High Society (1956) - Movie 《上流社会》

A hip, witty musical version of Philip Barry's The Philadelphia Story:


"Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly 格蕾丝·凯莉) is a rich Rhode Island socialite whose romance with neighbor and jazz musician C.K. Dexter Haven (Bing Crosby 宾．克罗斯拜) has broken up. Now she is engaged to be married to the stuffy but appropriate George Kittredge. But when a dashing journalist (Frank Sinatra) arrives to cover the society wedding, Tracy's initial desire to make life difficult for this interloper is complicated by her attraction for him. And things are made all the more complicated by Dexter Haven's refusal to give up on Tracy."

Jazz, haute couture, Newport and legendary Grace Kelly are many highlights of this great musical. I enjoyed the movie enormously. I know little about jazz. I have to say my enthusiasm to exploring jazz music was immediately kindled by the croon of Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong also his band throughout the movie. A jazzed-up version of the wedding processional at the end of the movie was a blast!


The movie was taken in scenic, elitist Newport, Rhode Island （罗德岛）, which happens to be only 2 hours drive from where I live now. It is one of my favorite short excursions on east coast. The cliff walk and jazz festival are great weekend getaways. Among a lot of grand and beautiful things, I especially like the hydrangeas surrounding the walks and gardens during summer.




Tracy Lord is a snobbish, spoiled ice queen and perfectionist portrayed by GK. GK looked stunning and aloof in this character. This is also GK’s last film role. She was engaged to Prince Rainier of Monaco at the time. Actually, the enormous engagement diamond ring displayed in the film was her own, given to her by her Prince fiancé.



Now I invite you to enjoy every piece of delicacy of this musical:

Impeccable wardrobe:

GK, as a fashion icon, elegant and inspiring, is goddess of fashion brand Hermès （爱马仕）:

• It was reported she used an Hermès scarf as a sling when she broke her arm.
• The Kelly bag by Hermès, was renamed for Grace Kelly after she was photographed carrying one while stepping off a plane.
• The classic head-cover of a silk scarf crossed under the chin and knotted at the side or nape of the neck is universally known as the "Grace Kelly".

GK pulled off this look fabulously. The whole outfit in camel revealed her understated elegance. The brown leather belt adds a bit equestrian look. The high light of the red scarf and shoes (Hermès?) are just right. In real life, GK’s style was a reflection of her own personality - genuinely lovely inside and out:


The baby blue dress: the color combination blue and white,stripe and little bow ties add a preppy look to this extravagant haute couture dress.



Tracy unwraps Dexter's (ex-husband) wedding gift, the model of their honeymoon yacht, and fondly remembers the first few romantic weeks of her and Dexter's marriage. This white swimsuit is a fashion master piece.


George (soon-to-be husband) interrupts her reverie to promise unfailing adoration of his "goddess." Upset that she might be seen as distant, Tracy demands that she be treated as a real woman. George couldn't understand her feelings whatsoever.


A drunken Tracy takes Mike on a drive to tell him that his presumptions about the Newport upper class are unfair. The silk lining in colored stripes gives this otherwise plain white coat a delicious taste. And the yellow silk shirt dress is just right for pretty and lady-like Grace Kelly .


Surprisingly enough, GK was spotted on a yellow brocade cheongsam旗袍 inspired robe here! Quite a few western movies stars tried on mandarin style dresses, I have to say Grace Kelly was one of the best to dress to the spirit.


The gray-over-rose chiffon gown appliquéd with rhinestones and pink and white embroidered flowers by Helen Rose Tracy wore at her bachelorette party. She once wore this dress on a visit to the White House with President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy.


The most glamorous and stylish wedding dress. Unexpected, tasteful and just gorgeous! "Watch out that first step, it is going to be a little bumpy!". The father said.


The crystals GK wore in this movie was Swarovski.


Jazz

High Society Calypso (Louis Armstrong)


Little One (Bing Crosby) - Crosby tosses off a sweet ditty for Tracy's s premature kid sister


Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (Frank Sinatra & Celeste Holm) - Sinatra and Holm take potshots at extravagant life style of the idle riches


True Love (Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly) – Kelly, in a flashback, recalls their honeymoon


You're Sensational (Frank Sinatra) - Sinatra, smitten with Kelly, expresses his feelings

Samantha(Bing Crosby) – Crosby’s love song for Kelly


Now You Has Jazz (Bing Crosby & Louis Armstrong) – Crosby attempts, with Armstrong, to explain contemporary music


Well, Did You Evah? (Frank Sinatra & Bing Crosby) - The film's highlight of the fabulous and funny duet between Crosby and Sinatra, rich with sly comments on Crosby's famous fortune, and Sinatra's 'new' style of crooning


Mind If I Make Love to You (Frank Sinatra) – Sinatra’s love song for Kelly

Houseboat (1958) – Movie《水上人家》/《一家春》/《船屋》

A great 50’s Romantic family classic with a happy ending. The story is about how a handsome widower, a diplomat from Washington D.C, Tom Winston (Cary Grant卡里格兰特) fell in love with Cinzia Zaccardi (Sophia Loren索非亚罗兰), daughter of a prominent classical conductor and a beautiful Italian woman. I find a lot of similarities between this movie and "The Sound of Music"《音乐之声》, in that a woman comes into a dysfunctional family and not only reunites its members but marries the head of the house, who always happens to be handsome and charming. Also the three mischievous, premature kids were adorable and gave the movie a very vivid family touch.


I especially enjoyed the scene of CG brought three formal dressed kids to the live concert on Lincoln Memorial Circle. It was lovely! If you pay attention, all the audiences were dressed formally and nicely. It was a great night out with good taste. I once read about that fashion and lifestyle in Washington D.C has been highly connected to politics, society and the people who reside in White House. The Democrats are more hip, more liberal, with the more conservative Republican Party. President Clinton often had free concerts on the Mall where he brought in bands from all over the world. The movie was taken in 1958 during which was Republican Eisenhower in charge. This might not be a reflection of the reality of the time.


The wardrobe is impeccable and stunning as always in those days. Sophia Loren’s beauty is exotic, wild and European. She was very much tanned, same was CG. It is interesting to see how my view of beautiful things evolves as I grow up and exploit the world. I still remember when I was a kid, I saw some pictures of her from movie magazines and I thought that was one ugly face!Veteran clothes designer Edith Head, long a Paramount legend with her incredible clothes designs over 40 years for all of the Paramount stars is the leading designer for the wardrobe. Sophia Loren shines from the head to toe in these glamorous, lavish and highly flattering clothes with matching hats, gloves and scarves.
A great movie aside, I was definitely dazzled by these beautiful dresses:

A Simple army green dress clung to SL's curvaceous figure:

The stunning Little Black Dress (LBD). They first met.

The breath-taking gold party dress
(This was actually fun. Carolyn, Tom’s deceased wife’s little sister, who has been in love with Tom, bought a very tacky golden dress decorated with pink roses for Cinzia to a party. There was obvious competition between the two women. SL changed it to a stunning, sexy one which wowed Carolyn when they met that night. Talk about creativity!)


The grand wedding dress:

Other LBDs and outfits spotted on SL:
No.2 character Carolyn was also gorgeous in this film:

And finally, let's take a look at the lovely kids and the houseboat, in case that you like me had no idea about what a houseboat looks like before I watch the film.