Pal Joey (1957): Dir: George Sidney / Cast: Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth, Kim Novak, Barbara Nichols, Bobby Sherwood: Witty musical about the person that we can be as oppose to what our reputations display. Frank Sinatra plays a womanizing nightclub singer who is torn between two woman. As the film opens he escorted by police to the train station. From there he attempts to reenter the nightclub business, eventually succeeding. Rita Hayworth plays a high class wealthy widow whom he wants to convince to finance his club. She is withdrawn yet plays his game as seductress leaving him near exhausted in his pursuit. Kim Novak plays a chorus girl whom he meets through a neutral friend. Despite he efforts to charm her, she reacts cold and distant. When he rents an apartment next to her's she is hardly impressed that they have to share a bath. To even the odds she tricks him into purchasing a dog. While beginning and structure are detailed, the ending doesn't quite gel. Director George Sidney is backed by energetic production numbers and festive performances by the three leads. Sinatra plays off the sly nature of Joey whose voice and song are persuasive weapons. Hayworth is the withdrawn mysterious demeanor to Novak's insecure inner being who would prefer to avoid the seductive act. Other roles are as cardboard as a stage prop. Theme regards a genuine nature exposed when the curtain closes the act. Score: 7 ½ / 10
Review of Pal Joey
