Guys and Dolls (200th post)

Happy 200th Post
*My 100th post was a musical, so in keeping with that tradition... I chose another musical

"All right. We'll lay it on the line. From now on we'll deal the hand open."
"Could you say that in English?"

All the high stakes gamblers are in town to play in the legendary floating craps game run by Nathan Detroit (Sinatra). However, Lt. Brannigan (Keith), is making it extremely difficult to find a location for the game. The only plausible location, a garage, requires $1,000 deposit, which Nathan and his cohorts: Nicely Nicely (Kaye) and Benny (Silver), don't have money. In an act of desperation, Nathan makes a bet with his high stakes friend Sky Masterson (Brando). The bet: Sky has to take Sarah Brown (Simmons), the leader of the local "Save a Soul" mission, to Havana. Nathan sees a bet he can't lose, and Sky sees a challenge that he won't lose... Sarah's mission is not doing well, and is in danger being closed down. He offers a room full of sinners in return for a date.

Meanwhile, Nathan's fiance Adelaide (Blaine) has developed a case of psychology (i.e. a cold) because she has been engaged for the last 14 years without anything happening. She believes he has given up his life of gambling for her, even as he sets up the next game. Who will win the bet, and what will happen the "dolls"?


I fell in love with "Guys and Dolls" when I saw it at a local theatre...I bought this film without seeing it because 1) I love the show and 2) it has Frank Sinatra so it has to be good, right? Nope! I'm not impressed. Not only did they cut the adorable "Bushel and Peck" and replace it with the dumb/annoying "Pet Me Poppa," but they cast 2 big stars with no singing experience (prior to the film) in place of stars who actually sing and dance for a living. Sigh.

With that in mind, some scenes and songs work ("Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat" is always a show stopper), while other sequences (like the Havana dance number) drag on. Some of the original Broadway cast reprise their roles and shine in their numbers: Stubby Kaye as Nicely Nicely and Vivian Blaine as Adelaide. Sinatra also delivers, giving Nathan a believable depth. Brando and Simmons bring an incredible performance, but their musical numbers aren't quite on par. I prefer to see this show on stage...and perhaps the problem is that it was adapted to film.

I love listening to the orignal Broadway cast (featuring Stubby Kaye and Vivian Blaine), and I own the 1992 Broadway revival recording (Nathan Lane as Nathan) and wanted to see the 2009 revival but apparently it is no longer on Broadway (boo).

Guys and Dolls (1955) minutes
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Starring: Marlon Brando as Sky Masterson
Jean Simmons as Sergeant Sarah Brown
Frank Sinatra as Nathan Detroit
Vivian Blaine as Miss Adelaide
Robert Keith as Lt. Brannigan
Stubby Kaye as Nicely-Nicely Johnson
B.S. Pully as Big Jule
Johnny Silver as Benny Southstreet