Guys and Dolls Film- Replacing Songs

Why does Hollywood do anything?? hehe

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I think they took out two of the best songs from the score when they did that, and I agree that it had to do with Brando's range.

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I love Bushel, and whenever I watch the film I miss it dearly...

Actually the title song was performed by Nathan Detroit,Nicely-Nicely and Benny Southstreet. Not Harry The Horse. On stage it was a duet by Nicely and Benny.

Kinda. Harry brings Big Jule to New York.

"Adelaide" added to the score, I think. Taking out "I've Never Been in Love Before" hurt it.

This would probably make an interesting thread - In addition to the aforementioned GUYS AND DOLLS - What other wonderful songs were excised from the film versions of Broadway musicals? For me one of the most glaring omissions was the gorgeous "The Music That Makes Me Dance" from the FUNNY GIRL movie.

I suspect Goldwyn had a hand in some of these changes.

"I've Never been in love Before" is more of an "art" song (gorgeous, but the lyrics are very poetic: "But this is wine that's all to strange and strong..") and Goldwyn wanted pop song hits. They did try to promote "Woman in love" as a hit song (Frankie Laine did a single of it) but it never quite reached the pop standard level.

"Pet Me Poppa" was inserted to build a big production number for teh Goldwyn Girls.

"Adelaide" put in for Sinatra (Sam Levene who played Nathan on Broadway was tone deaf! Unfortunately now when someone who can sing like Nathan Lane gets the role they don't get to sing much. And Jo Sullivan feels the show is perefect as it is without adding the film songs. She's right of course and it is a longish show anyhow.)

One odd thing: GUYS & DOLLS never got a proper soundtrack album. Sinatra was under contract to Capitol - they wanted it for their label. M-g-M was releasing the film so they wanted to do a soundtrack album. And Decca had recording rights - having done the cast album - and they wanted to do an album. In the end Decca did a 45 RPM extended-play record of four songs by Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons (A Woman in Love, I'll Know, IF I Were a Bell and Luck be a Lady - all taken from the film soundtrack.) They also put out an EP of Sammy Davis Jr. singing 4 songs inclusing "Adelaide" which Sinatra himself never recorded! Even on his Reprise album of songs from the show.

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The movie was made at a time when the Hollywood Production code was still in effect. Vera had to be made a widow (so she would not be committing adultry); Joey had to have a redemption at the end; Also for some reason they re-set the film in San Francisco (the song "Great big Twn" had its lyrics altered.)

The one interpolation that DID work was Sinatra snging "the Lady is a Tramp" as an insult to Vera. The rest were indeed ill-advised: "My Funny Valentne", "I didn't Know What Time it Was" and "There's a Small Hotel" all seemed very out-of-place.

It's shame because Sinatra was perfectly cast as Joey.

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They were talking about the title song "Guys and Dolls" being a duet between Nicely and Benny.

The film PAL JOYE also substanially sanitized the ribald lyric for "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered".


I HATE MOVIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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