Bells Are Ringing (1960)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Vincente Minnelli

Writers:

Betty Comden (play)
Betty Comden (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

23 June 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Plot:

Ella Peterson is a Brooklyn telephone answering service operator who tries to improve the lives of her...

Plot Keywords:

Playwright | Coffeehouse | Restaurant | House Breaking | Secret

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Judy Holliday	...	Ella Peterson
Dean Martin	...	Jeffrey Moss
Fred Clark	...	Larry Hastings
Eddie Foy Jr.	...	J. Otto Prantz
Jean Stapleton	...	Sue
Ruth Storey	...	Gwynne
Dort Clark	...	Inspector Barnes
Frank Gorshin	...	Blake Barton
Ralph Roberts	...	Francis
Valerie Allen	...	Olga
Bernard West	...	Dr. Joe Kitchell, DDS (as Bernie West)
Steve Peck	...	Gangster (as Steven Peck)
Gerry Mulligan	...	Ella's blind date
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jimmy Ames	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Suzanne Ames	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Nancy Anderson	...	Actress (uncredited)
Phil Arnold	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Jan Arvan	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Rayford Barnes	...	Mug (uncredited)
Irene Barton	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Virginia Bates	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Rodney Bell	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Nicky Blair	...	Mug (uncredited)
Madge Blake	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Oliver Blake	...	Ludwig Smiley (uncredited)
Lela Bliss	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Gail Bonney	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Nesdon Booth	...	Mike (uncredited)
Leonard Bremen	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
John Bryant	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Aileen Carlyle	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Sue Casey	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Helen Chapman	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Marian Collier	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Richard Collier	...	Peanut Eater (uncredited)
Jimmy Cross	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Lucille Curtis	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Donna Douglas	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Michael Dugan	...	Cop (uncredited)
Joan Dupuis	...	Actress (uncredited)
Tommy Farrell	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Leona Gage	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Jeanne Gerson	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Bill Giorgio	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Joe Gray	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Christian Haren	...	Actor (uncredited)
John Hart	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Barbara Hines	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
John Holland	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Man in park (uncredited)
Bob Hopkins	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
William Hudson	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
John Indrisano	...	Mug (uncredited)
Roy Jenson	...	Cop (uncredited)
Michael Johnson	...	Actor (uncredited)
Morgan Jones	...	Telephone Man (uncredited)
Sally Ann Jones	...	Actress (uncredited)
June Kirby	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
William Kirschner	...	Man with Kitchell (uncredited)
Marina Koshetz	...	Mme. Grimaldi (uncredited)
Frank Kreig	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Gil Lamb	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Len Lesser	...	Charlie Bessemer (uncredited)
Buddy Lewis	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Hal Linden	...	Singer of 'The Midas Touch' (uncredited)
Margie Liszt	...	Mrs. Mollett (uncredited)
Evan MacNeil	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Gregg Martell	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Paul Maxwell	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Eugene McCarthy	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Owen McGiveney	...	Janitor (uncredited)
Joe McTurk	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
John Melfi	...	Actor (uncredited)
Shepard Menken	...	Narrator of Susanswerphone Ad (voice) (uncredited)
Frank Mitchell	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Titus Moede	...	Beatnik Actor (uncredited)
Jean Moorhead	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Milton Parsons	...	Pedestrian next to Barney Lampwick (uncredited)
Robert Patten	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Ruth Perrott	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Frank Richards	...	Barney Lampweck, Pedestrian greeting Barney (uncredited)
Nina Roman	...	Actress (uncredited)
Virginia Rose	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Don Ross	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Frank J. Scannell	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Pamela Searle	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Maida Severn	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Della Sharman	...	Actress (uncredited)
Olan Soule	...	Nervous Man (uncredited)
Helen Spring	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Joan Staley	...	Girl in Shower (uncredited)
Steve Stevens	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
George E. Stone	...	Bookie (uncredited)
Herb Vigran	...	Charles Bessemer (uncredited)
Joseph Vitale	...	Mug (uncredited)
Nancy Walters	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Chris Warfield	...	Young Man on Street (uncredited)
Sandy Warner	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Sammy White	...	Vendor (uncredited)
Wendy Wilde	...	Actress (uncredited)
Doris Wiss	...	Actress (uncredited)
Wilson Wood	...	Party Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Vincente Minnelli

