De-Lovely

Cast: Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, Jonathon Pryce, Kevin McNally, Sandra Nelson
Director: Irwin Winkler
Writer: Jay Cocks
Genre: Drama/Musical/Biography
Rated: PG mature themes, sexual references, low level coarse language
Running Time: 125 Minutes

(Cameos: Robbie Williams, Elvis Costello, Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, Mick Hucknall, Diana Krall, Natalie Cole)

A Love That Would Never Die And Music That Would Live Forever

Synopsis:
Beneath the moon and under the sun, today's hottest stars pay tribute to Cole Porter -the man, the artist, the lover, and the legend - in MGM's musical drama 'De-Lovely'.

'De-Lovely' is an original portrait of American composer Cole Porter filled with his unforgettable songs. In the film, Porter is looking back on his life as if it was one of his spectacular stage shows, with the people and events of his life becoming the actors and action onstage. Through legendary hits like 'Night and Day', 'It's De-Lovely', and 'Anything Goes', Porter's elegant, excessive past comes to light, including his deeply complicated relationship with his wife, Linda.

My Verdict:
Musical dramas are few and far between and this movie of the life of Cole Porter is absolutely divine. Kevin Kline is superb as Cole Porter and begins the movie in an old theatre with his friend Gabe (Jonathon Pryce) watching a musical number, which soon transposes into a period of Porter's life. This happens numerous times over the course of the movie, with an elderly Porter commenting on his life from the audience of the theatre, agreeing with the displayed pieces or disagreeing with them. It is an unusual method but it does work. He reminisces about times in his frequently turbulent life, but also takes time to show the good times, often singing one of his songs which reflects such. Ashley Judd is celestially elegant as Linda Lee Porter, Cole's enduring wife and was lucky enough to wear 48 different costumes during the film. She also manages to portray the angst and anxiety that she must have endured as Porter's wife, showing an immense loyalty to a man that many others would have dismissed years before. Linda really was an amazing woman to have accepted the complication of their relationship, including his overt homosexuality.

During the course of the movie, there are a multitude of musical numbers. Kline as Porter sings many, but there are so many of his songs sung by today's rock and pop music stars. These performances are an indulgent treat and include Elvis Costello, Alanis Morisette, Sheryl Crow, Mick Hucknall, Robbie Williams and Natalie Cole, amongst others. To have such an ensemble of singers is a luxury and worth seeing for their performances alone.

The era that Porter belonged to was one often of excess but also of secrecy, the sets are often lavish and sumptuous and the overall theme was one of a celebration of Porter's music and life and the journey this took him on. It is a sublime trip to watch and one well worth taking.

Rating : A

Christina Bruce