What Is This Thing Called Love?

PORTER, Cole, 1891-1964; LEE, Linda

The article profiles the life and music of composer Cole Porter, and the cinematic rendering of his life in the new movie "De-Lovely." A young Cole Porter, on holiday break from Harvard law school, gazes across the room at Linda Lee, the cousin's roommate who has come to celebrate Christmas on the Porter family farm. Far from being the demure debutante who roomed with Porter's cousin, Linda Lee, was a wealthy divorcée. And while it was true that Linda and Cole would marry, theirs was an unconventional relationship. What Porter saw in Linda was sophistication, security and someone to help him satisfy his voracious social appetite. She saw him as a ticket to a world equally remote to her. In December 1935, Cole and Linda ventured to Hollywood, where he wrote the music for such films as Anything Goes (1936) with Bing Crosby and Ethel Merman and Born to Dance with Eleanor Powell and James Stewart. There, Porter became more indiscreet about his affairs. In 1937, having failed to convince Cole to leave Hollywood, Linda fled to their Paris house and, for the first time, contemplated divorce. Cole pursued her, but friends characterized their reunion as icy. Visiting a friend's farm on Long Island after his return, his horse fell and rolled over him, crushing both of his legs. Linda arranged passage to the States and rushed to his side. She also gave up remonstrating with Porter about his affairs, perhaps out of sympathy for his physical affliction. For more than 30 years, Linda and Cole Porter had been each other's companion, inspiration, comfort, protector and guiding light. While Porter may be best known for witty lyrics as frothy as champagne, in his most thoughtful songs he seems to stand in awe, both confounded and captivated by love.