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High Society
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High Society (1956) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   4,197 votes
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MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 42% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
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:
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
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(21 articles)
Allison Anders comments on 'Reform School Girls' at Trailers From Hell
 (From pretty-scary. 6 January 2010, 4:45 PM, PST)

Christmas With Crosby, Bing
 (From Huffington Post. 22 December 2009, 10:56 AM, PST)

User Reviews:
A brilliant musical feist, with some underlying social commentary. more (107 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


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Runtime:
111 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Perspecta Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Grace Kelly's last feature film before retiring from acting. more
Goofs:
Continuity: After Tracy introduces George to Mike and Liz, George pours drinks for everybody. From one shot to another, Dexter-Haven's drink appears in his hand without his picking it up. Mike picks up his drink twice. Margaret's drink also appears in her hand without her picking it up. more
Quotes:
Dexter: [hits Mike, turns to George] She's not your wife yet and she *was* mine you know.
[George stalks off, Dexter turns to Mike]
Dexter: Thought I'd better get in first, he's in much better shape.
Mike: You'll do.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Frank in the Fifties (2008) (V) more
Soundtrack:
Well, Did You Evah more

FAQ

Chapter Headings, an unofficial version:
Is Clarendon Court, the von Bulows' mansion, featured in this movie?
more
4 out of 10 people found the following review useful.
A brilliant musical feist, with some underlying social commentary., 28 December 2002
7/10
Author: simondajo from Perth, Australia

To see a movie more than once is rare for me, and I've watched this movie with great enjoyment a few times. What is the role of a movie? There are many. When I'm feeling blue this kind of movie always makes me feel happy; how can that be a bad thing? The music is simply wonderful, and I'm not really a "musical" fan; its just the sheer talent of Porter, Sinatra, Crosby, and of course Louis; a combination of such talent which you will rarely find. The music is also very skillfully and effortlessly placed into the story line, that you hardly realize it is a "musical". Some social commentary is relevant today, such as the "privileges" of the rich and superficiality of such, and the eternal problem of making bad decisions in marriage. I have a spirited creative friend who is involved with a "stable" secure guy, but remains uncertain and confused as to her reasons for marrying him, apart from the fact that she wants to make him happy, I gather for reasons of guilt about her self-confessed selfishness and need for absolution; Grace Kelly in her role has the same doubts and motives I think and is willing to go through with it for no obvious reason; just because "its there", and the guy is stable but absolutely lacking in spirit and soul. I have another friend who has never considered marriage because she is surrounded by "privileged" people or guys obsessed with money; she believes in 'True Love" and would marry for no other reason no matter the class or financial status of the guy...so these dilemmas are real in the 21st century, so I found the understated attitudes in the film relevant. Of course in those days the films had to have a happy ending; not so in reality, so the escapist element is good for the soul too, especially for a romantic and eternal optimist like myself. The music makes the film, but look for understated social commentary even in those supposedly lightweight plots common in those days.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for High Society (1956)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
This movie sucks laxlon
Watching it Now! monroehepburn
Leo's Hairpiece salmonhead57
Great Movie Peerce
Claus Von Bulow and the' High Society 'Mansion?? wjmansperger
Impossible not to like both, however, if stranded on a desert isle... msabom
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