Guys and Dolls (1955)

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.

Director:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writers:

Jo Swerling (book), Abe Burrows (book),

Stars:

Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

All the hot gamblers are in town, and they're all depending on Nathan Detroit to set up this week's incarnation of "The Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York"; the only problem is, he needs $1000 to get the place. Throw in Sarah Brown, who's short on sinners at the mission she runs; Sky Masterson, who accepts Nathan's $1000 bet that he can't get Sarah Brown to go with him to Havana; Miss Adelaide, who wants Nathan to marry her; Police Lieutenant Brannigan, who always seems to appear at the wrong time; and the music/lyrics of Frank Loesser, and you've got quite a musical. Includes the songs: Fugue for Tinhorns, "Luck Be a Lady", "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat".

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Plot Keywords:

craps | bet | gambler | police | missionary | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 January 1956 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

Eles e Elas

Filming Locations:

The Lot - 1041 N. Formosa Avenue, West Hollywood, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min 152 min (with overture and exit music)

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gene Kelly was sought for the role of Sky Masterson, but MGM refused to loan Kelly to Goldwyn.

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Goofs

Just before the sewer crap game, Nathan tells Adelaide that green and white are the Whitney colors. C.V. Whitney colors are blue and white

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Quotes

Nathan Detroit: Everybody in the whole world who hates me is now here.

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Connections

Featured in MGM Parade: Episode #1.10 (1955)

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Soundtracks

"Follow the Fold"
(1950) (uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Played by the Mission Band and sung by them and Jean Simmons
Reprised by the Band outside of Mindy's restaurant
Reprised by the Band outside of a drugstore and sung by them and Marlon Brando
Reprised by the Band outside a bar
Reprised by the Band and sung by the gamblers at the Mission

User Reviews

the oldest established ...

Yes, its the one where the gamblers find a sort of redemption in their dolls after much singing and dancing and stuff. Maybe. This film seems to have lived alongside me for years - round exam time, through getting ditched, you name it. Sister Sarah and Sky and Nathan and Miss Adelaide and their chums were always there with those great Loesser melodies. Top of the tree is the Luck Be A Lady number which Brando puts across quite nicely, despite hardly being a singer. His great charm makes him a very good Sky. The scenes in Havana are hilarious and Vivian Blaine back at the club gives good value in her two big stage numbers. Looks like it belongs in a theatre, this film, but I bet you remember the tunes and huge chunks of the dialogue for a long time afterwards.