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Betty Comden		play "Bells Are Ringing"
Betty Comden		screenplay
Adolph Green		play "Bells Are Ringing"
Adolph Green		screenplay

Produced by
Arthur Freed	....	producer

Original Music by
Jule Styne

Cinematography by
Milton R. Krasner		(director of photography) (as Milton Krasner)

Film Editing by
Adrienne Fazan

Art Direction by
E. Preston Ames		(as Preston Ames)
George W. Davis

Set Decoration by
F. Keogh Gleason		(as Keogh Gleason)
Henry Grace

Costume Design by
Walter Plunkett

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup designer

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William McGarry	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Franklin Milton	....	recording supervisor
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
A. Arnold Gillespie	....	special effects
Lee LeBlanc	....	special effects

Editorial Department
Charles K. Hagedon	....	color consultant

Music Department
Alexander Courage	....	orchestrator
Pete King	....	orchestrator
André Previn	....	conductor
André Previn	....	music adaptor

Other crew
Charles O'Curran	....	choreographer

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1965) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)

Other Companies

• Theatre Guild  original stage production

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U

Filming Locations:

East Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

This was Arthur Freed and Vincente Minnelli's last musical for MGM.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: While Jeff is singing "I Met a Girl," various people in the background can be see mouthing the words along with him.

Quotes:

Ella: I'm going back where I can be me, at the Bonjour Tristese Brassiere Company!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip: The Long Lead Story (#1.5)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

The Midas Touch

Plaza 0-4433

Judy Holliday originated the role of Ella Petersen, the Susanwersphone switchboard operator, in Vincente Minnelli's adaptation of the Broadway musical, with music by Jules Styne and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Although filmed in 1960, this musical belongs to the conventions of the 1950's with a brassy orchestration, superfluous supporting cast for comic relief, and a Brando impersonator. That Holliday remains as the best thing about it, in spite of Minnelli's less flattering treatment of her than George Cukor, is a tribute to her gifts as an actress, in particular a Broadway performer with the subtlety to adapt for film acting.

Holliday's two solo numbers - It's a Perfect Relationship and I'm Going Back - are triumphs of personal charm, in spite of the director. Minnelli has trouble de-staging the switchboard environment and the film only comes to life after Holliday leaves it to meet Dean Martin, as her favourite client, in person. In the Better than a Dream number, where both Holliday and Martin sing oblivious to the other's reality, this is Minnelli finally presenting a musical sequence cinematically. This pattern continues with Martin's funny I Met a Girl, sung as he battles street crowds. Minnelli treats Holliday's plaintive ballad The Party's Over simply, if disappointedly in long and medium shot presumably since he thinks Holliday's voice doesn't deserve a closeup, in contrast to the botched Just in Time, the score's most lovely song, wretchedly staged. The Drop That Name number is probably more about Minnelli than Holliday, since he scores points off her, comparing her perceived frumpiness to the vacuous stereotypical 1950's society vamp.

Holliday and Martin play off each other well, overcoming the oddness of their union. Martin actually looks not at his best, which undermines the romantic appeal, and his solo reveals he shouldn't be given one. It's hard not to consider his character's fear of success without his partner and not have thoughts of Jerry Lewis, though believing Martin as a playwright is trouble enough. Thankfully there's Holliday. Far more likeable and individual than say a Doris Day, Minnelli's having her lower her head for pathos is the lowest appreciation of her potential. This wasn't considered a great musical to begin with, and the film is pretty hard to take whenever the supporting players take over, with excruciating bits featuring Eddie Foy and The Titanic record company, vice squad surveillance, and the mafia, however the songwriting dentist gave me a few chuckles.