Murphy Sandra Nelson as Sara Murphy Allan Corduner as Monty Woolley Peter Polycarpou as Louis B. Mayer Keith Allen as Irving Berlin James Wilby as Edward Thomas Kevin McKidd as Bobby Reed Richard Dillane as Bill Wrather John Barrowman as Jack Peter Jessop as Diaghilev Edward Baker-Duly as Boris Kochno Jeff Harding as Cody Caroline O'Connor as Ethel Merman Lara Fabian as Patricia Morison See "Soundtrack" section for the numerous pop and rock musicians who appeared as on-screen "musical performers". Production Although Porter was a passable singer at best, director Irwin Winkler cast Kevin Kline, winner of two Tony Awards and two Drama Desk Awards for his musical performances on Broadway, as the composer. He stayed in character by limiting his vocal range. Most of his singing was recorded live on the set, and the actor played the piano himself in the scenes where Porter plays. According to Winkler's commentary on the DVD release of the film, he had considered numerous actresses for the role of Linda when Ashley Judd's agent advised him she was interested in the part. Winkler was certain her salary demand would exceed that allowed by the budget, but the actress was so anxious to portray Linda she was willing to lower her usual asking price. Judd is twenty years younger than Kline, although the composer's wife was eight years older than he. Filming locations included Chiswick House and Luton Hoo. The film premiered at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. It was shown at the CineVegas International Film Festival, the Sydney Film Festival, and the San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival before going into limited release in the US. Reception The film grossed $13,337,299 in the US and $5,059,083 in other markets for a total worldwide box office of $18,396,382. Critically, the film had a mixed reception. It garnered a score of 53 from Metacritic and a 48% rating from review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Roger Ebert gave the film 3.5 out of a possible four stars. He wrote, for his review in the Chicago Sun-Times, that De-Lovely "...brings [...] a worldly sophistication that is rare in the movies". Larry King said: "Far and away the best musical biography ever made." In his review in The New York Times, Stephen Holden called the film "lethally inert" and "lifeless and drained of genuine joie de vivre" and added, "It didn't have to be like this. In