Guys and Dolls

UPC: 883929256938

Studio: Warner Home Video

MPAA Rating: NR   Contains:[Suitable for Children]

Summary: This 1955 film began life as two Runyon short stories, the most prominent of which was "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown." This material was fleshed out into a 2-act libretto by Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling, then set to music by Frank Loesser and directed by George S. Kaufman. Opening late in 1950, Guys and Dolls was one of Broadway's hottest tickets for several seasons. The plot involves a certain Broadway citizen by the name of Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra), who maintains the "Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York." Seeking a location for his latest high-stakes game, Nathan has an opportunity to rent out the Biltmore Garage, but he needs $1000 to do so. He decides to extract the money from high-rolling Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando), known for his willingness to bet on anything. Nathan wagers that Sky will not be able to talk the virginal Salvation Army lass Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons) into going on a date with him. While Sky goes to work on Sarah, Nathan endeavors to fend off his girlfriend Miss Adelaide (Vivian Blaine, repeating her Broadway role), who has developed a psychosomatic cold because of her frustrating 14-year engagement to the slippery Mr. Detroit. Thanks to some fast finagling, Sky is able to take Sarah on that date, flying to Havana for this purpose. By the time they've returned to New York, Sky and Sarah are in love, but their ardor cools off abruptly when Nathan, unable to secure the Biltmore garage, attempts to use Sarah's mission as the site of his crap game. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Category: Musical

Awards: Best British Film – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Picture - Musical or Comedy – null Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical – null Best Color Art Direction – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Color Art Direction – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Color Art Direction – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Color Cinematography – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Color Costume Design – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Musical Score – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Musical Score – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical – Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Picture - Musical or Comedy – Hollywood Foreign Press Association

Features: Two Guys and Dolls documentaries: the Goldwyn touch and from stage to screen
More Guys and Dolls stories and musical performances
Theatrical trailer

Guys and Dolls

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 11/06/2012

Aspect Ratio: 2.55:1 2.55:1

Audio: DHMA null

Runtime: 149 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Region: Blu-ray region A (North America, Central America, South America, Japan, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia)

Michael Costello

Frank Sinatra, who had lost the starring role in On the Waterfront to Marlon Brando the year before, was irate over losing the Sky Masterson role, for which he believed he was better suited. He was probably right. Joseph Mankiewicz's screen version of the classic musical is solid entertainment, but doesn't nearly rise to the heights of its stage source. Damon Runyon's highly stylized version of the New York 1920s demimonde of gamblers, touts, and bookies is the setting for this tale of the reluctant reform of two of their number. As a writer, Mankiewicz knew enough to use the show's book almost in its entirety, and the dialogue is still as sharp as ever. But as a director, his lack of visual flair was always a drawback in his non-musicals, and in a show like this, it's truly deadly. The camera movements have no fluidity, the groupings are unimaginative, and the mise-en-sc?ne is flat. The sets are so overlit that one expects a helicopter to land at any moment. Sinatra, possibly resentful over being cast as Nathan, seems to have phoned his part in. Although Brando may be a bit closer to the mark as Sky, one might wish that MGM had not prevented Gene Kelly from performing in the role which he also coveted. Still, there is much to enjoy in the film, especially the outstanding score, which seems not to contain a bad song. And in numbers like "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat", "Luck Be a Lady" and "Fugue for Tinhorns", it's as good as the best musicals ever made. ~ Michael Costello, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Frank Richards  Actor 
Larri Thomas  Actor 
Sam Harris  Actor 
Julian Rivero  Actor 
Harry Wilson  Actor 
Franklin Farnum  Actor 
Matt Murphy  Actor 
The Goldwyn Girls  Actor 
Lynn Bernay  Actor 
Samuel Goldwyn  Producer 
Frank Loesser  Composer (Music Score) 
Joseph L. Mankiewicz  Director 
Joseph L. Mankiewicz  Screenwriter 
Cyril Mockridge  Composer (Music Score) 
Jay Blackton  Composer (Music Score) 
Marlon Brando  Actor 
Jean Simmons  Actor 
Frank Sinatra  Actor 
Vivian Blaine  Actor 
Robert Keith  Actor 
Stubby Kaye  Actor 
B.S. Pully  Actor 
Johnny Silver  Actor 
Sheldon Leonard  Actor 
Danny Dayton  Actor 
George E. Stone  Actor 
Regis Toomey  Actor 
Kathryn Givney  Actor 
Veda Ann Borg  Actor 
Mary Alan Hokanson  Actor 
Joe McTurk  Actor 
Kay Kuter  Actor 
Stapleton Kent  Actor 
John Indrisano  Actor 
Earl Hodgins  Actor 
Harry Tyler  Actor 

Country: USA