Delovely

Passion. That is one word that repeatedly popped up in my mind while watching Delovely. Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd star in this biopic about Cole Porter. For those who aren’t ridiculously obsessed with Broadway musicals (as I am), Cole Porter was one of the great song writers of the Great White Way. In fact he was ranked right up there with the Gershwins.
It was hard to review this movie. I had to separate my love for Broadway from my judgment of the movie. While I tried my best to achieve this, I can’t promise that I was entirely successful. This was a very well done movie. The acting was very good, the story was interesting, and the plot was pushed further along by the inclusion of some of Cole Porter’s greatest hits.
Let’s start at the beginning. Kevin Kline plays the lead character of Cole Porter. There haven’t been many occasions where I was let down by Kevin Kline’s acting, and again I wasn’t disappointed. This character involved many levels to play. As a human Cole Porter wanted to achieve success and secure his own happiness. That happiness, however, was difficult to obtain. Cole Porter desired both the couple and physical intimacy of both men and women. However, living in a time where any reports of homosexual activities (false or not) could be a career destroyer. Kevin Kline does a very admirable job of showing the different levels of this career. He often fluctuated from concern for his wife’s happiness, to his own fulfillment of needs, his independence as a songwriter, his dependence on his wife for encouragement in his musical career. He shows the contradictions that were in the man.
Although I stated that Cole Porter had homosexual tendencies, he also had heterosexual tendencies. He met a woman who enjoyed his music and had an understanding of what would be required to be with this man. This role was conquered by Ashley Judd. Again, this is an actress who I am scarcely disappointed by. Throughout this film she showed the inner turmoil of both supporting and loving her husband and also wanting her husband to support her as she did him. While not the main lead, she still gave an excellent performance and definitely made an impact.
Now my favorite part of the movie, the music. Now as some out in They Might Be Critics land know when it comes to musicals I could go on for days (same as my tendencies with history). However, the music in this film captured me. The songs were excellently chosen to reflect the moods of the scenes they were featured in. But as I said in my opening, they reinforced the passion. While some may see a musical and not really think it isn’t a very passionate story, I believe it is the music that sets the passion. All the songs in the movie had to do with the theme of Love/Passion. Not only did I see and hear the passion in the film, but awoke the passion in me, a passion for musicals that much needed a reignition. After watching this movie all I could think of was singing and performing, something I have not felt that strongly for awhile.
This movie does credit to one of the greatest Broadway songwriters ever. It shows an accurate depiction of the life he had and shows how his passions in life drove the music he wrote. The acting only adds more credibility. I wish I could’ve watched this movie in the theaters, but I’ll take sitting at home watching it. This movie receives a 13. Thank you for creating a Broadway picture that shows the passion that is required to be involved in the genre of music in anyway.