A socialite preparing for her wedding finds her plans complicated by the arrival of her ex-husband and an intrusive reporter.
On the eve of her extravagant wedding, society heiress Tracy Samantha Lord (Grace Kelly) finds her well-ordered life thrown into chaos. Her ex-husband, jazz musician C.K. Dexter-Haven (Bing Crosby), arrives with reporter Mike Connor (Frank Sinatra) in tow, both aiming to cover the event. As tensions rise and champagne flows, Tracy begins to question her choice of a staid, society-climbing fiancé. Aided by her skirt-chasing father and the musical stylings of Louis Armstrong, she finds herself drawn back to the unpredictable charm of her former husband, forcing a decision between three very different men.
The machinery of The Philadelphia Story is retooled as a lavish musical, swapping acerbic wit for the sophisticated cool of a Cole Porter score. This was Grace Kelly’s final film performance before her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco, a fittingly glamorous exit from Hollywood. The production is notable for pairing musical rivals Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, whose distinct styles give the film its central tension. Their duet on “Well, Did You Evah!” is a high point of effortless charisma. Nominated for three Academy Awards, the film remains a celebrated showcase of mid-century MGM polish and iconic star power.
Production Co: MGM / 107 mins / 1956
Director: Charles Walters
Producer: Sol C. Siegel
Screenplay: John Patrick
Music: Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Cole Porter
Main Cast: Bing Crosby (C.K. Dexter-Haven), Frank Sinatra (Mike Connor), Grace Kelly (Tracy Samantha Lord), Celeste Holm (Liz Imbrie), John Lund (George Kittredge), Louis Calhern (Uncle Willie), Louis Armstrong (Himself)
