Review of Guys and Dolls (1955) by Shary A — 24 Jan 2010

A few musical comedies from the 50's and 60's managed to survive the test of time and remain universally entertaining; Guys and Dolls is not one of those. The value it holds is mostly nostalgic, and although it has some fantastic choreography and memorable musical numbers, not enough is done to transfer them in any interesting way from the stage to the big screen.

Of course, we wouldn't even be discussing Guys and Dolls if it wasn't for its star power; the two leads are indeed fantastic, although neither Brando or Sinatra are quite at the top of their game. In fact, Jean Simmons nearly steals the show from both of them. So if you're really curious about how Marlon Brando sings, you should check it out, but don't expect too much - he does a passable job but no more, and as acting goes he had better moments. Otherwise, Guys and Dolls is essential viewing for Sinatra completists, for major fans of 50's comedy movies, and for musical film buffs, but for anyone else it's too long, too filled with cliches and very outdated.