--- title: "Guys and Dolls" year: 1955 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/guys-and-dolls" fi1m_id: "guys-and-dolls" imdb_id: "tt0048140" tmdb_id: 4825 wikidata_id: "Q1813582" fi1m_score: 80 critics_score: 82 critics_reviews: 8 published: "2026-09-25T07:17:28.158170+00:00" updated: "2026-09-25T07:18:01.381318+00:00" region: "PL" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Guys and Dolls (1955) Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz · 2h 29m · Comedy, Crime, Romance ## Identity Guys and Dolls - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/guys-and-dolls - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** guys-and-dolls - **IMDb ID:** tt0048140 - **TMDB ID:** 4825 - **Wikidata ID:** Q1813582 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048140/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/4825, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1813582 **Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 82 from 8 reviews *In a sentence:* Frank Sinatra is here, yet Jean Simmons is the one we keep looking for > Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s musical is funny, warmly performed and worth forgiving for its leisurely pace. Jean Simmons and Vivian Blaine give it feeling, while Frank Loesser’s songs survive some uneven singing and an excess of talk. ## Synopsis On Broadway, Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando) and Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons) become an unlikely romantic pairing in a musical comedy of crime and courtship. Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra) and Miss Adelaide (Vivian Blaine) are part of the same company of characters, alongside Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Stubby Kaye) and Lt. Brannigan (Robert Keith). Their conversations give way to songs by Frank Loesser and ensemble dancing. Joseph L. Mankiewicz directs and writes the screenplay, drawing on a story credited to Damon Runyon. ## Review *Guys and Dolls* is a generous, funny musical whose songs and performers more than repay the patience it occasionally asks of us. Joseph L. Mankiewicz directs it with affection for people who can make even ordinary conversation sound faintly ceremonial. That manner suits Damon Runyon’s characters, although the screenplay sometimes keeps them talking after the joke has landed. At 149 minutes, this is an evening’s entertainment with little concern for an early night. Jean Simmons gives the film its most persuasive reason to slow down. As Sarah Brown, she makes the romance with Marlon Brando’s Sky Masterson feel like something happening to two particular people, rather than a pause between songs. We were unexpectedly moved by *If I Were a Bell*: she makes the discovery of a feeling seem to happen as she sings. Her lightness also makes the more studied passages around her easier to forgive. Marlon Brando’s singing takes some getting used to. His voice is tentative, and the care with which he approaches a number can become more noticeable than the number itself. Still, there is tenderness in his performance, and the romantic scenes benefit from his willingness to seem a little uncertain. Frank Sinatra, as Nathan Detroit, supplies the musical assurance, although the casting does not always give either man the most natural use of his abilities. Vivian Blaine’s Miss Adelaide brings a welcome directness to a film that can be rather pleased with its own elaborate speech. She lets the comedy carry the feeling without pausing to make sure we have noticed it. Frank Loesser’s music gives the performers similarly useful material: the melodies are immediately inviting, but leave room for individual quirks and hesitations. *Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat* supplies the sort of momentum that makes the preceding delays seem forgivable. The ensemble dancing is another reliable source of pleasure. Oliver Smith’s production design embraces the artificial Broadway setting, and the obvious sets are part of the enjoyment. Harry Stradling’s photography makes the colour inviting without persuading us that these streets extend far beyond the frame. The theatrical look works best during the dancing, when the performers seem to belong in such a carefully arranged space. In conversation, the same surroundings can make the actors look as though they are waiting for their cue. Daniel Mandell’s editing is accommodating to a fault. We are allowed to enjoy a performance without having it chopped into distractions, but there are conversations where an earlier cut would have been a kindness. The length matters because the energy varies so much between those exchanges and the dancing. Joseph L. Mankiewicz understands the pleasure of a carefully delivered line; he is less alert to the moment when we would prefer another song. A screen musical ought to make the stretches between numbers feel as alive as the numbers themselves, and the director does not always manage it. That is a caveat worth taking seriously if patience with theatrical dialogue is already in short supply. For us, the pleasure of spending time with this cast comfortably outweighs it. Set aside an unhurried evening; Jean Simmons and Vivian Blaine deserve more attention than a glance at the clock. *Fi1m score 80, published 25 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics greet Guys and Dolls warmly, with praise clustering around the songs, performances and energetic choreography. The reviews repeatedly credit the cast with bringing the musical’s theatrical world to life, particularly Jean Simmons, while Michael Kidd’s choreography draws specific praise. The songs remain a consistent pleasure across the reviews, with “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat” and Simmons’s rendition of “If I Were a Bell” singled out. The spread is largely positive, with one mixed assessment and no outright rejection. Brando prompts the clearest disagreement: Radio Times calls him the definitive Sky Masterson, while Eye for Film criticises his singing and dancing, alongside the film’s length and lack of polish. The theatrical presentation also divides opinion: Little White Lies finds the sets stagey and some dialogue stilted, whereas The New Yorker praises the way theatrical artifice becomes cinema. These reservations rarely outweigh the enthusiasm for the musical numbers. ## Straight answers **Is Guys and Dolls worth watching?