PERFORMANCE PERSPECTIVES

"High Society"
RELAXING IN HIGH SOCIETY

Returning to view old favourites often provides unexpected surprises. A recent visit to "High Society" (1956) was no exception. From a story telling perspective it is astounding how rigidly the male/female stereotypes are defined. This is very much a movie "of its time" and age has considerably diminished its charm.

Surprisingly, from a performance perspective, there are still things to be learnt from this once very popular film. BING CROSBY creates a character of engaging believability and great charm. FRANK SINATRA plays a likable enough chap but after a very capable start there are numerous moments where one senses FRANK is naively working at his acting.

What is the difference between these two performances?

Is experience a factor? BING was thirteen years older than FRANK and had at this point starred in more than thirty films. However prior to "High Society" FRANK had nineteen movies to his name including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for "From Here to Eternity"(1953). So both performers have spent a significant amount of time in front of the camera.

Is acting technique the factor?

It is hard to imagine that either of these two performers had put a huge amount of work into developing their acting skills. The scenario would appear to simply be - if you've got "it" you can do it. And besides, neither actor has any great performance challenges in this script. (In fact they both only have to do one thing throughout the movie - be "Mr. Nice Guy".) So technique would not appear to be the issue.

The only measurable difference between the two performances appears to be their respective levels of relaxation.

BING is a "master of relaxation". (That is plainly evident in his singing.) He always stays safely within parameters with which he feels confident. So, he is always relaxed.

Someone who is so enviably "in control" that they are always totally relaxed is a role model to which many would aspire.

Not for a moment is BING ever revealed to be "trying too hard". So, he is never seen to be "acting". Sure, there are some other elements to his performance but none seem to be more significant than his level of relaxation

TRY THE BING CROSBY EXERCISE!! - TRY PLAYING HIS HIGH BUT RELAXED STATUS - what labels do you put on the need he unconsciously would have been playing??

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