Guys and Dolls (1955)

Director:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Writers:

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

Release Date:

16 January 1956 (Brazil)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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 | Bet | Gambler | Police | Missionary

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
The Goldwyn Girls
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Barbara Brent	...	Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Jack Chefe	...	Waiter at Mindy's (uncredited)
Jann Darlyn	...	Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Madelyn Darrow	...	Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Sayre Dearing	...	Tough (uncredited)
Larry Duran	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Franklyn Farnum	...	Spectator at Hot Box Club (uncredited)
Adolph Faylauer	...	Tourist with Camera (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Street Extra (uncredited)
Rubén de Fuentes	...	Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Tony Galento	...	Spectator at Hot Box Club (uncredited)
Joe Gray	...	Spectator at Hot Box Club (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Spectator at Hot Box Club (uncredited)
Earle Hodgins	...	Pitchman (uncredited)
John Indrisano	...	Liverlips Louie (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Barber (uncredited)
June Kirby	...	Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Matt Mattox	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Extra at Mindy's (uncredited)
Matt Murphy	...	The Champ (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)
Pat Sheehan	...	Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan	...	Truck Driver on Street (uncredited)
Larri Thomas	...	Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Harry Tyler	...	Max - Waiter at Mindy's (uncredited)
Sandra Warner	...	Twin Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Sonia Warner	...	Twin Goldwyn Girl (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		(from a story by)
Joseph L. Mankiewicz		(written for the screen by)
Ben Hecht		uncredited

Produced by
Samuel Goldwyn	....	producer

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Sr.		(director of photography) (as Harry Stradling)

Film Editing by
Daniel Mandell		(film editor)

Production Design by
Oliver Smith

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

Set Decoration by
Howard Bristol

Costume Design by
Irene Sharaff		(costumes designed by)

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

Production Management
Gus Schroeder	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arthur S. Black Jr.	....	assistant director
Edward F. Mull	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Gary Nelson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Charles O'Malley	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Matty Azzarone	....	construction (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

Stunts
Paul Baxley	....	stunts (uncredited)
Polly Burson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Crockett	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Daheim	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Duran	....	stunts (uncredited)
Helen Endicott	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lila Finn	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mary Ann Hawkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Harvey Parry	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Suzanne Ridgeway	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Robotham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Saenz	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Harry Stradling Jr.	....	assistant camera
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	....	stager: dances and musical numbers
Frank Loesser	....	music and lyrics by
Skip Martin	....	orchestrator
Cyril J. Mockridge	....	music adaptor: background music
Nelson Riddle	....	orchestrator
Albert Sendrey	....	orchestrator (as Al Sendrey)
Leon Cepparo	....	singing coach (uncredited)
Jack Dumont	....	musician (uncredited)
Herbert W. Spencer	....	music collaborator: background music (uncredited)

Other crew
Cy Feuer	....	produced on the stage by
Samuel Goldwyn	....	presenter
Ernest H. Martin	....	produced on the stage by
Howard Dietz	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
John Dutton	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Flo O'Neill	....	dialogue director (uncredited)
Howard Strickling	....	publicist: MGM (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1955) (USA) (theatrical) (released by)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1957) (France) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Hallmark Video (video)
• Image Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Network Entertainment (1993) (Australia) (VHS)

Other Companies

• R.L. Grosh and Sons Scenic Studio  set (uncredited)

Also Known As:

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:

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

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

After a tryout in Philadelphia, the play opened on Broadway on 24 November 1950 and closed on 28 November 1953 after 1200 performances. The play won a Tony for best musical and another for best choreography for Michael Kidd, who staged the dances and musical numbers in this movie. Original cast members included Robert Alda (father of Alan Alda) as Sky Masterson, Isabel Bigley as Sarah Brown, and Sam Levene as Nathan Detroit. Vivian Blaine as Adelaide, Stubby Kaye as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, B.S. Pully as Big Jule and Johnny Silver as Benny Southstreet all appeared in their original Broadway roles for the movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: Sky Masterson's handwriting on the back of the Bible verse card changes between shots.

Quotes:

Sky Masterson:[after observing that Sarah's mission is doing poorly] Do I give you a fair rundown?
Sergeant Sarah Brown:I wouldn't know. I've never had a rundown.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "MGM Parade: Episode #1.10" (1955)

Soundtrack:

If I Were a Bell

The Best Parts Still Shine

It almost seems like they went out of their way to muck up this film as best they could. First they dropped several great songs from the original score ("Bushel And A Peck", "I've Never Been In Love Before", "More I Cannot Wish You", "Marry The Man Today") and replaced them with songs that are distinctly inferior. Then they badly miscast Marlon Brando in the lead (his one great moment in the film is when he delivers the line, "Dad, I've got cider in my ear!") and tampered with the ending, in effect eliminating the final punchline of the show.

But what makes "Guys And Dolls" ultimately different from other Broadways shows mucked up by the movies is that the parts that are great elevate the film so much that you can be charitable for the mistakes made. Jean Simmons' lack of vocal training hurts "I'll Know" but she redeems herself wonderfully on "If I Were A Bell" and gives a great performance overall as Sister Sarah Brown. And thank goodness Stubby Kaye's memorable "Sit Down You're Rocking The Boat" was transferred intact. Great sets and other supporting characters also help too.