Pal Joey (1957)
The Movie
Pal Joey the movie, directed by George Sydney, was released 17 years after Pal Joey the musical. It retained about half of the Broadway show's Rogers and Hart tunes and added a few more for good measure. The leading man was changed from a dancer (Gene Kelly) to a crooner (naturally, since that's what Frank Sinatra did) and the Chicago setting became San Francisco, deeming it a candidate for this blog. Hollywood's contribution of luxuriant scenes, costumes and music (arranged by Nelson Riddle) guaranteed the movie a successful reception with critics and at the box office. Several Oscar and Golden Globe nominations followed and Sinatra won the Golden Globe for best actor in a comedy or musical.
(Watch the lighthearted trailer complete with samples of great songs by Sinatra, Rita Hayworth (dubbed by Jo Ann Greer) and Kim Novak (dubbed by Trudy Erwin).
The Story
Joey Evans (Sinatra) was a wise-cracking semi-likeable crooner who women fawned over even as he treated them as chattel. He is thrown out of town by the local police for bedding the mayor's under-age daughter but lands on his feet singing in San Francisco's red light district. He soon meets the older but wealthy Vera Prentice-Simpson (Hayworth, close to 3 years younger than him in real life) and the younger chorus girl Linda English (Novak). They both angle for marriage but he resists until one of them softens his heart.
The Locations
One Way Ticket Spenger's Fish Grotto, 1919 4th Street, Berkeley, California--- Berkeley Train Station, 4th Street at University Avenue, Berkeley, California
West Coast Arrival Oakland Pier, 7th Street, Oakland--- Ferry Building, San Francisco
International Settlement Pacific Avenue between Kearny and Montgomery--- Bella Pacific, 560 Pacific--- Arabian Nights, 592 Pacific--- Barbary Coast, 533 Pacific
Vera Simpson's Mansion - 1 Coit Tower (virtual location), Pioneer Park, Telegraph Hill
Joey Finds A Room 1250 Taylor Street, Nob Hill
Pet Shop 517 Pacific Avenue, Jackson Square
Vera Simpson's Mansion - 2 Coit Tower (virtual location), Pioneer Park, Telegraph Hill
Vera's Yacht Vera West Harbor, Marina Boulevard, the Marina
Club Chez Joey 2080 Washington Street, Pacific Heights
A Happy Ending 2080 Washington Street, Pacific Heights--- Near St Francis Yacht Club, the Marina