Movie Review: De-Lovely

The movie De-Lovely is a lovely romp through the life and times of Cole Porter as interpreted by screenwriter Jay Cocks and director Irwin Winkler. The story opens with Cole Porter (played by Kevin Kline) at the moment of death, visited by a spectral "Director," (Gabe, played by a very arch Jonathan Pryce) who takes him to a small theater where they revisit his life with his wife, Linda (Ashley Judd).

The conceit of directing his life as a musical number allows the story to throw out chronology and in some places historical fact. It also allows the old Cole to act as narrator. A convenient feature that is sometimes used too heavy-handedly, for instance, when the scene cuts from the music room where Cole is playing This Thing Called Love, to the bed-room scene between Cole and Boris.

Scattered throughout the picture, used to move the story along, rather than to document the chronology of Porter's work are wonderful arrangements of his songs sung by the popular artists of today. Sheryl Crow's rendition of Begin the Beguine, arranged by Steven Endelman, is particularly haunting.

The movie is marred in a few ways, Alanis Morissette's costume is the one case where the normally flawless wardrobe department let us down, what is she supposed to be, a clown? Linda Thomas' ex-husband is depicted crashing the marriage and confronts her about her marriage to Porter and physically assaults her in the stairway of the Ritz Hotel, this seems to me a clumsy way to let the audience know that the Thomas marriage was abusive.

Furthermore, Linda is portrayed as a controlling whiner, and even uses her miscarriage to force Cole to leave New York for Hollywood. Yet, his homosexuality (depicted as the cause of all their tension) isn't a secret when they are married. And then there's the obvious as a sledge-hammer to the head foreshadowing of Cole's riding accident (can you count all the horseys?).

But still, even with it's flaws, the gorgeous musical numbers, the Armani designed suits Kevin Kline wears, and the beautiful sets make up for the flaws.  If you like the music of Cole Porter, period pieces from the 1920s, and lush beautiful movies give this one a try.  It's perfectly kid-safe, despite the PG-13 rating, the only violence being one small scene where Edward Thomas her ex-husband slams her against the wall, and no rough language or sex-scenes in the movie.  Having said that, I would imagine there is little to appeal to younger audiences, but If you like the 1920s, Cole Porter and/or the musical theater, then you should at least rent this movie.