Line #12 Film/HighSociety


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/high_society_1956.jpg]]
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3	''High Society'' is a 1956 American musical comedy remake of ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory'', directed by Charles Walters, starring Creator/GraceKelly, Music/BingCrosby, and Music/FrankSinatra, and featuring a musical score written by Music/ColePorter.
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5	Upper class Tracy Lord (Kelly) is getting married to George, an [[SelfMadeMan independently wealthy man]], but her ex-husband Dexter (Crosby) is still in love with her and tries to win her back. Simultaneously, Tracy's family is blackmailed into allowing a reporter and photographer for ''Spy'' magazine cover her wedding as an exclusive. LoveTriangle confusion ensues among the cast.
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8	!!This film provides examples of:
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10	* AboveTheInfluence: Mike doesn't take advantage of a drunk Tracy, even though he's pretty drunk as well.
11	* AdaptationDyeJob: Blonde Creator/GraceKelly playing the role originally written for auburn-haired Creator/KatharineHepburn. As a result, her original nickname, "Red", has been changed to "Sam".
12	* AdaptationTitleChange: ''High Society'' is a musical remake of ''The Philadelphia Story''.
13	* AffectionateNickname: Dexter addresses Tracy as "Sam", from her middle Samatha, which she hates.
14	* AlmostKiss: Tracy and Mike after he sings "You're Sensational" to her.
15	* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Tracy and Caroline do ''not'' get on well to begin with, primarily because Caroline refuses to hide her [[ShipperOnDeck obvious preference for Dexter as her brother]]; possibly also because of a PrecociousCrush on Dexter, whom she feels Tracy mistreated.
16	* ArentYouGoingToRavishMe: Tracy is a little offended that Mike didn't take advantage of her while she was drunk.
17	-->'''Tracy:''' Why? Was I so cold? So forbidding?
18	-->'''Mike:''' Not at all. On the contrary but you were somewhat the worse - or the better - for the wine and there are rules about such things.
19	* AsHimself: Music/LouisArmstrong, referred to in-universe by his (real-life) nickname "Satchmo", plays himself as a friend of Dexter's. His band are introduced as themelves during their solos in "Now You Has Jazz", as well.
20	* BettyAndVeronica: George, the reliable, respectable, somewhat dull fiance (Betty); and Dexter, the jazz-loving, dancing/singing/composing ex-husband (Veronica); to Sam's Archie. No surprises with whom she ends up...
21	* BigFancyHouse: As Satchmo points out, the Lords' house is a little excessive, apparently containing both a north ''and'' south parlour for a start.
22	* BitchInSheepsClothing: George, who seems nice, if a little straight-laced, to begin with but increasingly reveals himself to be a humourless stuffed shirt as the film progresses.
23	* {{Blackmail}}: Mike and Liz are only present because Spy magazine threatened to publish a disastrous account of Seth Lord's affairs with various showgirls. To their credit, they didn't know, and finally refuse to hand in their story after they find out.
24	* BlackMailIsSuchAnUglyWord: Spy Magazine doesn't want to have to print some scandalous details about Seth Lord, [[SarcasmMode not at all…]]
25	* BreakingTheFourthWall: Satchmo's opening monologue-cum-TitleThemeTune begins with a direct address to the audience.
26	** After "Little One", [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall he looks into the camera and observes]]:
27	--> "Great song, but [[LampshadeHanging the wrong girl…]]"
28	** In "Well, Did You Evah?" Mike sings, "Don't dig that kind of crooning, chum!" To which Dexter responds, "You must be one of the newer fellas."
29	* CantHoldHerLiquor: Kelly gets to showcase her unexpectedly brilliant comedy chops after Tracy downs a few too many glasses of champagne at her pre-wedding party.
30	-->(the morning after) “Hello everybody! Isn’t it a ''fine'' day? Is everybody fine? That’s fine.”
31	* ChildHater: The first clue we get as to George's character is that he dislikes Caroline. The feeling is mutual.
32	* ContrivedClumsiness: Tracy deliberately breaks Liz's camera after the latter snaps a cheeky photograph of her posed between both her ex and soon-to-be husband.
33	-->”Oh how ''clumsy'' of me, I could just ''die''”.
34	* CurseCutShort:
35	--> '''George:''' You and your whole rotten class.
36	--> '''Dexter:''' Oh, class my--
37	--> '''Mike:''' Grandmother!
38	* DanceOfRomance: Mike and Tracy dance a rumba, [[KissingUnderTheInfluence after champagne]], in the dark… Their partners are understandably upset. It doesn't stick.
39	* DeadpanSnarker: Dexter. Liz and Mike, and later Tracy, also qualify.
40	* DefrostingIceQueen: Tracy, who begins the film as something of a haughty princess, but mellows throughout and is full of joy by the final scenes where she’s decided to get back with Dexter.
41	* DidTheyOrDidntThey: Mike and Tracy. They didn't — Mike is too gallant to take advantage of Tracy whilst she’s had one too many champagnes.
