Product Details

• Actors: Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra, Vivian Blaine, Robert Keith
• Directors: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Letterboxed, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
• Subtitles: Spanish, French
• Dubbed: Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.55:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• DVD Release Date: April 18, 2000
• Run Time: 150 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (188 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0792844823
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,968 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #99 in Movies & TV > DVD > Musicals
• Learn more about "Guys and Dolls" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Joseph Mankiewicz's brightly stylized film of Frank Loesser's classic musical (based on the stories of Damon Runyon) casts the criminal underworld as a harmless fantasy in this whimsical vision of the Big Apple. Nonsingers Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons acquit themselves fine in the lead roles as high-rolling gambler Sky Masterson and Salvation Army missionary Sarah Brown. It's odd casting, to say the least. Frank Sinatra, who plays the good old reliable Nathan Detroit (who runs "the oldest established permanent floating crap game in New York") is left with novelty tunes while husky Brando delivers the love songs and hits, including "Luck Be a Lady." But in the context of the colorful dialogue and comically affected speech patterns (a giddy gangster-speak straight out of Runyon's breezy stories) the song performances aren't the least out of place. Stubby Kaye, reprising his role as Nicely Nicely from the Broadway run, practically steals the show in his few scenes and his show-stopping solo "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat." The film is overlong at two and a half hours and somewhat stagily confined in the stylized, studio-bound sets--perhaps the mark of a director who had never helmed a musical before--but a terrific cast of eccentrics and Michael Kidd's high-energy choreography gives the film a memorable and enchanting character. --Sean Axmaker

Product Description

Hollywood legends Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons and Vivian Blain (from the original Broadway cast) are dazzling in this Frank Loesser (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) masterpiece, unleashing a "spectacular, song-and-dance show that's loaded with entertainment" (New York Journal-American). Featuring hits like "Luck Be a Lady" and "A Woman in Love," this smash film version of one of Broadway's most popular musicals is guaranteed, rip-roaring "four-starentertainment" (New York Daily News). The slickest big-time New York City gamblers,Sky Masterson (Brando) and Nathan Detroit (Sinatra), can't resist making or taking a bet on anything. So when a pretty missionary (Simmons) sets up shop in the neighborhood, Nathan stakes a grand that Sky can't seduce her. But all bets are off when Sky falls madly in love in this romantic musical spectacular that sets the Big Apple afire with excitement!

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

92 of 95 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars This new Deluxe Edition is a disgrace to Sony Home Ent. May 3, 2006

By Lars Sandell

Format:DVD

Yes, indeed! The booklet included is nice and glossy. Thanks! And the two documentaries added this time around are nice too. Thanks again! But what about the film itself? Has that been given the deluxe treatment as well?

Sad answer: Definitely NOT! As a matter of fact, this new "re-master" looks much worse than the previous DVD. That one was a very fuzzy non-anamorphic mess, but this new anamorphic one is just as fuzzy. In fact, when I put the old one in the zoom mode, there is no difference in focus and contrast whatsoever. And the colors are somewhat more warm and pleasant on the old edition. But worst of all, is that the new DVD is cropped on all four sides! There is quite a lot of more picture information available on the old disc, especially on top of the frame! So much for a Deluxe Edition! Shame on you, Sony/MGM-UA! Fans of this film - myself included - will have to keep the old DVD, and get this new one for the extras and the booklet. (The 2 stars above are for those inclusions alone.) This is certainly no way to treat loyal film fans and costumers willing to pay for an upgrade version of a beloved film!

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars BEWARE THE BUTCHER...THIS RELEASE HAS BEEN ALTERED March 11, 2008

By MovieMan (Los Angeles, CA)

Format:DVD

For those uniformed potential buyers...note that the picture/aspect ratio for this specific release has been cropped (I've done identical scene comparisons with this deluxe release and the previous edition). In addition, the (2000) release is mislabeled (i.e. 2.35:1) and is actually presented in a 2.55:1 ratio (the original theatrical release format). Conversely, the deluxe edition (is labeled 2.55:1) and because of cropping, has been altered from the picture's original aspect ratio...in effect displaying a 2.35:1 image. The cropping issue has also been noted by other various reviewers, therefore confirming and/or lending credibility to this issue not being an isolated event.
In summmation...the product has been misrepresented. With this release, one does not get the complete picture...literally. I returned my deluxe edtion for a refund and will stay with my (2000) version, until the studio(s) or those responsible for a legitimate "deluxe" edtion will "do it right."

52 of 59 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brando in a musical? You bet! February 11, 2004

By Joe Sherry

Format:DVD

A film by Joseph Mankiewicz

The image I have in my head of Marlon Brando is that of Vito Corleone in "The Godfather" and Terry Malloy in "On the Waterfront". The opportunity to see Brando in a musical was just too good to pass up. "Guys and Dolls" is a musical about gamblers and women, but the story is much better than that.

Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra) runs a high stakes craps game. Normally he does not have any trouble finding a location for the game, but the police is putting on the heat and nobody is willing to take the chance...nobody but one person who wants $1000 up front to host the game. All of the big mobsters are in town and they are looking for Nathan's craps game. Nathan makes a bet with Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando), a high roller who will bet on absolutely anything. The bet is that Sky cannot convince Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons) to go with him to Havana for the night. This may not seem like that big of a bet, but Sarah Brown works downtown at the mission and is a very straight-laced, Christian woman. Sky Masterson is not the sort of man she would associate with. Sky takes the bet and starts trying to win over Sarah. While Sky is doing this, Nathan is setting up the craps game with the promise of the thousand dollars he believes he'll win from Sky. The only thing raining on Nathan's parade is his fiancee of 14 years, Miss Adelaide (Vivian Blaine). Miss Adelaide is a show girl, and she is getting tired of waiting for Nathan to marry her and she is also completely against the crap game.

The above description sets the stage for a wonderful musical where we get to see Brando singing "Luck Be a Lady". The other song that completely surprised me was "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat", a song I only knew from the much slower Don Henley version.... With Sinatra's crooning and Brando singing like I never knew he could, this is one good musical. I would definitely recommend this movie. Read more ›

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fairly Deluxe Edition of a Musical Classic April 28, 2006

By Kathleen Donaldson

Format:DVD

"Guys and Dolls" is a fairly faithful, good adaptation of the great Broadway stage musical. Unlike "West Side Story" or "My Fair Lady", it isn't a film that cries out "SPECIAL EDITION!" but it is fine to have one available.

MGM has given the film a fine special edition (or Deluxe Edition as they call it) treatment. The box is nice and reflects some of the original artwork with modern touches. The scrapbook (A collection of old advertising and photos) is fine as well.

As for the disc itself, the two documentaries are fine. No rare photographs from the Broadway or film archives are shown, but the interviews from the children of the creators (Loesser, Goldwyn and Mankiewicz) and the choreographer, Michael Kidd are quite nice and informative.

The film itself recieves a nice treatment although it is quite similar to the previous editions.

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It's unanimous-Guys and Dolls is a five star film! February 28, 2000

By A Customer

Format:VHS Tape

I've seen the play twice and the movie umpteen times, but nobody does a better Nathan than Frank Sinatra. Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, and Vivian Blaine all add to the movie's magic. Even though Stubby Kaye has a small role, he steals the show in his scenes. If you're feeling down in the dumps, this movie will make you chuckle, tap your feet, and burst out in song. You've read the twenty-four reviews above mine. It's unanimous--Guys and Dolls is a five-star film. Why doesn't amazon.com release it again? Don't they read our reviews? PLEASE RERELEASE THIS MOVIE!