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

Kim Novak's singing voice was dubbed by Trudy Stevens (nee Gertrude Ewan).

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Goofs

After Linda sings, Mrs. Simpson talks to Joey with her left hand touching her chin. In the following shot her hands are on her handbag. In the same scene Joey rests his left hand on his leg, but between shots his left hand appears on the back of the chair beside him.

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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 Jake and the Fatman: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (1989)

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Soundtracks

Zip
(uncredited)
Music by Richard Rodgers
Words by Lorenz Hart
Performed by Rita Hayworth (partially dubbed by Jo Ann Greer)

User Reviews

If you like musicals of this period, don't miss "Pal Joey."

Another marvelous effort from prolific director George Sidney, who once again displays an uncanny ability to make us wish we lived in the and time and place of his films. The classic Rogers and Hart songs selected from the smorgasbord written for the original 1940 play alone make this movie well worth a look.

Gene Kelly, a chorus boy a year earlier, was cast in the title role in the original but critically panned "Joey" of 1940. The story line for "Joey" was too sleazy and cynical for the 40's, but today comes across better than the average fare in support of many musicals of the period.

Frank Sinatra is well suited as the film-version Joey. His musical and acting styles add contemporary flavors that are as appealing in the 1950's film version as they were in the critically acclaimed 1952 revival of the play featuring Harold Lang as Joey. Frank's signature song delivery retains, but also in part redefines in a more contemporary way, the classic appeal of the best show tunes of the 40's and 50's.

Although Rita Hayworth's acting talents too often are overlooked, she is the standout actor in "Joey." Casting Kim Novak in a 50's film rather defines the genre, and while she is both appealing and likable in her role, you can't help but be aware that she is stretching her limits as an actor, singer, and dancer.

Finally, the film is a visual treat, and San Francisco a more than an adequate substitute for Chicago. Don't analyze, just sit back and enjoy.