Kevin Kline stars as Cole Porter, a popular musical composer of the 30's and 40's whose pretend marriage suffered because of his homosexual escapades.
--Randy
De-Lovely
Directors: Irwin Winkler
Producers: Rob Cowan, Charles Winkler And Irwin Winkler
Writers: Jay Cocks
Features: n/a
Characters:
Cole Porter...Kevin Kline
Linda Porter...Ashley Judd
Gabe...Jonathan Pryce
Irving Berlin...Keith Allen
Gerald Murphy...Kevin McNally
Sara Murphy...Sandra Nelson
Monte Wooley...Allan Corduner
Louis B. Mayer...Peter Polylarpou
Genre: Drama
Review:
"De-Lovely" is a love story that couldn't be. This movie is about the life of Cole Porter one of the last century's greatest musical songwriters. He enjoyed an immense status in the 30's and 40's, later making his way to Hollywood to compose film soundtracks. He was in a class with Irving Berlin and George Gershwin. He was also a homosexual who was married to a woman. This film examines the quandry of his love life and the songs that came about during this period. On one hand, Cole Porter is shown as having the right intent by entering into marriage, yet at the same time he is depicted as a man of habit; this being the habit of winding up in bed with other men. Kevin Kline, in again another homosexual role, plays Cole Porter to Ashley Judd's portrayal of Porter's long suffering wife, Linda Thomas. The film moves very slowly and sometimes dwells on Porter's more obscure songs as they are a truer reflection of what was going on in his life at the time. I found the movie generally fulfilling though it did seem to be unclear as to what it was trying to focus on.
The plot of the film is very simple. While lackadaisically tickling the ivories at a fashionable party in the Paris of the 1920's, Cole Porter draws the fascination of an American divorcee named Linda Lee Thomas. She admires the talent and wit he displays and he admires her admiring him. In a mixed up, shook up world the two are soon married even though Linda and the world at large know that Cole Porter is a homosexual. Now Linda finds out that the sexual peccadillos of her husband do indeed cause more problems than she had at first thought even though Porter never strays with another woman. The rest of the movie deals with this friction his other life brings to Linda and the songs he later creates.
There is this old saying about men and women: "A woman marries with the intention of changing her husband while a man marries hoping his wife will never change." This is a good way to describe the marriage of Cole Porter. Somehow Linda thought that she could change her man or that he would outgrow his homosexual phase. On the other hand, Linda had told Porter that she was aware of what he was and it was okay with her. Now she is beginning to rethink her outlook and problems arise. Linda thinks that if she can get Porter away from the decadence of Europe then their life will improve. Accompanied by Irving Berlin's urgings, Linda gets Porter to move to New York to write musicals. Soon the decadent lifestyle returns and Linda gets Porter to leave New York for of all places... Hollywood, California.
This movie is told in a kind of "Christmas Carol" manner in that an ordinary looking man who turns out to be the angel Gabriel visits an aging Cole Porter and takes him through a sightseeing tour of his past life. Many times the two are seen sitting in empty theater seats while observing and discussing events in Cole Porter's early life. Kevin Kline is excellent in his role. His make-up is very authentic looking and sometimes it is difficult to tell it is him other than that you know it has to be him. Kline plays Porter as a melancholy man who always seems to be reflecting on the pain he causes his wife. Many times, Cole Porter will mention that this song or that song was written with his wife in mind. He is clearly troubled that he cannot do the 'right' thing by his devoted wife. Kevin Kline is able to mouth the lyrics to these introspective songs with great validity as he tinkles at the piano keys. Interspersed throughout the film are, for a better description, guest appearances by some of today's contemporary singers dressed in the fashion of Porter's day. Sheryl Crow, Natalie Cole, Alanis Morrisette, Diana Krall, Robbie Williams, and Elvis Costello are some of the name singers that interpret Cole Porter songs. I still can't make up my mind if this added or detracted from the movie.
When "De-Lovely" is done it is still unclear as to what Cole Porter's life meant other then he turned out a marvelous legacy in tunes. Like most people Porter led a vacillating lifestyle. He wanted to do this, but he found himself doing that instead. Good intentions gave way to bad desires. Cole Porter does not come out of this film looking like a hero. He is painted as an ordinary man with a talent for writing extraordinary songs.
I was familiar with some of Porter's songs, but this movie showcased some of the more subtle ones that he had written. I would give this movie three stars out of five.
----Randy