Pal Joey (1957)

Pal Joey: Directed by George Sidney. With Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak, Barbara Nichols. Joey Evans’ a charming, handsome, funny, talented a-1st class, A-N°.1 – heel. When Joey meets the former chorus girl and now is the rich widow, Vera Simpson, the pair of lecherous souls seem made for each other.

“Based on the naughty Broadway hit and featuring luscious tunes by Rodgers and Hart, Pal Joey was softened from his arrogant heel stage persona for this more sanitized film version. Now-good guy Joey (Sinatra) wants to open a swanky nightclub in San Francisco, enlisting the help of high society dame Vera Simpson (Hayworth), a former chorus girl. But things get sticky when Joey finds his eyes drifting towards the knockout Linda English (Novak). A leggy singer/dancer with aspirations of being a star, Linda also has a soft place in her heart for Joey. Of course, complications abound, along with much singing and dancing, before tying up nicely with a bouncy, breezy, u0026quot;walking into the sunsetu0026quot; Hollywood finish.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eA couple of assets make Pal Joey unbeatable entertainment. The first are the wonderful Rodgers and Hart standards, mostly performed by Sinatra. Sinatra is at his all-time best.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003enThis was Hayworthu0026#39;s last big movie musical and she does not disappoint. Although actually younger than Sinatra, she was playing a role originally meant for Marlene Dietrich. Hayworth is both gorgeous and haunting. A must see for all Hayworth fans!”