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- Verified Buyer
All I can say is... WOW. I think this has to be probably my second favorite movie musical (and one of my FAVORITE musicals) of all times... tying with "Singin' In The Rain", being preceeded only by "Damn Yankees" and followed by "Sweet Charity." So what makes Guys & Dolls so great? Michael Kidd's choreography for one thing... the guy is a genius!!!! He's introduced some of the best dancing stars to the stage (ie, Gwen Verdon in "Can-Can") and this showcases his talents as a choreographer. Another thing are the wonderful tunes. Can you imagine a world without tunes like "Adelaide's Lament" and "I'll Know"? I sure can't. Of course, the actors have a lot to do with it. Case in point number 1... Marlon Brando. Okay, so Marlon Brando's NOT a singer... big deal. But it's not like he's absolutely so horrendous you want to THROW things at the screen. In fact, I found him marvelous! He's VERY talented. He and Jean Simmons have such charisma together! Case in point 2, Jean Simmons! Who better to play adorable little mission doll Sarah Brown than this lovely lady? And her singing pipes aren't terrible either. Her acting skills are most exquisite! Case in point 3... Frank Sinatra. GORGEOUS MAN. GORGEOUS VOICE. And whatta actor! He is so loveable as Nathan Detroit... and he and Vivian Blaine have SUCH A GREAT CHEMISTRY!!!! Which brings me to case in point 4... VIVIAN BLAINE. I adore her. I don't think there will ever be another Adelaide who comes even CLOSE to her (except for, perhaps, the wonderful Miss Faith Prince...). I mean, Vivian just OWNS this part! That voice... that electricity... to me, she just steals the show! So in short, if you love 50s movie musicals, or you're just a fan of the Broadway show... buy it! (But there are a few songs cut... such as "A Bushel and a Peck" and "Marry The Man Today"... but don't let that discourage you!)
