Set in and around the Sands Hotel, the film tells "what happens when a gambling rancher discovers that all he has to do to win at roulette is take hold of ballerina Charisse's hand". The film was tailored for the talents of Charisse, showcasing her skills with modern and classical ballet.[2]
There are brief appearances by The Four Aces, Jerry Colonna, Paul Henreid, Lena Horne, Frankie Laine, and teenage singer Mitsuko Sawamura. Cameos include Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, Vic Damone, Pier Angeli, Peter Lorre, and Tony Martin (who was married to Charisse). Jazzman Pete Rugolo plays the house band's pianist-conductor.
For the closing production ballet, Sammy Davis Jr. narrates and sings offscreen an updated "Frankie and Johnny", danced principally by Charisse, Montevecchi, and Brascia, with special lyrics by Sammy Cahn and arranged by Johnny Green.
According to MGM records, the $2.5M film earned $2,217,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $1,497,000 in other markets, resulting in a profit of $496,000.[1]
Critic Bosley Crowther wrote " ... the best thing, by far, is the finale — a gaudy, satiric ballet, done to the old "Frankie and Johnny" ballad, as arranged by Johnny Green. Miss Charisse is accompanied in this one by Liliane Montevecchi as "the other dame" and John Brascia as the luckless Johnny, and the ballad, with modern Bebop lyrics, by Sammy Cahn, is sung by the off-screen voice of Sammy Davis Jr. It's crazy, man! And cool!''[3]
The film was released on DVD from Warner Brothers Archive Collection on July 8, 2011.
The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
Clive Hischhorn, The Hollywood Musical
