I love being in an audience in Indiana when Indiana gets mentioned. In De-Lovely this line provoked a delighted, gentle titter and a sigh of relief. We’re not a very big state, and we don’t have much to brag about that the rest of the world takes much interest in. But Cole Porter is a Hoosier who does the state proud. Everyone in the theater seemed to breathe easy that our state’s claim to Porter’s youth was mentioned and with a dose of warmth and humor.

(Just a quick note. My favorite Indiana moment in a theater was during “The Royal Tennenbaums.” Indiana gets much less favorable mention, but the Beavis and Butthead-sounding, grudging but appreciative laughter it provoked lives in my head and still makes me laugh.)

Night and Day was a film full of falsehoods, many of them put forth by Porter himself. But Night and Day did star Cary Grant. Who wouldn’t be delighted to see himself represented on screen by Cary Grant? But especially Cole Porter, who in the new film De-Lovely gets a much more honest representation.

De-Lovely begins in Paris in about 1918, just as Cole meets his future wife Linda. In De-Lovely this meeting is staged at a party. The party seems a bit dull, and Cole wants attention, especially from Linda. So he breaks into song, a rousing rendition of “Did You Evah?” Everyone eventually joins in, including Linda, who is quite familiar with the memorable lyrics. By the end of the number, what a swell party it is. And we have been treated to the humor, wit and charm that characterize Cole Porter’s genius.

Kline is wonderful in this film. He tones down his own wonderful singing voice because Porter, though a great songwriter and frequent performer, did not have a very good or strong voice. An annoying shortcoming of De-Lovely is that Kline is allowed so few production numbers. “Did You Evah” and “Be A Clown” are two high points in the movie. Filmed in old-fashioned movie musical style, they are both knockouts and outshine the songs shot more simply as performances.

A few more quick biographical notes that don’t make it into the film. Porter was born in Peru, Indiana in 1891. He was the son of Sam Porter, a pharmacist, and Kate Cole. His grandfather J.O. Cole is often referred to as “the richest man in Indiana.” Cole Porter benefited from his family’s tremendous wealth his whole life. He wrote over 1,000 songs, some of the most famous American songs ever written. His music is included in over 100 films, some that he wrote for the screen, but many filmmakers include Cole Porter songs in their movies, especially romances.

Cole and Linda fall in love almost immediately in De-Lovely, as they did in life, but De-Lovely acknowledges a large truth of Cole’s life and their life together that is well known but was not a part of Night and Day. Their marriage, though based on love, was also a very practical arrangement, because Cole Porter was gay. Linda was a devoted champion of his work and reputation, and gay men could not be open about their sexuality and enjoy the life Cole enjoyed.

De-Lovely makes a connection between Cole’s homosexuality and his lyrics. His songs take on slightly different shadings in the context of his personal life. And the songs are the true star of De-Lovely as they should be.

While the honesty of De-Lovely is welcome, the issue of sexuality is extremely complicated and can’t be adequately addressed in the running time of a movie. What can we really learn about any marriage in an entertainment like a movie? Ashley Judd does her best portraying Linda as someone who truly loves her husband, enters into her marriage knowing of his affairs with men and aggressively protects his talent and reputation. But she is still hurt by his behavior and often has the unhappy task of simply suffering. Her sexuality and history are not very satisfyingly addressed, further weakening her character.

De-Lovely captures the elaborate life they lived together, a very lavish, especially well-dressed life. The clothes, especially, are magnificent, designed for both Cole and Linda by Giorgio Armani.

De-Lovely is told mostly in flashback. Towards the end of his life, Cole Porter accompanied by his frequent stage director/collaborator Gabe (Jonathan Pryce), sees his life on stage before him. Bits of life and musical numbers pass by, and then Cole and Gabe comment on their staging and significance.

This device works well, but Porter did suffer difficulties, especially later in life and that makes the arc of the story a bit sad. Porter was involved in a horse riding accident which required endless surgeries to allow him to keep his legs. Eventually, one had to be amputated Linda endured a long battle with emphysema which eventually caused her death. These events happened over long stretches of time, but they dominate the end of the movie.

But even these difficulties cannot dim the splendor of the music. Songs are not presented chronologically, but director Irwin Winkler is quite obviously devoted to Porter’s music and uses them to punctuate the emotional life of the story.

The songs are sublime. In De-Lovely they are interpreted by a variety of artists including Robbie Williams (“De-Lovely”), Elvis Costello (“Let’s Misbehave”), Alanis Morissette (“Let’s Do It, Let’s Fall In Love”), Sheryl Crow (“Begin the Beguine”), Mick Hucknall (“I Love You”), Natalie Cole (“Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye”) and many more. Nearly 30 songs are included, some for just a line or two, and it would be easy to write paragraphs about what is missed and complete additional films using other Porter favorites. The artists’ interpretations of these songs are very different, but all communicate their profound respect for Cole Porter. I loved the diversity of styles. The artists make it clear that Cole Porter’s music is timeless.

How wonderful is the music? The movie ends, but as the credits roll people just stay in their seats. The credits are just white letters scrolling on a black background, and who really needs to know who the key grip was? Of course, people are waiting for the music credits, and Cole Porter songs are playing.