De-Lovely (2004)

Inspecting a magical biographical stage musical, composer Cole Porter reviews his life and career with his wife, Linda.

Director:

Irwin Winkler

Writer:

Jay Cocks

Stars:

Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, Jonathan Pryce

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Kline	...	Cole Porter
Ashley Judd	...	Linda Porter
Jonathan Pryce	...	Gabe
Kevin McNally	...	Gerald Murphy
Sandra Nelson	...	Sara Murphy
Allan Corduner	...	Monty Woolley
Peter Polycarpou	...	L.B. Mayer
Keith Allen	...	Irving Berlin
James Wilby	...	Edward Thomas
Kevin McKidd	...	Bobby Reed
Richard Dillane	...	Bill Wrather
Edward Baker-Duly	...	Boris Kochno
Angie Hill	...	Ellin Berlin
Harry Ditson	...	Dr. Moorhead
Tayler Hamilton	...	Honoria Murphy

Storyline

De-Lovely is an original musical portrait of American composer Cole Porter, filled with his unforgettable songs. In the film, Porter is looking back on his life as if it was one of his spectacular stage shows, with the people and events of his life becoming the actors and action onstage. Through elaborate production numbers and popular hits like "Anything Goes," "It's De-Lovely," and "Night and Day," Porter's elegant, excessive past comes to light - including his deeply complicated relationship with his wife and muse, Linda Lee Porter.

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Plot Keywords:

jukebox musical | horseback riding | cole porter character | monty woolley character | louis b. mayer character | 

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Taglines:

A love that would never die and music that would live forever.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music | Musical

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French Italian

Release Date:

6 August 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Just One of Those Things

Filming Locations:

Café de Paris, Coventry Street, Soho, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$400,001, 4 July 2004

Gross USA:

$13,337,299

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Potboiler Productions, Winkler Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

125 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While promoting My Old Lady (2014), Kevin Kline stated he wore a green sock for scenes where Cole had his leg amputated.

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Goofs

When Cole is riding the horse, there's the sound of galloping hoofbeats, but the horse is actually only moving at a canter.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Gabe: Hello, Cole. I let myself in.
Cole Porter: We're not late, are we? I hate to be late.
Gabe: No, no. We're fine. That sounded lovely.
Cole Porter: I hate funeral music. Though, under the circumstances, I suppose I should say my prayers.
Gabe: Why start now?
Cole Porter: Exactly.

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Connections

Referenced in Pittsburgh (2006)

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Soundtracks

I Love You
(1943)
Performed by Mick Hucknall
Music and Lyrics written by Cole Porter
Music Published by Warner Bros. Inc./Chappell & Co, Inc. (ASCAP)
Produced by Stephen Endelman and Peter Asher
Mick Hucknall appears courtesy of Simplyred.com Limited

User Reviews

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO SEE A MUSICAL

This biography soars toward the Academy Awards on the backs of its producer, director and actors. Kevin Kline proves you don't have to look like the "Real Person" to bring his spirit to life and Ashley Judd (contrary to some unfair and plain wrong reviews) gives us a strong Linda Porter, a complex and vulnerable Linda Porter who, as is usually the case, finally succumbs to her life choices with an uncommon grace and courage.

Those people in the audience who had no idea about Mr. Porter's sexual preference, oh'd and ah'd in the beginning. Then they learned that all the talent in the world, all the money in the world, all the joyous hedonism of youth in the world - all of it falls in upon itself as age overcomes and destroys the arrogance of youth.

Irwin Winkler has given us an unflinching portrait of an unusually talented man, an unusual life, and a painful end to that life.

My palms were ice cold and I felt drained as this film concluded - not because it failed as a project, but because it succeeded so well.

DE-LOVELY is not an easy movie but it is a brilliant one.