Rating: 
Summary: One of the best musicals ever.
Review: Everything works for me in this movie. There isn't a weakness to be found. The music by Rodgers & Hart (arranged by Nelson Riddle) is-- well, you know it's out of this world! Kim Novak and Rita Hayworth are beautiful (you knew that too) and Sinatra . . .Ah, Sinatra. Strictly speaking, he was a singer who acted, and at times incredibly well, but this film, as much as one of his classic concept albums, captures the essence of The Man. The hat is there-- tilted-- the tux, the overcoat over shoulder. And Frankie-- I mean, Joey-- uses all the ring-a-ding jargon that's just too cool for any of the other clydes to try out. Yet there's another side to this Frankie/Joey. He has a vulnerability that's also the essence of The Man. And a very subtle loneliness-- no loser, just a "bum" who's had some bad luck. He's sweet. Like the way he treats that cute little dog, feeding him his bagels with coffee and teaching him tricks. So, the movie's fun-- and funny-- without a fifteen minute ballet at the end. But it fits my category of "great" because it flows; it's smooth; the dialogue, the songs, they all come together marvelously. I especially enjoy the way George Sidney dwells on the little things, the small scenes in restaurants, on the boat, in the club. It feels unique for a musical. And the whole thing is shot with a certain crispness, from the opening titles to the long crescendo that is "The Lady Is A Tramp" (Frank and piano up to all the brass blaring away as he exits with Lady). Maybe it's just a personal thing, but with each viewing I'm utterly bewitched by every line, every camera angle. Even if you don't love it as much as I do, I think you'll agree it's as cool, amusing, and beautiful as they come-- and that makes it one of the best musicals of all time.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best musicals ever.
Review: Everything works for me in this movie. There isn't a weakness to be found. The music by Rodgers & Hart (arranged by Nelson Riddle) is-- well, you know it's out of this world! Kim Novak and Rita Hayworth are beautiful (you knew that too) and Sinatra . . . Ah, Sinatra. Strictly speaking, he was a singer who acted, and at times incredibly well, but this film, as much as one of his classic concept albums, captures the essence of The Man. The hat is there-- tilted-- the tux, the overcoat over shoulder. And Frankie-- I mean, Joey-- uses all the ring-a-ding jargon that's just too cool for any of the other clydes to try out. Yet there's another side to this Frankie/Joey. He has a vulnerability that's also the essence of The Man. And a very subtle loneliness-- no loser, just a "bum" who's had some bad luck. He's sweet. Like the way he treats that cute little dog, feeding him his bagels with coffee and teaching him tricks. So, the movie's fun-- and funny-- without a fifteen minute ballet at the end. But it fits my category of "great" because it flows; it's smooth; the dialogue, the songs, they all come together marvelously. I especially enjoy the way George Sidney dwells on the little things, the small scenes in restaurants, on the boat, in the club. It feels unique for a musical. And the whole thing is shot with a certain crispness, from the opening titles to the long crescendo that is "The Lady Is A Tramp" (Frank and piano up to all the brass blaring away as he exits with Lady). Maybe it's just a personal thing, but with each viewing I'm utterly bewitched by every line, every camera angle. Even if you don't love it as much as I do, I think you'll agree it's as cool, amusing, and beautiful as they come-- and that makes it one of the best musicals of all time.
