Guys and Dolls

Samuel Goldywn/MGM, 1955
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Starring Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra, and Vivian Blaine.

The Story: Nathan Detroit (Sinatra) runs an illegal crap game on Time Square in New York. He needs money to find a place to hold the game for major player Big Jule (BS Pully) from Chicago. Sky Masterson (Brando) is the biggest gambler on Broadway. He'll make a bet on anything...including whether he can take pretty young missionary Sarah Brown (Simmons) on a date to Havana. Meanwhile, Nathan has his own doll problems. Miss Adelaide (Blaine), his fiancee of 14 years, is telling him between psychosomatic sniffles that she wants to finally tie the knot and for him to give up gambling.

Sky and Sarah do make it to Havana, and after an incident at a nightclub, they do fall for each other...until they catch Nathan and the guys using the mission for their crap game. Adelaide's even angrier that Nathan's still playing, too. Sky's willing to risk it all to prove to his mission doll that he's willing to change...and that if she can go to Havana, maybe he and Nathan can give being "respectable" a try.

The Cast: Ironically, it's the non-singers who give the best performances. Brando's only so-so as a crooner, but his Sky Masterson is both intense and likable. Simmons is even better as Sarah, the uptight religious woman who learns to let loose and maybe even love a criminal. Blaine played Adelaide on Broadway, and she's not bad, especially in her "Adelaide's Lament" on her chronic cold. Sinatra wanted to play Sky Masterson badly...and as good as Brando was, maybe he had a point. He was obviously stiff and uncomfortable as perpetual loser Detroit. Stubby Kaye and the other gangsters are much better, especially Pully as tough-guy Big Jule.

Favorite Number: Simmons has a sweet singing voice that did well by "If I Were a Bell" and "I'll Know." She and Brando didn't sound too bad on "A Woman In Love," either. Brando's "Luck Be a Lady" is a high point, beautifully capturing Sky's feelings on his need to win this bet. There's some great choreography in the crap game dance routine right before "Luck Be a Lady" and in the famous "Runyonland" opening number. Stubby Kaye has a blast with the gospel spoof "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat."

What I Don't Like: Sinatra's bitterness over losing the role of Masterson carries over to his performance. "Sue Me" and "Adelaide" are stiff when they should be warm and funny. He sounds better in chorus numbers like the title song. I wish they'd kept some more of the songs from the stage version. I would have especially liked to have heard Brando's take on "My Time of Day."

The Big Finale: Required viewing if you're a fan of Brando and Simmons or the musicals of the 1950's.

Home Media: DVD
Blu Ray