Pal Joey

Columbia, 1957
Starring Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak, Rita Hayworth, and Barbara Nichols
Directed by George Sidney
Music by Richard Rodgers; Lyrics by Lorenz Hart

This was originally a minor hit on Broadway in 1940, but a revival in 1952 was such a smash, Columbia Studio head Harry Cohn bought it for his most popular actress, Rita Hayworth. By the time they got to filming it, Hayworth had switched to the older woman role, and the ingenue role went to Cohn's newest discovery Kim Novak. Columbia also couldn't get original 1940 star Gene Kelly and ended up reworking the title role into a singer for Frank Sinatra. How does the story of a heel who uses women and people to get his own nightclub look nowadays? Let's join Joey (Sinatra) on the train to San Francisco and find out...

The Story: Joey Evans (Sinatra) is literally tossed on the train after getting into girl trouble in his previous job. He manages to talk his way into a gig at a second-rate club, mainly because he's interested in one of the chorus girls, Linda English (Novak). However, as much as he likes her, he has loftier ambitions. He pursues a previous girlfriend and stripper-turned-rich widow Vera Simpson (Hayworth), even living with her on her yacht in order to get her to fund his new club Chez Joey. Even with his relationship with Vera growing, Joey still has eyes for Linda and gets a job for her at the club. Vera, however, doesn't appreciate that one bit...and her growing jealousy ends with Joey having to decide once and for all which woman really owns his heart.

The Song and Dance: If you love musicals that veer toward the dark-ish, you'll probably enjoy this. Even with the story toned down, this is still pretty cynical for a musical. Sinatra is perfect as the man who uses and abuses women, only to be floored when he actually falls for one. Novak and especially Hayworth are also quite good as the women in his life. They're surrounded by a gorgeous Technicolor production, with the ladies dressed in tight-fitting, jewel-toned 50's gowns and San Francisco recreated in all it's gritty and glamorous Golden Gate glory.

Some people may be bothered by the changed ending, but I actually kind of like it. It remains ambiguous and somewhat downbeat for a musical from this era, even as Joey does get himself a girl (and a dog).

Favorite Number: Sinatra scores with two of his best recordings, a relaxed "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" when he talks his way into the first club job, and one of my favorite-ever versions of the standard "The Lady Is a Tramp" later at Chez Joey. Novak gets in on the intentionally cheesy chorus girl routine "That Terrific Rainbow" and sits in an old-fashioned valentine to croon one of my favorite Rodgers and Hart ballads, "My Funny Valentine." Hayworth has two terrific solos, the stripper spoof "Zip" where she poses as a striptease artist who knows about a lot more than taking her clothes off, and another standard Rodgers and Hart ballad, "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" as she showers and dresses after Joey agrees to live with her.

Trivia: Gene Kelly and 20's operetta favorite Vivianne Segal were Joey and Vera in the original 1940 Broadway cast. Segal was retained for the popular 1952 revival, joined by dancer Harold Lang. Lang and Carol Bruce appeared in the first London showing in 1954. It's been revived three times, in 1963, 1976, and 2008; none ran longer than three months. The story was substantially re-written in the 2008 version.

What I Don't Like: The ending isn't the only thing that was changed from the original show. A whole subplot about gangsters blackmailing Joey and Vera was dropped, and several characters were combined or eliminated. Vera's husband was still alive, and her affair with Joey was "on the side." There were a few songs that were performed outside of the nightclub; here, all of the numbers but "Bewitched" and the big finale "What Do I Care for a Dame?" are sung as club numbers. Many songs were dropped as well, including Vera and Linda telling each other to "Take Him" and Joey insisting "You Mustn't Kick It Around."

And even with the darker edges sanded off, this still isn't the musical for you if you're looking for something lighter and fluffier or more overtly romantic, or with a stronger story.

The Big Finale: Not my favorite Sinatra movie, but it's worth a look if you're a major fan of his or Hayworth's or love Rodgers and Hart.

Home Media: Currently available via the made-to-order Sony Choice Collection. That and streaming are your best bet - the limited-edition Blu-Ray from Twilight Time is expensive. (I watched it for free on the streaming service Crackle, which was previously owned by Sony/Columbia.)

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