‘High Society’ (1956) 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – Star-Studded Musical Comedy Gets The Deluxe Treatment

Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra romp elegantly through the scenic, moneyed grounds and waters of outwardly elitist Newport, Rhode Island, in this hip, witty musical version of Philip Barry’s The Philadelphia Story.

Legendary Louis Armstrong as himself, plays his trumpet and narrates in prose and song the peccadillos of his songwriter friend C.K. Dexter Haven (Crosby), his beautiful perfectionist ex-wife Tracy Samantha Lord (Kelly, in her final film role), and her stuffy fiancée George Kittredge (John Lund). Sinatra and wise-cracking Celeste Holm are a scandal sheet reporter and photographer who arrive to cover the wedding and complicate the tangled romances. Armstrong and his composer buddy conspire musically and by other devious means to stop Tracy’s marriage. Dexter wants her back, but she takes off with the magazine writer – all of which gives everybody wonderful excuses to break into the incomparable songs of Cole Porter.

M-G-M pulled out all the stops to make High Society a must-see screen event back in 1956, even arranging to license Paramount’s magnificent widescreen process VistaVision, to ensure the film would be something special. Now meticulously restored and remastered from its original VistaVision negative, and accompanied by a thrilling new Dolby Atmos remixed soundtrack (as well as the film’s original theatrical mono optical soundtrack), this long-awaited release is sure to be most welcomed by fans of this box-office smash

For thoughts on High Society, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: 

Video Quality

High Society makes its highly anticipated 4K UHD Blu-Ray debut with a tremendous 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR transfer derived from a new 13.5K restoration from the Original VistaVision Negative. This release also marks the Blu-Ray debut for the film (available separately or as a part of this package), so the simultaneous jump straight to 4K UHD Blu-Ray is a welcome development for fans. It has been a long road to a proper restoration for this film, as the Warner Archive only had access to inferior elements for the longest time. With access to the VistaVision materials, the film is able to shine as one of the most beautiful Golden Age films on the format. 

The film features some spectacular colors within the costumes and settings that pop off the screen with a vibrant intensity. The utilization of Dolby Vision offers a depth and stability of color that is frankly mind-boggling. You only need to take a look at the opening sequence on the bus to see what a stunning sight this presentation is overall. The same could be said of the natural tones that present with an immense complexity in the various lush locations. The black levels are simply perfect with nothing in the way of crush present, and the highlights are solid as a rock with no semblance of blooming. 

The level of detail and clarity is astounding with the appropriate amount of natural film grain intact. The grain resolves well without ever being clumpy or unsightly. The texture on display in the clothing and within the production design is a revelation. Even facial details like the makeup of the performers present with impressive clarity. This presentation is authentic to the original look of the film without the added resolution making any settings seem out of place. The film is entirely free of dirt and damage, which makes the feature feel like it could have been made yesterday. If it were not for the optical dissolves, which naturally have a dip in quality due to the process, it would be difficult to tell the difference. There do not appear to be any jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. This presentation is an award-worthy effort from the team at Warner Archive 

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with both a new Dolby Atmos track and the original theatrical DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track that offers a splendid audio experience. The inclusion of the theatrical mono is an essential inclusion in this release, but the label is also embracing modern technology and tastefully expanding the soundscape for those who want a more immersive experience that puts their surround system to work. The dialogue and singing hold up very nicely, coming through clearly without being overshadowed by the music or other effects. 

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the feature is the smattering of songs which sound vibrant and lovely here. Fidelity typically never waivers even at the height of the track. The environmental effects are delineated nicely including the din of certain rooms and the sounds of weather. This track does not present any glaring instances of age-related wear and tear. This is a track that represents the film in a practically perfect way. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

• Cole Porter In Hollywood – True Love: A nine-minute archival retrospective hosted by actress Celeste Holm who discusses the development of the film, the contributions of Cole Porter, the updates from The Philadelphia Story, and more. 

• Gala Hollywood Premiere Newsreel: A minute-long glimpse at the premiere of the film. 

• Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra Radio Promo Spots (15:36)

• Classic MGM Cartoon – Millionaire Droopy: A seven-minute remastered Droopy short from Tex Avery that is very amusing. 

• Original Theatrical Trailers
  • Bing Meets A Friend at MGM (4:03)
  • High Comedy (4:13)
  • Together For The First Time (0:46)

Final Thoughts

High Society is a pretty amusing remake of a beloved film that cannot quite conjure up the magic of that one but manages to find an identity of its own. The main shortcoming of this narrative is that none of the men seems worthy of the angelic Grace Kelly, but it manages to make up for this with other positives. The songs are performed with great confidence and charm, and the comedic banter connects more than it doesn’t. It may not have been a strictly necessary update to the material, but it is a worthy outing for everyone involved. Warner Archive has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray sporting a spectacular A/V presentation and a valuable array of legacy special features. Those who have been waiting for a proper presentation have been amply rewarded. Recommended 

High Society can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.