Rating: 
Summary: Women and ladies, our best enemies or friends
Review: Frank Sinatra is at his best in this film. He plays his own role, a singer in clubs. He starts out of money and everything and manages to get a position in a club in San Francisco. He has the opportunity to meet a lady-friend of his, an ex-singer who has become a very rich woman and he plays with the idea of a partnership with her. It will break on the simple fact that he is divided between this rich woman from his past and a new girl. The rich woman is jealous of the other and Joey is taken between the two without knowing how to choose or get out of the rivalry without being hurt. He will in the end make the good choice and move to Sacramento, leaving his past behind and going to new adventures. The film is brilliant, the actors and actresses are very good. It sure is not a deep film, but it is a very touching film where women are shown to be the real masters of the world. Dr Jacques COULARDEAU
Rating:
Summary: 2 SUCH GORGEOUS WOMEN
Review: I do not like Sinatra, and as someone once said, Joey is the role he was born to play. A self-important little heel. I think he had a very slight singing voice (with orchestral delusions of grandeur, look at the arrangement of his "Softly, As I Leave You") and I think he was a megalomaniac. Also, before I drop the subject, the tune in this flick that floored all the other reviewers here ("The Lady Is A Tramp") was written for a woman and has many more, and many cleverer choruses, and was written for "Babes in Arms," not "Pal Joey." Rita Hayworth (whose character, Vera Simpson, was just rich on the stage) plays a former stripper, not a former singer. And her number, "Zip!" has words in it not even written by Hart! The plot of the show (par for Hollywood) was bowdlerized, rewritten and destroyed for the flick, and left simplistic and with most of its songs gone. Good ones too. I've read O'Hara's libretto and I've heard the score. The film is a colorful diversion (like the films of Porter's "Can-Can" and Loesser's "Guys and Dolls," both also with Sinatra, both also eviscerated and abridged, though Loesser fared best of the three), it'll kill an hour and a half, Rodgers' tunes are done well (as well as non-singers can do them), O'Hara and Hart are rewritten with only the bare bones left, but in 2003, who really cares anymore. Rodgers & Hart will be around when this shadow of one of their best shows (almost all their shows were their best shows, they were gems, but this one had a script by John O'Hara, sigh, what a waste) is forgotten. Watch it, feel good (if you can stand Sinata; Novak and Hayworth are talented and beautiful), and then forget it.
Rating: 
Summary: Diluted and dull
Review: I do not like Sinatra, and as someone once said, Joey is the role he was born to play. A self-important little heel. I think he had a very slight singing voice (with orchestral delusions of grandeur, look at the arrangement of his "Softly, As I Leave You") and I think he was a megalomaniac. Also, before I drop the subject, the tune in this flick that floored all the other reviewers here ("The Lady Is A Tramp") was written for a woman and has many more, and many cleverer choruses, and was written for "Babes in Arms," not "Pal Joey." Rita Hayworth (whose character, Vera Simpson, was just rich on the stage) plays a former stripper, not a former singer. And her number, "Zip!" has words in it not even written by Hart! The plot of the show (par for Hollywood) was bowdlerized, rewritten and destroyed for the flick, and left simplistic and with most of its songs gone. Good ones too. I've read O'Hara's libretto and I've heard the score. The film is a colorful diversion (like the films of Porter's "Can-Can" and Loesser's "Guys and Dolls," both also with Sinatra, both also eviscerated and abridged, though Loesser fared best of the three), it'll kill an hour and a half, Rodgers' tunes are done well (as well as non-singers can do them), O'Hara and Hart are rewritten with only the bare bones left, but in 2003, who really cares anymore. Rodgers & Hart will be around when this shadow of one of their best shows (almost all their shows were their best shows, they were gems, but this one had a script by John O'Hara, sigh, what a waste) is forgotten. Watch it, feel good (if you can stand Sinata; Novak and Hayworth are talented and beautiful), and then forget it.
Rating:
Summary: Gorgeous women, gorgeous cinematography....and Sinatra!
Review: I just recently bought the DVD of Pal Joey. I had never seen the movie before and didn't know what to expect. First, I'll comment on the DVD quality. The picture quality is beautiful, and trust me, you can't have it too clear to see the beautiful Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak, or the 1957 views of Frisco. The soundtrack is mono and causes one to wish that it was filmed in Dolby Digital stereo sound...but I guess we'll have to make do. Besides, if you are using a good sound system, the songs sung by Sinatra come to life magnificently. You will wish that he sang more in the film. His voice is at it's musical peak in 1957 and his artistry is staggering. Sinatra portrays the playboy role with a wonderful comic sense (he won a Best Actor Golden Globe) and you can't help but like him. Although the script is tame in comparison to recent films (Thank God!), it still insinuates plenty and is very coy and sexy. It has some very interesting camera work that gives it a modern feel, ex. : check out the angle that Sinatra is filmed at when he is singing Lady is a Tramp. All in all a wonderfully fun film, that looks terrific on DVD. I just wish they would hurry up and get more of the Sinatra catelog on DVD, especially Hole in the Head!
