Silk Stockings (1957)

Composer(s):
Cole Porter

Released in:
1957

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One of M-G-M' best in spectacular STEREOPHONIC SOUND!
The incredible series of Turner/Rhino soundtrack releases from their library of incomparable MGM musicals just added another winner to their line. Fred Astaire's last big Metro musical, the Cole Porter classic SILK STOCKINGS has gotten the deluxe treatment from Turner and Rhino, and fans of these great films should rejoice. The songs are terrific, the perforrmances sensational, and the sound quality is nothing short of AMAZING. You can hardly believe what you're hearing is 45 years old. Not only do you get the great songs from the picture such as ALL OF YOU and PARIS LOVES LOVERS, but there are also many previously unreleased instrumental tracks with luscious performances by the MGM orchestra. A special treat are some outtakes, including Cyd Charisse's own vocal of "IT'S A CHEMICAL REACTION, THAT'S ALL". This is a MUST-HAVE. Highly recommended!

Rhino Record's Does It Again!!!
Rhino Record's deserves a round of applause for continuing it's release of Hollywood's historical musical soundtracks and film scores. SILK STOCKINGS may not be the best from Cole Porters catalog - but it provides a pleasant reminder of 1950's film entertainment. The orchestration's have the lush, detailed sparkling arrangements that only the film studio knew how to produce. And yes, the CD is mastered completely in glorious "Stereophonic Sound" Bravo.

Inferior Cole Porter score? No such thing!
On Broadway SILK STOCKINGS was a minor hit, running a little over a year. Then M-g-M turned it into movie and actually improved it in the translation. They staretd off on the right track by retaining most of the original score. Two minor songs ("Hail Bibinski" and "As on Through the Seasons We Sail") were dropped and Porter wrote two new songs for the picture: "Fated to be Mated" and "The Ritz Roll and Rock." The title song was changed from a solo for the male lead into a beautiful, sensual dance for female lead Cyd Charisse. The tightening of the script to pare the film's running time to under two hours worked also helped improve the piece. The only (minor) disappointment is that some of Porter's saucy lyrics had to be altered.

The original M-g-M Records release contained only 14 tracks. This new CD restores the entire score and allows the listener to sample the wonderful underscoring. As usual Rhino has done wonders to make the sound quality very good indeed.

As for complaints that Porter was "not up to his usual standard" - well, it isn't ANYTHING GOES or KISS ME KATE, but it's still Porter and as both a composer and lyricist he was in fine form on this, his final Broadway score.

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