The film adaptation of Guys and Dolls directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz has never been a film that has sat right with me. I adore the musical with music and lyrics by the great Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows and Jo Sterling, yet there are many things about the film that bother me. Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra are both fit for the role of Sky Masterson, and having one of them step over into Nathan Detroit’s shoes feels weird. They are two of the coolest guys around. Nathan is not cool. Nathan is a schlub who is in over his head. Sinatra is the epitome of cool. I can see why he was upset he was not cast as Sky.
Also, the omission of quite a few of the songs causes problems for me. I can understand one or two being gone, but five? “I’ve Never Been in Love Before” is the big finale of the first act. It is an extremely important song for Sky and Sarah, and that is one of the ones you cut? I know they wanted to cut as much as they can in terms of songs for Brando because, let’s face it, the man cannot really sing. However, the songs you need from him are that and “Luck Be a Lady“. Losing one of them is a real problem.
I know another adaptation is in the works, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Channing Tatum, but I will not get my hopes up that turns out any better. But I seem to be in the minority on this film. I mean, it holds an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it’s popular enough that in the UK, cinemas will be rereleasing the film in time for Christmas, some of which will be sing-along screenings. The rerelease has just gotten a new poster, which you can see above courtesy of Empire. It is not too different from the previous posters. I mean, they can’t get these actors together for another photo shoot, so their options are limited.