Rating: 
Summary: it is good but not great...
Review: I love Sinatra and Rita and Kim are right at the top with me but I have to be honest. I was a bit disappointed with this film. It left me rather cold and bored...
Rating:
Summary: California Cold and Damp? Who Knew?
Review: I've been trying to catch up on my old musicals lately. It's a genre I didn't quite grow up with and have always been a little ambivalent about. Never could get a handle of those "walking down the street and bursting into song" musicals. But PAL JOEY is not of that particular mold. Most of the songs are "natural," in the sense that Joey is a nightclub singer. Rita Hayworth's number, "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" is the only number that doesn't take place in a club setting, but then again people in love have been known to sing to themselves in their boudoirs, so that's OK too. Most of the reviews for this film stress the fact that the original Broadway play was considerably darker, and the main character much more of a louse than the cheeky nice guy Sinatra plays here. Given the era (the late 50s), this is hardly surprising, and it's easy to guess how the edgier theatrical version actually played, even if you don't know the "book." Sinatra is fine as the cheerful heel Joey. Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak are lovely and sexy as rivals for Joey's affections. Character actors like Barbara Nichols and Hank Henry milk their smallish roles for all they're worth. Director George Sidney was a veteran of several classic musicals, including SHOW BOAT, TIL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY and THE HARVEY GIRLS, so he's on familiar turf here, and it shows. The Rodgers and Hart score is great, but the numbers are not as many as you might hope. Still there's "My Funny Valentine," the aforementioned "Bewitched...," and, the highlight, Sinatra's definitive take "The Lady Is a Tramp." Well, worth 111 minutes of your time.
Rating:
Summary: California Cold and Damp? Who Knew?
Review: I've been trying to catch up on my old musicals lately. It's a genre I didn't quite grow up with and have always been a little ambivalent about. Never could get a handle of those "walking down the street and bursting into song" musicals. But PAL JOEY is not of that particular mold. Most of the songs are "natural," in the sense that Joey is a nightclub singer. Rita Hayworth's number, "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" is the only number that doesn't take place in a club setting, but then again people in love have been known to sing to themselves in their boudoirs, so that's OK too. Most of the reviews for this film stress the fact that the original Broadway play was considerably darker, and the main character much more of a louse than the cheeky nice guy Sinatra plays here. Given the era (the late 50s), this is hardly surprising, and it's easy to guess how the edgier theatrical version actually played, even if you don't know the "book." Sinatra is fine as the cheerful heel Joey. Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak are lovely and sexy as rivals for Joey's affections. Character actors like Barbara Nichols and Hank Henry milk their smallish roles for all they're worth. Director George Sidney was a veteran of several classic musicals, including SHOW BOAT, TIL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY and THE HARVEY GIRLS, so he's on familiar turf here, and it shows. The Rodgers and Hart score is great, but the numbers are not as many as you might hope. Still there's "My Funny Valentine," the aforementioned "Bewitched...," and, the highlight, Sinatra's definitive take "The Lady Is a Tramp." Well, worth 111 minutes of your time.
Rating:
Summary: PRIME SINATRA - ONE OF HIS 5 BEST FILMS (MY FAVE)
Review: If you are even remotely a Sinatra fan, or a fan of Rodgers & Hart, you will love this movie. The music is terrific, Sinatra is perfectly comfortable in the role of a womanizer! The cinematography is excellent (DVD highly recommended) and it was filmed on location in beautiful 1957 San Francisco. It's also very romantic and Sinatra is truly seductive. He never looked better than in this film - this is the swingin' 50's Sinatra with the tilted hat, at (one of) the height(s) of his career. If choosing between the VHS or DVD, definitely go with the DVD! Not a masterpiece, but again, if you like Sinatra and/or Rodgers & Hart, it IS a masterpiece. Novak & Hayworth are great, too. The only down side is it had to be sanitized quite a bit from the stage play due to 1950's film standards. Still, it's very sexy for 1957. Includes the great "Bewitched" & "My Funny Valentine".
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