CineTV Contest:48 - Guys and Dolls (1955)

Hello CineTV community. This week’s contest is Romantic Comedies. You can learn more about the contest and cineTV at this link - https://www.cinetv.blog/@cinetv/cinetv-contest-48-favorite-romantic-comedy

I have to admit, I am not much on romantic comedies, however, Musical Comedies also incorporate romantic themes, so I think my choice for this week fits right – Guys and Dolls (1955). My Bonnie Bride chose this film from the list of films we have available to watch (it was a short list).

Guys and Dolls poster - IMDB

Guys and Dolls is the story of Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra), who runs a floating craps game in New York City, in love with his fiance of 14 years Adelaide (Vivian Blaine). Detroit, feeling the heat from the Law is having trouble to set up a site for his game, and needs to score $1,000 to get a possible site. He spots Sky Masterson, a high roller who makes crazy bets. Masterson has plans to go to Havana the next day, and Detroit, surprised that Masterson doens’t have a woman lined up, makes a bet with Masterson that Masterson cannot get a woman of Detroit’s choice to accompany him. The bet made, Detroit selects Sergeant Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons) of the Save A Soul Mission. Masterson, upon learning of Detroit’s choice, exclaims “Daddy, I have pickle juice in my ear,” a reference to having accepted a sucker’s bet. As fate would have it, hilarity, romance, and music ensues.

Marlon Brando finishning his song "Lucky be a Lady" - IMDB

Everyone knows that Sinatra was a highly acclaimed singer, and had made numerous musicals during its heyday, but Marlon Brando having the lead, and singing in a musical? Who’d have thought? Brando carries it off with style, and he has one of the best songs in this musical, “Luck be a Lady”, during the climax of the film.

Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons, with Dulce de Leches - IMDB

One of the things that caught my eye, aside from the interesting dance sequences, was Masterson ordering Dulce de Leche for Sarah and himself. Masterson described it as “sweetened milk with Bacardi”. I had to look this particular cocktail up and learned a bit about it, in that not only does it use milk and Bacardi rum, but a sweetened, caramelized substance Dulce de Leche, giving the drink its name. My Bonnie Bride, who doesn’t drink, reminded me that I am on my own for that concoction.

All in all, this is a fun film, with the usual ins and outs of “boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl”, in the case of Nathan Detroit, several times over in the course of this film. It has lots of great songs, and the aforementioned interesting dance routine that progresses into a bar fight, are memorable.

Plus, it has a great supporting cast in addition to the four headliners, including Sheldon Leonard, who is a fantastic character actor with his heavy New York accent making him a fine choice for casting as Harry the Horse, a gangster who likes the action Nathan supplies with his floating crap game.

This may be a bit of an offbeat choice of a film for a Valentine’s Day celebration, but Guys and Dolls is a fine film all the way around from start to finish, and well worth watching.

Thanks for stopping by.

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