Posted 5:57 PM by Gene

CULTURAL STINK-OUT-THE-GYM ALERT: A company that insists on calling itself MGM is making a musical bio of Cole Porter called De-lovely.

Some of the worst films of all time have been musical bios -- like Warner's own Cole Porter smarmfest Night and Day, which inspired derisive laughter, and the lugubrious Words and Music, despite Mickey and Judy singing "I Wish I Were in Love Again." Sorry idiots, you don't even have Mickey. (No, I don't think Elvis Costello and Alanis Morissette are quite up there.) And being "honest" about Porter will probably result in a movie just as unwatchable, as the accent, of course, will not be on his music. Louis B. Mayer and Arthur Freed must be rolling in their graves.

Further hint that this will be something spectacular: it has three producers and is written by a former blurbist and organization man for ATWOLA rag. De-lovely? It may have to be de-loused.

P. S. MGM is NOT the MGM (most of which was bought by Mouth from the South and now belongs to King Richard); it's the successor to United Artists and ditched the name in part because it's associated with Heaven's Gate, which may be a better subject for a movie.