Die oberen Zehntausend (1956)

Die oberen Zehntausend: Directed by Charles Walters. With Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm. With socialite Tracy Lord about to remarry, her ex-husband – with the help of a sympathetic reporter – has 48 hours to convince her that she really still loves him.

“A society wedding is being arranged in Newport, Rhode Island. The beautiful Tracy Lord is to marry George Kitteredge. However, Tracyu0026#39;s ex-husband, the songwriter Dexter Haven, has never stopped loving her and even now has hopes of winning her back. Two journalists, Mike Connor and Liz Imbrie, have arrived to cover the story for u0026#39;Spyu0026#39; Magazine.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDexter has scheduled the Newport Jazz Festival for the same week as the nuptials, and this brings Louis Armstrong (playing himself) to town. The divine Tracy is adored by three men – Dexter, George and Mike Connor. She begins to harbour doubts about her forthcoming marriage…u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;High Societyu0026quot; is a charming reworking of u0026quot;The Philadelphia Storyu0026quot;, the Grant-Hepburn comedy, which was in turn a remodelling of a successful Broadway play. The one great difference with this version is that u0026quot;High Societyu0026quot; is a glorious musical masterpiece. Cole Porteru0026#39;s score has to be one of the greatest collections of songs ever filmed.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eGrace Kelly is good as the imperious Tracy. u0026quot;Iu0026#39;m a cold goddess,u0026quot; she intones, but she thaws spectacularly in the warmth of love. Bing Crosby as Dexter is his usual droll and stylish self. Crosby is a class act who holds the screen with effortless poise and cracks the funnies with sparkling sarcasm. Sinatra is in knockout form. Rarely has that legendary voice achieved the resonant timbre on display here. Satchmo blasts out a couple of breezy jazz numbers, and comments on the action like a latter-day Greek chorus.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe songs include five all-time classics. u0026quot;True Loveu0026quot; is a gorgeous duet in which Kelly unveils a tuneful if brittle singing-voice. u0026quot;Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?u0026quot; is rightly world-famous, and is staged here with clever clownage by Sinatra and Celeste Holm (playing Liz). Satchmou0026#39;s band accompanies Crosby in a swinging u0026quot;You Has Jazzu0026quot;. The showstopper, u0026quot;What A Swell Party This Isu0026quot;, has Crosby and Sinatra at their very best, wisecracking self-referentially as they belt out a gem of a song. My personal favourite, u0026quot;Youu0026#39;re Sensationalu0026quot;, is beautifully rendered by Sinatra. Watch Frank and Grace in the instrumental break, falling in love with their eyes only.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eA confection of sublime music and snappy dialogue, u0026quot;High Societyu0026quot; is shot in bright, eye-catching Technicolor with an attractive pastel blue predominating throughout. A delightful film.”