Pal Joey (1957)

Director:

George Sidney

Writers:

Dorothy Kingsley (screenplay) and
John O'Hara (book)

Release Date:

25 October 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

From Your Pal, Columbia!

Plot:

Joey Evans is charming, handsome, funny, talented, and a first class, A-number-one heel. When Joey meets...

Plot Keywords:

Chorus Girl | Womanizer | Charity Auction | Jealousy | Striptease

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Rita Hayworth	...	Vera Simpson
Frank Sinatra	...	Joey Evans
Kim Novak	...	Linda English
Barbara Nichols	...	Gladys
Bobby Sherwood	...	Ned Galvin
Hank Henry	...	Mike Miggins
Elizabeth Patterson	...	Mrs. Casey

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Finland:S | UK:PG | USA:Approved | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Berkeley Train Station - 4th Street and University Avenue, Berkeley, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Billy Wilder was the original choice to direct. He discussed it with Columbia studio head Harry Cohn over lunch one day. Not only did Cohn turn down him as director, but he later sent Wilder a bill for their lunch.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the microphone, when Joey informs the employees that Chez Joey will not open any more, his arms are in front of him/behind him from one shot to another.

Quotes:

Joey Evans: The only thing I'm superstitious about is 13 in a bed.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Munsters: Dance with Me, Herman (#1.22)" (1965)

Soundtrack:

What Do I Care For a Dame

Pretty Good Frank, Very Bad Theatre History

I like Sinatra as much as the next girl and then some. Probably the best thing about this film is the numbers The Chairman does alone onstage. However, I'm also well acquainted with PAL JOEY in its stage form, and this watered down film doesn't serve it well. As is so often the case with film musicals, it bears very little resemblance to the show it purports to represent.

First of all, like many other movie musicals this one is rife with interpolations. Viewers should realize that both "My Funny Valentine" and "The Lady is a Tramp" come from Rodgers and Hart's BABES IN ARMS (though, ironically, both were cut from the film version of that musical). "There's a Small Hotel" is from ON YOUR TOES and TOO MANY GIRLS gave us the haunting "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" (probably the interpolation that works best). Secondly, most of the songs they did keep don't remain intact. For instance, when they moved the setting from Chicago to San Francisco the song the club girls sing went to pot. Also, the lyrics to "Bewitched" had to be sanitized for popular consumption, which is a pity because they're some of Larry Hart's best. "Zip" was also revised and given to Vera. The witty "Take Him" was cut, which is a real pity, and several other numbers are gone entirely or reduced to underscoring.

PAL JOEY was one of the first shows to bring cynicism to the musical stage. The second you inject romance into it, you've killed what it's about. If I was just looking for a lightweight love story, I might enjoy this film. Knowing what I know now, I find it a bit tough to take.