Summary
Gambler Nathan Detroit has few options for the location of his big craps game. Needing $1,000 to pay a garage owner to host the game, Nathan bets Sky Masterson that Sky cannot get virtuous Sarah Brown out on a date. Despite some resistance, Sky negotiates a date with her in exchange for bringing people into her mission. Meanwhile, Nathan's longtime fiancée, Adelaide, wants him to go legit and marry her.
Cast
Marlon Brando
Sky Masterson
Jean Simmons
Sarah Brown
Frank Sinatra
Nathan Detroit
Vivian Blaine
Miss Adelaide
Robert Keith
Lt. Brannigan
Stubby Kaye
Nicely-Nicely Johnson
B.S. Pully
Big Jule
Johnny Silver
Benny Southstreet
Sheldon Leonard
Harry the Horse
Danny Dayton
Rusty Charlie
George E. Stone
Society Max
Regis Toomey
Arvide Abernathy
Kathryn Givney
General Cartwright
Veda Ann Borg
Laverne
Mary Alan Hokanson
Agatha
Joe McTurk
Angie the Ox
Kay E. Kuter
Calvin
Stapleton Kent
Mission Member
Renee Renor
Cuban Singer
Virginia Aldridge
Dancer (uncredited)
Lynette Bernay
Dancer (uncredited)
George Boyce
Barber (uncredited)
Barbara Brent
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Jimmy Brooks
Dancer (uncredited)
Steve Carruthers
Waiter (uncredited)
Beth Carter
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Gordon Carveth
Pedestrian (uncredited)
Jack Chefe
Waiter at Mindy's (uncredited)
Noble 'Kid' Chissell
Gangster (uncredited)
Fred Curt
Dancer (uncredited)
Russell Custer
Police Officer (uncredited)
Jann Darlyn
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Madelyn Darrow
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing
Tough (uncredited)
Larry Duran
Dancer (uncredited)
Billy Engle
Vendor (uncredited)
Joe Evans
Barber (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum
Spectator at Hot Box Club (uncredited)
Adolph Faylauer
Tourist with Camera (uncredited)
Bess Flowers
Spectator at Hot Box Club (uncredited)
Charles Fogel
Spectator at Hot Box Club (uncredited)
Rubén de Fuentes
Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Tony Galento
Spectator at Hot Box Club (uncredited)
Rudy Germane
Police Officer (uncredited)
Ricky Gonzales
Dancer (uncredited)
Joe Gray
Spectator at Hot Box Club (uncredited)
Robert Haines
Waiter (uncredited)
Stuart Hall
Customer at Mindy's (uncredited)
Betty Jean Hansen
Dancer (uncredited)
Sam Harris
Spectator at Hot Box Club (uncredited)
Earle Hodgins
Pitchman (uncredited)
John Indrisano
Liverlips Louie (uncredited)
Donald Kerr
Barber (uncredited)
Carey Leverette
Dancer (uncredited)
Maurice Marks
Tall Gambler (uncredited)
Thomas Martin
Waiter (uncredited)
Matt Mattox
Dancer (uncredited)
Bert May
Dancer (uncredited)
Harold Miller
Customer at Mindy's (uncredited)
Charles Morton
Bartender (uncredited)
Matt Murphy
The Champ (uncredited)
Jerry Orbach
Barbershop Patron (uncredited)
Troy Patterson
Man (uncredited)
Jack Perry
Gambler (uncredited)
Foster H. Phinney
Card Player at Barbershop (uncredited)
Joe Ploski
Barber (uncredited)
Frank Radcliffe
Card Player at Barbershop (uncredited)
Paul Rees
Dancer (uncredited)
Frank Richards
Man with Packages (uncredited)
Julian Rivero
Cuban Waiter (uncredited)
Edwin Rochelle
Gangster at Mission (uncredited)
Tony Rosa
Man With a Poodle (uncredited)
John Roy
Police Officer (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre
Diner at Mindy's (uncredited)
Bernard Sell
Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Pat Sheehan
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Leslie Sketchley
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Buddy Spencer
Dancer (uncredited)
Norman Stevans
Customer at Mindy's (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan
Truck Driver on Street (uncredited)
Larri Thomas
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Al Thompson
Drunk (uncredited)
Harry Tyler
Max (Waiter at Mindy's) (uncredited)
Sandra Warner
Twin Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Sonia Warner
Twin Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Harry Wilson
Barbershop Patron (uncredited)
Crew
Director, Screenplay
Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Lyricist
Frank Loesser
Story
Damon Runyon
Theatre Play
Jo Swerling
Theatre Play
Abe Burrows
Reviews
John Chard
March 28, 2020
7
I've always been a bad guy, and a bad gambler. From now on, I would like to be a good guy, and a good gambler. I thank you.
Guys and Dolls is directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and collectively adapted to screen from the play by Mankiewicz, Jo Swerling, Abe Burrows and Damon Runyon. It stars Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra, Vivian Blaine, Robert Keith, Stubby Kaye, Sheldon Leonard, B.S. Pully and Johnny Silver. Music is by Frank Loesser and cinematography by Harry Stradling Sr.
Gambler Nathan Detroit (Sinatra) has few options for the location of his big craps game. Needing $1,000 to pay a garage owner to host the game, Nathan bets Sky Masterson (Brando) that Sky cannot get virtuous Sarah Brown (Simmons) out on a date. Despite some resistance, Sky negotiates a date with her in exchange for bringing people into her mission. Meanwhile, Nathan's longtime fiancée, Adelaide (Blaine), wants him to go legit and marry her.
Having never seen the play I have no frame of reference about the transfer to the big screen. Whilst concurring with the strongly held belief that both Brando and Sinatra are indeed miscast, the former a great actor who can barely sing, the latter a great singer given the wrong character role to play, the pic still comes out in credit for joyful entertainment.
Samuel Goldwyn forked out big money to put the source to the silver screen, and it shows as no expense is spared across the production (though Goldwyn was hugely disappointed with the box office returns). The songs are simple but all hit the foot tapping mark, the dancing choreography superb, while the booming colour photography gladdens the eyes. All told, Mankiewicz, directing his first ever musical, does a fine job.
One has to wonder how much better the pic could have been if MGM had of released Gene Kelly to play Sky Masterson, while in truth the pic is 30 minutes too long. Yet with Simmons and Blaine beguiling, and Stubby Kaye superb, it's easy to forgive the flaws and just sit back and enjoy the colourful ride. 7/10
Media
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$5,500,000.00
Revenue:
$6,874,673.00
Keywords
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How to Marry a Millionaire
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True Grit
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