** *Guys and Dolls* is worth watching for its warm performances, funny dialogue and Frank Loesser songs; we score it 80 out of 100. Jean Simmons and Vivian Blaine give the musical its feeling, though tentative singing from Marlon Brando and leisurely conversations make its 149 minutes better suited to an unhurried evening. **How long is Guys and Dolls, and what is it rated?** *Guys and Dolls* runs 2h 29m. It is a comedy and crime film. **Where can I watch Guys and Dolls in Poland?** *Guys and Dolls* is not on any streaming or rental service in Poland at the moment. It is available in 4 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How violent or frightening is Guys and Dolls, and is it suitable for children?** *Guys and Dolls* has a UK U certificate, indicating generally suitable viewing for children, without suggesting a need for particular concern about violence or fright. We would make the practical reservation about its 149-minute running time and lengthy conversations: younger children may find their patience tested between the songs and ensemble dancing. **How does Guys and Dolls compare to The Band Wagon?** *Guys and Dolls* offers the more persuasive romance, while we recommend [*The Band Wagon*](https://film.one/film/the-band-wagon) more strongly for its staging and dancing. Both find pleasure in openly theatrical settings, but Jean Simmons gives *Guys and Dolls* feeling that helps compensate for its leisurely pace; *The Band Wagon* has a thinner romance and the appeal of Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse and Jack Buchanan. ### Reviews we read (8) - **Empire**, Angie Errigo (90/100, inferred): Errigo calls it one of the most thrilling and entertaining musicals. She particularly praises the vibrant performances, memorable songs and energetic choreography. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/guys-dolls-review/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (90/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the musical an enduring delight, though Sinatra and Brando’s roles are too atypical for their pairing to match their individual stature. He especially praises the exuberant showtunes, singling out “Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat.” [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/dec/25/guys-and-dolls-review) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (85/100, inferred): Variety praises the film as a polished, lively musical. It singles out the casting, especially Brando and Simmons making their unconventional romance believable. [Read](https://variety.com/1954/film/reviews/guys-and-dolls-1200417917/) - **Little White Lies**, Adam Woodward (4/4/4): The review celebrates the film as one of the last great MGM musicals, despite some stilted dialogue and stagey sets. It especially praises Jean Simmons, whose performance and rendition of “If I Were a Bell” outshine her co-stars. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/guys-and-dolls) - **Radio Times**, Tony Sloman (4/5): Sloman praises the film as a great musical and calls Brando the definitive Sky Masterson. He singles out Michael Kidd’s choreography and the film’s depiction of Broadway as highlights. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-lyarra/guys-and-dolls/) - **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (4/5): The available text welcomes the return of this brassy musical to the big screen. It singles out the chance to see the film theatrically, though the full review is unavailable. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/guys-and-dolls) - **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (78/100, inferred): Brody finds the film a vivid cinematic transformation of theatrical artifice. He especially praises the cast’s performances and the way they bring Frank Loesser’s songs to life. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/dvd-of-the-week-guys-and-dolls) - **Eye for Film**, Leanne McGrath (65/100, inferred): The critic finds the film enjoyable despite its length and lack of polish. She singles out Vivian Blaine’s performance and the energetic choreography for praise, while criticizing Marlon Brando’s singing and dancing. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/guys-and-dolls-film-review-by-leanne-mcgrath) ## Details - **Director:** Joseph L. Mankiewicz - **Director:** Joseph L. Mankiewicz - **Screenplay:** Joseph L. Mankiewicz - **Story:** Damon Runyon - **Cinematography:** Harry Stradling - **Editor:** Daniel Mandell - **Music:** Frank Loesser - **Production design:** Oliver Smith - **Costume design:** Irene Sharaff - **Producer:** Samuel Goldwyn - **Cast:** Marlon Brando as Sky Masterson; Jean Simmons as Sarah Brown; Frank Sinatra as Nathan Detroit; Vivian Blaine as Miss Adelaide; Robert Keith as Lt. Brannigan; Stubby Kaye as Nicely-Nicely Johnson; B.S. Pully as Big Jule; Johnny Silver as Benny Southstreet - **Runtime:** 2h 29m - **First release (the US):** 3 November 1955 - **Genres:** Comedy, Crime, Romance - **Also in:** [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Nominee, 1956); [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Winner, 1955) - **Budget:** $6 million - **Box office:** $7 million ## Where to watch in Poland Not streaming, renting or buying in Poland at the last check. Also available in: AU, CA, GB, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 1956: Best Art Direction, Color (nominated); Best Cinematography, Color (nominated); Best Costume Design, Color (nominated); Best Original Musical Score (nominated) ## If you liked this - *The Band Wagon* (1953), Fi1m 84: Another studio musical that understands how much pleasure theatrical artifice can provide — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-band-wagon.md) - *The Umbrellas of Cherbourg* (1964): Romance and carefully arranged colour, with sadness the songs cannot quite contain - *The Pajama Game* (1957): A workplace musical with sharper elbows and plenty of affection for its characters - *Ball of Fire* (1941): For verbal courtship and a woman who refuses to behave as expected - *Shall We Dance?* (1996): For shy romantic feeling expressed through dancing rather than another explanatory speech --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/guys-and-dolls