Pal Joey | | Cast : | Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak | | Director : | George Sidney (II) | | Studio : | Columbia/Tristar Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | October 25, 1957 | | DVD Released Date : | September 23, 2003 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), Portuguese (Subtitled), English (Original Language), Thai (Subtitled), Chinese (Subtitled), Korean (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | NR (Not Rated) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | June 24, 2005 | | Summary | Sinatra at his best | Content
 | I suppose much can be said about this movie's lack of faithfulness to the stage play. A hardened Joey, a more callous Joey, an essentially darker Joey... these things are worth exploring and would be interesting to see. Also, if the cut songs are as good as the ones included, then we have indeed lost much, for the numbers in the film are uniformly excellent. With that said, there is nothing wrong in having the cynic in us take a back burner for once, and watching a pretty decent feel-food movie with a fabulous cast, superb performances, and really excellent music.
Perhaps the one downer in the film is Kim Novak who, even though she does a respectable job in "My Funny Valentine", still manages to irk. Reminiscent of a female Keanu Reeves (she was great in "Vertigo" for a reason: She just had to act doe-eyed and aloof. Perfect!) she is pretty annoying here. Oh, and lest we forget, the dream sequence is also burdensome, but it was almost a rite of passage before the ending of a whole lot of musicals, so we'll tolerate it here.
As for the great aspects of the film, there are many: Rita Hayworth is excellent, with "Zip" as her defining moment in the film. Sinatra, of course, is simply fantastic, and elevates the "Lady is the Tramp" sequence to new heights of artistry.
Buy it for Sinatra, fall in love with Rita Hayworth, and tolerate Kim Novak. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 04, 2005 | | Summary | Prime Sinatra | Content
| This film is worth watching over and over again, if only to see Sinatra's rendition of "The Lady is a Tramp", which he sings with riveting style and musical finesse.
Based on a book and play by John O'Hara, it boasts some snappy dialogue and a fabulous Rodgers and Hart score, with songs like "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered", "I Could Write a Book", "What do I Care for a Dame ?", "Plant You Now, Dig You Later", "Happy Hunting Horn" and "That Terrific Rainbow". Rita Hayworth does a sumptuous "Zip" (I love the way she uses her lavish Jean Louis gown in the number), and Kim Novak is absolutely stunning singing "My Funny Valentine". Novak was one of the loveliest and most underrated stars to ever grace the silver screen, and this was her second film with Sinatra, having done the dramatic "The Man with the Golden Arm" two years earlier.
The film only received some Oscar nominations (Art/Set Direction, Costume Design, Editing, Sound), but Sinatra did pick up a 1958 Golden Globe Best Actor/Musical-Comedy for his part as Joey, the womanizing, fast talking, con-man singer, who goes from town to town, leaving debts and broken hearts behind; Sinatra makes the most of the part, and one cannot imagine anyone else that could have played Joey to such perfection.
Terrific direction by George Sidney and choreography by Hermes Pan complement this trio of great stars and splendid music, with the backdrop of San Francisco and Harold Lipstein's cinematography.
Total running time is 109 minutes.
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| Rating | | | Date | October 26, 2004 | | Summary | Disappointing - Would Love to See a Good Remake | Content
| This movie took most of the great songs from the stage play and dumped them. For a theater lover this is heartbreaking. What a disappointing story. If a movie can be faithful to the theater version then this one is a class-A adulterer. Even the ending was changed and not for the better. The dubbing for the two leading ladies was also disappointing. A pretty face is not enough. |
| Rating | | | Date | August 20, 2004 | | Summary | ZIP! | Content
| We've had this LP for years and I've never seen the movie til yesterday.
The soundtrack conjours up all sorts of visual images, and seeing the music on film was fabulous.
This is Frank at his best, and the "mouses" played by Kim Novak & Rita Hayworth were sensational.
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| Rating | | | Date | July 12, 2004 | | Summary | 2 SUCH GORGEOUS WOMEN | Content
| not a sinatra fan, but Rita and Kim are gorgeous and you cant get enuff of them. KIm is esp. beautiful and Rita is touching as the aging beauty. I heard Doreen Woodbury commited suicide while reheasing this movie. I wonder what role she would have played? |
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