Party Girl (1958)

So much average

Powerful

Absolutely the worst movie.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Eddie Muller brought it to Noir Alley. The best thing to say about it is that it is not boring. First, where did that title come from. Cyd Charisse never has fun. Cyd was not exactly the most emotional actress who ever lived but her mysterious beauty is always there. And those dance numbers? 1930s Chicago? Right, I am stupid. The look of the film is what sinks it. There is zero period flavor which might have made it more fun. Taylor has always been a screen personality that I found boring even at his most beautiful. But here you see a real actor. The character is very rich and human. I think it is a shame that the movie had such a pathetic goal that he is wasted. Lee J. Cobb? He played Johnny Friendly again. The rest of the cast is made up of ciphers who were given so little to do.

Ray's personal troubles aside, he was a great director.But this "techninoir" mess is a sad send off for an otherwise great career.PG is hardly noir. But it is a great example of cliched, predictable, bland and blase´ fluff.Yes, it's quirky, unusual, and odd. All for the wrong reasons.Of all the mobster movies I've seen, this is one of them. "Some Like It Hot" even steals and makes fun of lots of previous mob movies, and SLIH plays off what you see in PG.Terrible waste of Metrocolor and talent.

Nice to see that David Opatoshu and Lee J. Cobb were in this film. 2 years later they would star as brothers on a different path in the wonderful "Exodus."Eleven years before, Kent Smith and John Ireland both gave wonderful support in the winning "All the King's Men." In this one, Ireland is a hard-nosed gangster under Cobb's thumb and Smith is a prosecuting attorney, very much different from his usual bland roles.The film stars Robert Taylor and Syd Charisse as two people caught up with gangster Rico, Cobb. Taylor is his mouth piece and Charisse, the dancer with whom Taylor links up and they eventually try to rid themselves of Rico, but are caught up by threats, intimidation and general violence, conducive for the 1930s Chicago setting.It's basically the old story of trying to reform and start anew, and it is done quite well.

Crippled Lawyer Thomas Farrell (Robert Taylor) has made a career defending crooks in trials, so much so he's now the front line defender for the Chicago mob. But into his life comes dancer Vicki Gayle (Cyd Charisse), who as he starts to fall in love with her, makes him see that his life is worth so much more than that. However, mob king Rico Angelo (Lee J. Cobb) is keen to retain Farrell's services, at any price it seems.There's no getting away from it, Party Girl (a euphemism for a prostitute) features a very standard formulaic plot. It's also a very misleading title in that it doesn't scream out this is a crime picture. Directed by Nicholas Ray for MGM (his last for one of the big hitting studios), it's adapted by George Wells from a story by Leo Katcher. Supporting the three principal actors are John Ireland & Kent Smith. Robert J. Bronner (Jailhouse Rock) provides photography and the film is a CinemaScope/Metrocolor production.Set as it is in prohibition Chicago, it allows Ray to rise above its simple formula and blend his knack for visual touches with interesting characterisations. If we really are going to cement this in the film noir genre? Then it's more down to the director than anything in the story. Yes there's themes such as alienation, vulnerability and the core essence potential for tragi-love-born out of two characters stuck in differing forms of prostitution. But the script is so weak it needed Ray to put an almost surreal sheen over it. There's exotic dancing featuring prominently, some what a given with the weak Charisse starring (in fairness to her it's one hell of a cliché riddled role), but again Ray crafts in such a way it doesn't let the film feel too sprightly. Something that this lush production is in danger of being at times. Yet line those dance numbers alongside scenes such as a portrait of Jean Harlow being shot to pieces, or of Charisse being questioned by a policeman's Silhouette; and you get an oddity. But a very enjoyable one.This was Taylor's last contract film for MGM, and fittingly it's one of his very best performances. Again one tends to think this is probably down to Ray's coaxing, but regardless, Taylor plays Farrell with vulnerable elegance and a steely eyed determination that carries Charisse along with him. Thus the romance is believable, and yes, engaging. Cobb does another in his long line of larger than life characters. Chewing the scenery as much as his Rico character chews on his cigars. While Ireland is a by the numbers thug for hire and Kent Smith a talking prop. There's a fleeting performance from Corey Allen as baby faced psychopath Cookie La Motte, a character that the film could have definitely done with more of. Here's the main problem with Party Girl, it's just not edgy or dangerous enough. Which in a film involving gangsters, murders and crooked court cases, is an issue is it not? But thanks to Ray and Taylor the film overcomes its many flaws to wind up being a very enjoyable crime-love story based picture. But film noir? Well that's debatable really. But lets not get into that... 7/10