42	* DisposableFiance: George - sent packing when Tracy realises she still loves Dexter, and actually marries him at ''their'' wedding!
43	* DivorceIsTemporary: Dexter and Tracy are set to marry again at the end of the movie.
44	* DrowningMySorrows
45	* DrunkenSong:
46	** "Well, Did You Evah?" ''"I drink to your health ..." "Nah, let's drink to your wealth!"''
47	** Tracy sings "True Love" when drunk.
48	* DuetBonding: Friendly version, Mike and Dexter's "Well, Did You Evah?"
49	* ExtremelyShortTimeSpan: Takes place over two days (and the night between).
50	* FishOutOfWater: Mike and Liz. George too, to a lesser extent.
51	* GirlFriday: Liz to Mike.
52	* HairOfTheDog: Mike would "sell his grandmother" for an alcoholic beverage the morning after the party.
53	* HangoverSensitivity: Several characters but especially Tracy, who reels back from the morning sunshine and has terrible beer-fear over her own hazily remembered flirtations with Mike the night before.
54	* HaveAGayOldTime: Mike sings a song titled "Mind if I Make Love to You" to Tracy when they're dancing. In the '50s "making love" meant having an intimate conversation, such as flirtatious or seductive sweet talk, with no physical contact involved.
55	* IfIWereARichMan: Played with. Mike and Liz, while taking in the luxurious home of the Lords sing "''Who Wants To Be A Millionaire!''" ("I Don't!"), listing in the song all the luxuries they could afford if they were rich, and for each one, claiming not to want it. By their expressions and the effort they put into the song, it's implied to be a case of [[SourGrapesTropes Sour Grapes]], however.
56	* IronicEcho: "The truth is you'll never be a first class human being until you've learned to have some regard for human frailty."
57	* KissingUnderTheInfluence: (of champagne) Mike and Tracy.
58	* LapPillow: Tracy lies with her head in Dexter's lap when they sing "True Love".
59	* LastSecondWordSwap: In "Did You Evah":
60	-->'''Mike:''' Have you heard that Mimsy Starr-
61	-->'''Dexter:''' Oh, what now?
62	-->'''Mike:''' She got pinched in the As- tor bar.
63	* LetsDuet: ''True Love" - Dexter/Tracy, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" - Mike/Liz, "Well, Did You Evah!" - C.K., Mike
64	* LoveConfessor: Liz tacitly confirms Dexter's suspicion that she's in love with Mike.
65	* LoveTriangle: Or Love Pentagram.
66	* TheMissusAndTheEx: George and Dexter, for Sam, although technically she hasn't married the "missus" yet.
67	* MouthyKid: Caroline.
68	* TheMusical: Of ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory'', and/or Philip Barry's original play of the same name.
69	* NothingExcitingEverHappensHere: Caroline complains to her mother that this is the case near the beginning of the movie; one of the reason's she's so glad to see Dexter return.
70	* NotWhatItLooksLike: Mike carrying a drunk Tracy back to her furious fiance.
71	* PragmaticAdaptation: In regard to ''Film/ThePhiladelphiaStory''. Tracy's revenge plot is entirely removed; the presence of the reporters is explained separately. Seth Lord is also simplified and less present in the story, largely due to ValuesDissonance regarding his extra-marital affairs; similarly Dexter's alcoholism is removed.
72	* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Dexter gives Tracy one mid-way through the film. This is followed shortly by one from her father. She realises the truth of them when she tries to give one to Mike, and ends up with an IronicEcho of the earlier speeches
73	* RichBitch: Tracy, though somewhat toned down and she does improve over time.
74	* RichSuitorPoorSuitor: Played with; although none of them really qualify as the poor suitor, Mike is certainly poorer than the other two. Between Dexter and George there seems to be little difference, numerically, but George is very conscious of being wealthy and succesful, while Dexter is not. Some ValuesDissonance on the crassness and unsuitability of being a SelfMadeMan appears.
75	* SelfMadeMan: George, compared to old-moneyed Dexter.
76	* ShipperOnDeck: Caroline, for Sam/Dexter. Possibly Mrs Lord too.
77	* SiblingRivalry: To some degree; Tracy is the elegant, lady-like grownup, to whom tomboyish, smart-alec Caroline feels somewhat inferior.
78	** Especially as Dexter at one point sings her a love song, "Little One", and [[PrecociousCrush she says they're engaged]]
79	-->'''Sam:''' Isn't it time for your milk and arsenic, darling?
80	* WhatDidIDoLastNight: What Tracy wants (or ''doesn't'' want) to know in the lead-up to her wedding.
81	* WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant: The Lords, who are about as Waspy as one can get -- their (very Anglo-Saxon) surname is even derived from an English aristocratic title.
82	* WhyWasteAWedding: Tracy and Dexter marry at what was supposed to be her wedding to George — in front of his own family, one assumes!

Context Film / HighSociety