Pal Joey (1957)

Joey Evans is charming, handsome, funny, talented, and a first class, A-number-one heel. When Joey meets the former chorus girl ("She used to be 'Vera...with the Vanishing Veils'") and now ... See full summary »

Director:

George Sidney

Writers:

Dorothy Kingsley (screenplay), John O'Hara (from the musical play book by)

Stars:

Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak

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

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rita Hayworth	...	Mrs. Vera Prentice-Simpson
Frank Sinatra	...	Joey Evans
Kim Novak	...	Linda English
Barbara Nichols	...	Gladys
Bobby Sherwood	...	Ned Galvin
Hank Henry	...	Mike Miggins
Elizabeth Patterson	...	Mrs. Casey
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Franklyn Farnum	...	Guest at Charity Ball (scenes deleted)
Bess Flowers	...	Guest at Charity Ball (scenes deleted)
Pierre Watkin	...	Mr. Forsythe (scenes deleted)

Storyline

Joey Evans is charming, handsome, funny, talented, and a first class, A-number-one heel. When Joey meets the former chorus girl ("She used to be 'Vera...with the Vanishing Veils'") and now rich widow Vera Simpson, the two lecherous souls seem made for each other. That is, until Linda English comes along. Linda is a "mouse on the chorus line" and built like there's no tomorrow. But she's the typical good little girl from a good little home -- just the right ingredient to louse up Joey's cushy set up.

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Plot Keywords:

cable car | romantic rivalry | manipulative woman | female jealousy | barbary coast | 

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Taglines:

JOY STORY OF JOEY...(the heel)!

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Genres:

Drama | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 December 1957 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

La blonde ou la rousse

Filming Locations:

Pacific Avenue, between Montgomery and Kearny Streets, San Francisco, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Essex Productions,George Sidney Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's shooting schedule ran from noon until 8 p.m., a departure from the normal 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. schedule. The change was made to allow the cast to sleep later, thus improving their performances.

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Goofs

When Joey is consoling Linda in her dressing room after the stripping number, Linda's arms are first around his waist, but in the next shot they are up on his chest.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Joey Evans: Now, wait a minute, fellas. You got this all wrong. I never laid a hand on her.
Policeman: Yeah, we got there just in time.
Detective: That's the trouble with you nightclub entertainers, you're all alike. You think you own every dame in the country.
Joey Evans: Now, wait a minute, show me a law in the country that says I can't buy a doll a friendly drink.
Detective: No law. Just don't buy a drink in your hotel room for a doll that's underage.
Policeman: Come on, let's get goin' bud.
Joey Evans: Now, wait a minute, how did I know she was jailbait? ...
[...]

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Connections

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

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Soundtracks

My Funny Valentine
(uncredited)
Music by Richard Rodgers
Words by Lorenz Hart
Performed by Kim Novak (dubbed by Trudy Stevens)

User Reviews

When old blue eyes sings, all is forgiven...

George Sidney may not be one of Hollywood's best-known or most appreciated directors, but he does turn PAL JOEY into an enjoyable viewing experience by releasing it from stagebound sets and giving it an open air look that is refreshing and watchable, especially since the scene has been transferred to San Francisco rather than Chicago.

Some of the songs are borrowed from other Rodgers and Hart musicals, but when FRANK SINATRA sings standards like "There's A Small Hotel" and "The Lady Is A Tramp", he can do no wrong. He plays a no-good piano lounge lizard who has the world on a string as long as he stays one step ahead of the nightclub owner that he keeps making deals with.

The "mice" are played by RITA HAYWORTH and KIM NOVAK, Miss Hayworth making up for the badly-in-need-of-acting-coach Novak, who really stumbles in this one. Apparently George Sidney couldn't give her any guidance on how to play any of her scenes--the way Hitchcock did for "Vertigo". Their confrontation scene has no ooomph because Novak is simply not there and thus there are no real fireworks. Even so, Hayworth makes her character strong and possessive.

It's really Sinatra's show all the way and he delivers a solidly engaging performance, even though his character is lacking in what we might call integrity.

Enjoyable musical--Hayworth's "Zip" and "Bewitched" are nicely done even if she doesn't do her own vocals. The dancer magic is still there in the way she moves through any number she does.

Summing up: worth a look if you like musicals.