actors and actresses are great in this movie. The script is also a great rework. Summary. It's my favourite from this era.

I've also seen the Philadephia Story and Hepburn was also good. But my personal opinion is; Grace gave something plus in this movie, that Hepburn couldn't in Philadelphia Story. I don't know what is it. Probably Grace's smile. :) Who knows.

[–] mollaroo 10 years ago

HAHA, you're wrong. Taken in by a pretty face eh? Hepburn has overwhelming talent compared to Grace Kelly in this movie. My guess is you watched High Society first.
Anyways, to Kelly's credit she's marvelous in Rear Window and many others, just not in this movie. This whole movie paled in comparison to The Philadelphia Story in every way. :)

[–] Registered_User 18 years ago

This was a total mockery of the original. Katherine Hepburn should have bitch slapped these suckers for butchering one of her greatest masterpieces.

A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.

[–] mollaroo 10 years ago

100% Agreed!

[–] De Nina 18 years ago

I totally agree that this movie was not as near as good as PS. I almost stopped watching..
What I found particularly irritating was that the remake actors were trying to imitate the way the original cast spoke. Grace Kelly was not at all natural in speaking like KH, nor did she move as grace(!)fully.
Also, sinatras scene at the bar with crosby was embarrassing, with his poor attempt in emulating J Stewart in the original - which was probably the most brilliant depiction of a drunken person ever!

I AM a big fan of the original PS, but this, this was not a good movie AT ALL.

Still, THANK YOU LOUIS ARMSTRONG!:)

[–] bonbk 18 years ago

I agree with you and the original poster! High Society is a mediocre movie on it's own, but compared to The Philadelphia Story it's terrible!

I like Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly a lot as actors, hell, Grace Kelly IS actually Main Line Philadelphia society, but her performance is forced and she seems like she's trying to achieve something??? (I think a performance as fluid and natural as K Hepburn's). The other actors are good too, but no on stands up to the real weasly Uncle Willie!

They left the staging and dialogue so close to the original, that if you are a real Phila Story FAN, you can't help comparing line after line etc.

Louis Armstrong is awesome, but I think his presence here is to elevate the movie and draw new types of people that might not have loved/seen the first.

[–] preppy-3 18 years ago

"High Society" is no masterpiece but it isn't THAT bad...as long as you don't compare it to "The Philadelphia Story". This is probably held in high regard because it was Grace Kelly's last film.

Some people might find this little story amusing: Grace Kelly watched "The Philadelphia Story" over and over while making this movie. She wanted to play the role like Katherine Hepburn did. Purportedly, Hepburn was told about this. She saw the movie and said "She didn't study me hard enough".

[–] joxerthemighty39 18 years ago

Re: Why?
by - De Nina on Fri Dec 2 2005 00:52:52
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I totally agree that this movie was not as near as good as PS. I almost stopped watching..
What I found particularly irritating was that the remake actors were trying to imitate the way the original cast spoke. Grace Kelly was not at all natural in speaking like KH, nor did she move as grace(!)fully.
Also, sinatras scene at the bar with crosby was embarrassing, with his poor attempt in emulating J Stewart in the original - which was probably the most brilliant depiction of a drunken person ever!

I AM a big fan of the original PS, but this, this was not a good movie AT ALL.

Having been around a lot of drunk people, sober myself, I found that Jimmy did do a rather good depiction of a drunken person, up there with Barry Fitzgerald in Quiet Man.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] dvbar1 16 years ago

Exactly what I wanted to know after watching this. Awful.

[–] wjmansperger 16 years ago

If I had to guess. This remake was probably made only because Musicals were the big thing in the 50's. Grace Kelly was already engaged to Ranier when doing this film and wears her engagement ring in the film. So, I guess she asked to be in this musical, maybe sensing the end of her film career and knowing she had never been in a musical before. Maybe MGM was trying to capitalize on her engagement/future wedding news by making a film where she was playing an actress about to get married. Who knows what MGM was thinking.