Guys and Dolls (1955/I)

Director:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writers:

Jo Swerling (book) and
Abe Burrows (book) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 January 1956 (Brazil)

Genre:

Musical | Comedy | Romance | Crime

Plot:

In New York, a gambler is challenged to take a cold female missionary to Havana, but they fall for each other, and the bet has a hidden motive to finance a crap game.

Plot Keywords:

Craps | Gambler | Bet | Missionary | Mission

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Marlon Brando	...	Sky Masterson
Jean Simmons	...	Sergeant 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 (as Dan Dayton)
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 (as Kay Kuter)
Stapleton Kent	...	Mission Member
Renee Renor	...	Cuban Singer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Barbara Brent	...	Goldwyn Girl (as The Goldwyn Girls)
Jann Darlyn	...	Goldwyn Girl (as The Goldwyn Girls)
Madelyn Darrow	...	Goldwyn Girl (as The Goldwyn Girls)
Pat Sheehan	...	Goldwyn Girl (as The Goldwyn Girls)
Larri Thomas	...	Goldwyn Girl (as The Goldwyn Girls)
Sandra Warner	...	Twin Goldwyn Girl (as The Goldwyn Girls)
Sonia Warner	...	Twin Goldwyn Girl (as The Goldwyn Girls)
Jack Chefe	...	Waiter at Mindy's (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing	...	Tough (uncredited)
Larry Duran	...	(uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Spectator at 'Pet Me Poppa' Number (uncredited)
Adolph Faylauer	...	Tourist with Camera (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Street Extra (uncredited)
Rubén de Fuentes	...	Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Tony Galento	...	(uncredited)
Joe Gray	...	(uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Spectator at 'Pet Me Poppa' Number (uncredited)
Earle Hodgins	...	Pitchman (uncredited)
John Indrisano	...	Liverlips Louie (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Barber (uncredited)
June Kirby	...	Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Extra at Mindy's (uncredited)
Matt Murphy	...	The Champ (uncredited)
Jerry Orbach	...	Barbershop customer (uncredited)
Jack Perry	...	Gambler (uncredited)
Joe Ploski	...	Barber (uncredited)
Frank Richards	...	Man with Packages (uncredited)
Julian Rivero	...	Cuban Waiter (uncredited)
Tony Rosa	...	Man walking poodle (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Diner at Mindy's (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Truck Driver on Street (uncredited)
Harry Tyler	...	Max, waiter at Mindy's (uncredited)
Harry Wilson	...	Singing Man in Barber Shop (uncredited)

Directed by
Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writing credits
Jo Swerling		(book for musical play "Guys and Dolls") and
Abe Burrows		(book for musical play "Guys and Dolls")
Damon Runyon		(story "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown")
Joseph L. Mankiewicz		(written by)
Ben Hecht		uncredited

Produced by
Samuel Goldwyn	....	producer

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Sr.		(as Harry Stradling)

Film Editing by
Daniel Mandell

Production Design by
Oliver Smith

Art Direction by
Joseph C. Wright		(as Joseph Wright)

Set Decoration by
Howard Bristol

Costume Design by
Irene Sharaff

Makeup Department
Annabell	....	hair stylist
Ben Lane	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arthur S. Black Jr.	....	assistant director
Gary Nelson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
Fred Lau	....	sound
Vinton Vernon	....	sound
Larry Gannon	....	sound (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Warren Newcombe	....	special photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Gjon Mili	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Alvord Eiseman	....	color consultant (as Alvord L. Eiseman)

Music Department
Jay Blackton	....	conductor
Jay Blackton	....	music supervisor
Alexander Courage	....	orchestrator
Michael Kidd	....	dances and musical numbers staged by
Skip Martin	....	orchestrator
Cyril J. Mockridge	....	music adaptor: background music
Nelson Riddle	....	orchestrator
Albert Sendrey	....	orchestrator (as Al Sendrey)

Other crew
Cy Feuer	....	producer: stage play
Samuel Goldwyn	....	presenter
Ernest H. Martin	....	producer: stage play

Production Companies

• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Hallmark Video (video)
• Image Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

150 min | 152 min (with overture and exit music)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Western Electric Sound System) (magnetic prints) | Mono (optical prints)

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | West Germany:12 | Australia:G | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #17617) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Australia:PG (cable rating)

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn/Warner Hollywood Studios - 1041 N. Formosa Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

One of the songs not featured in the movie is Adelaide's and Sarah's duet "Marry the Man Today," which may have been considered to be too derogatory.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Adelaide is singing "Adelaide's Lament", she goes to the medicine cabinet and opens the doors. To her left is a gray dress hanging on a hanger. The camera view then shifts to her face as seen through the medicine cabinet, while she sings, and the gray dress is visible behind her. From that perspective, the gray dress should be to her left (camera right), and NOT visible when looking into the room through the back of the medicine cabinet.

Quotes:

Big Jule: Tell me, how long have you known the doll?
Nathan Detroit: 14 years.
Big Jule: Let's shoot crap!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Broadway: The American Musical: Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin': 1943-1960 (#1.4)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Fugue for Tinhorns

Times Square according to Damon Runyon

Damon Runyon's world of Times Square, in New York, prior to its Disneyfication, is the basis for this musical. Joseph L. Mankiewicz, a man who knew about movies, directed this nostalgic tribute to the "crossroads of the world" that show us that underside of New York of the past. Frank Loesser's music sounds great. We watch a magnificent cast of characters that were typical of the area. People at the edges of society tended to gravitate toward that area because of the lights, the action, the possibilities in that part of town. This underbelly of the city made a living out of the street life that was so intense.

Some of the songs from the original production were not included in the film. We don't know whether this makes sense, but this is not unusual for a Hollywood musical to change and alter what worked on the stage. That original cast included the wonderful Vivian Blaine and Stubby Kaye, and we wonder about the decision of not letting Robert Alda, Sam Levene, Isabel Bigley repeat their original roles. These were distinguished actors that could have made an amazing contribution.

The film, visually, is amazing. The look follows closely the fashions of the times. As far as the casting of Marlon Brando, otherwise not known for his singing abilities, Frank Sinatra and Jean Simmons, seem to work in the film. Sky Masterson is, after all, a man's man, who would look otherwise sissy if he presented a different 'look'. Frank Sinatra is good as Nathan Detroit. Jean Simmons, as Sarah Brown, does a nice job portraying the woman from the Salvation Army who suddenly finds fulfillment with the same kind of man she is trying to save.

Vivian Blaine is a delight. She never ceases to amaze as Miss Adelaide, a woman with a heart of gold who's Nathan Detroit's love interest. Ms. Blaine makes a fantastic impression as the show girl who is wiser than she lets out to be. Stubby Kaye makes a wonderful job out of reprising his Nicely Nicely Johnson.

The wonderful production owes a lot to the talented Abe Burrows, who made the adaptation to the screen. The costumes by Irene Sharaff set the right tone.