DE-LOVELY

A film that tells the tales of a real-life individual worthy of recognition… the biopic! I’ve always had an immense fondness for biopics of all kinds. I’ve also been a long-time fan of actors Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd. So, as I went to view De-Lovely (2004) as part of my 2023 film journey, I had to wonder why I had never heard of it. Upon watching De-Lovely, I may know why.

De-Lovely unveils the story of Cole Porter (Kline), the highly revered American composer and songwriter. The movie begins as Porter is about to die and he is visited by the archangel Gabriel in human form (Jonathan Pryce). In a very It’s a Wonderful Life type of tale, Gabriel guides Porter through various moments of his life, as if it were an on-stage musical production. The tale begins with Porter meeting socialite divorcee Linda Lee Thomas (Judd). They soon become close, and they eventually marry. This marriage occurs despite Linda being fully aware that Porter is gay. Though their marriage is one based on mutual gain through façade, the two genuinely do love each other from an emotional standpoint.

I most likely had never heard of this film because, well, it’s rather mediocre. The “let’s review your life” cliché was unnecessary and a distraction. As elevated as the acting is from both central characters, they struggle to rise above a story where all the chords of Porter’s life are reduced to one single note… his homosexuality and its conflict with the relationship he tries to maintain with Linda. We learn very little more about him… save that he was also a musical genius.

Despite these failings, I still enjoyed this film very much. The costumes and makeup are impeccable as the story and characters travel through four decades. The acting is high caliber with Kline and Judd exhibiting wonderful chemistry. Most de-lovely of all though, is the music. The music elevates the experience above the script and ensures that the story never drags. Porter’s hit songs are stage and film classics, and in this movie, we get to hear many of them performed by modern singers, inserted into the story as background extras. Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crowe, Natalie Cole, Robbie Williams, and my personal favorite performance… Alanis Morissette singing, “Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall in Love”!

My goal for 2023 was to see a myriad of films that offered some form of cinematic excellence or significance. Outside of the incredible musical score, I don’t think this film rises to that level. But it doesn’t matter. Like discovering an unexpectedly enjoyable B-side on a hit 45 record, this film is a little gem... mediocrity and all. My thanks to my friend Mindy for recommending it.