De-Lovely

This biography soars toward the Academy Awards on the backs of its producer, director and actors. Kevin Kline proves you don't have to look like the "Real Person" to bring his spirit to life and Ashley Judd (contrary to some unfair and plain wrong reviews) gives us a strong Linda Porter, a complex and vulnerable Linda Porter who, as is usually the case, finally succumbs to her life choices with an uncommon grace and courage.

Those people in the audience who had no idea about Mr. Porter's sexual preference, oh'd and ah'd in the beginning. Then they learned that all the talent in the world, all the money in the world, all the joyous hedonism of youth in the world - all of it falls in upon itself as age overcomes and destroys the arrogance of youth.

Irwin Winkler has given us an unflinching portrait of an unusually talented man, an unusual life, and a painful end to that life.

My palms were ice cold and I felt drained as this film concluded - not because it failed as a project, but because it succeeded so well.

DE-LOVELY is not an easy movie but it is a brilliant one.

These last few weeks I have eagerly anticipated the Cole Porter biopic, "De- Lovely", starring Kevin Kline. As I read the initial reviews for this film's early, limited run, I was a bit perplexed at the mixed and somewhat negative assessments. Appreciative of Cole Porter's musical brilliance, I have not only seen excellent stage productions of some of his work, but have performed in the stage production, "Cole", a musical tribute to Porter's musical wit and genius. Subsequently, I was mentally primed for a gratifying movie experience that not only touched upon Cole Porter's music, but a more honest portrayal about his personal life, as well.

The introduction of decency codes in Hollywood film-making and the swing in public opinion regarding the gay community had great impact on personal lives at the beginning of the Great Depression. One case in point is the life of William Haines, once the biggest money-maker for specific Hollywood studios, but whose career in film came to a grinding halt when film industry moguls tried to force Haines into a proper, heterosexual "marriage" for social appearances as social conservatism grew in strength as so did the deepening depression. A few years later, "Night and Day", the 1946 film starring Cary Grant, greatly distorted the facts surrounding Cole Porter's life. Post-depression/post-war American society was still not ready for the truth about Cole Porter's life, or homosexuality ("the love that dare not speak its name"), in general. Psychologically, the unrest in Cole Porter's mind regarding his closeted sexuality, his marriage to Linda, his extra-marital dalliances with men and his search for satisfying love have had great impact on the themes in his music. After all, no artist creates within a vacuum; personal experiences influence the creation of art, be it music or otherwise. And, having the greatest understanding of any artist's life, creatively, professionally and personally, allows for the greatest understanding of artistic production.

Although society's understanding and acceptance of gay issues in 2004 would enhance audience favor of this film, regrettably, I left the theater, unfulfilled. This film should have been a snappy cinematic package filled with creative production numbers incorporating Cole Porter's great songs and reflecting upon significant events in his life. Attempts were made. Staging the film as a review of Porter's life viewed scene-by-scene by Cole and his "accomplice" in a darkened theater made for easy understanding of scenes from his adult life. I felt that other, important scenes were missing which would have made for a better understanding of the man. The influences of his privileged childhood in Peru, Indiana, and his college experiences at Yale greatly influenced his direction in life. The easy-to-digest transitions from Paris to various American settings illustrate deft cinematography, staging and editing. However, many scenes looked "too staged" to realistically portray the significant events Cole and his accomplice witness from the main floor of the theatre house. Was this the director's intent? If the staging of the various "scenes" from Porter's life were as Cole remembered them, why were they staged in confining or unrealistic spaces with little bravura and sparkle, considering the man was the essence of these very two things? It's as if every possible cliché was thrown into an impossible to believe setting of Paris when Cole sings to Linda!

The soundtrack to this film is enjoyable. Witnessing the visual performance of present-day artists singing Porter's tunes, however, was hit-or-miss. It was obvious that lip-syncing was taking place. Why cant' such scenes be filmed live, I wonder? Kudos to Robbie Williams' version of "It's De-Lovely" (looking very impish), Alanis Morissette's ""Let's Do It", and Caroline O'Connor's "Anything Goes". Her vocal similarity to Ethel Merman is noteworthy, although the scene did little to display the talents of music and actor. To gain the full impact of these performances, purchase the movie's music compact disc.

If you have an interest in the life of Cole Porter along with his music, I would recommend you see this film to gain some insight. However, if your interest lies only at the level of his music and not of the influences upon his creative output, you will gain small reward by seeing this film, which vacillates in its essence of heart and spirit. Nonetheless, I can recommend the movie's CD.

Maybe it was recent events in my personal life, maybe I'm a sucker for a great song, but the final section of the film saw me fighting back the tears and left me speechless. This film may not be historically accurate, some of the vocal performances may have done the songs less than justice, but this was a great, great movie. The performances of Kline and Judd were magnificent. The use of Porter's songs was astonishing. The sets and costumes sublime. However, it was the way that the director swept you along and hurled you into the final sequence with Porter saying goodbye to Linda and going to meet his maker that will linger in my mind forever. With the possible exception of Moulin Rouge, the only musical film of the last 40 years that could live up to those of the classic era.

This film looks well and has several performances, both dramatic and musical, that are worthy of note. Of the latter in fact Elvis Costello and Natalie Cole in particular came off very well. My biggest beef, however, was with Sheryl Crow's performance of "Begin the Beguine." I haven't heard or read it commented upon so apparently it wasn't noticed that she didn't sing the melody nor did the arrangement follow the fairly complex chord structure that Cole Porter wrote. Taking liberties in jazz is one thing. It's common practice among jazz musicians to take interpretative flights far from the source material and yet still stay fairly close to the general structure and melodic line. In this travesty of a straight, non-jazz performance Ms. Crow quite simply didn't sing the tune as written and the arrangement fairly clobbered the carefully structured co-relation of major and minor chords, altered notes leading to secondary dominants and shifts of key and melody that lead to the tune's climax and denouement. I suppose it's some sort of comment on the general unfamiliarity with popular song of the golden age of Broadway in general and Cole Porter in particular that is to blame but it seems a pity that someone somewhere along the line didn't call her on this. It's plainly and flatly wrong and she should have been told.

I saw this film last night in Los Angeles, and I'm still dancing on air today. Kevin Kline is absolutely brilliant as Porter. You've never seen Ashley Judd do anything even approaching her luminous portrayal of Linda Porter. I can finally forgive her for all the Paramount tough-woman-in-jeopardy franchise movies.

Nearly all the featured performers bring something special to Cole Porter's songs (the possible exception is Alanis Morissette, but your mileage may well vary on this). The costumes are gorgeous, the locations seductive, and one is fully able to suspend disbelief and enter the sensual, artistic world these people created wherever they went. John Barrowman is perhaps the best looking man to ever walk in front of a camera lens.

I hope MGM has some marketing money tucked away and earmarked for De-lovely...