Joey Evans isn't a very nice person.If you've got a daughter maybe you should lock her up because for some reason the broads go crazy after him. He's a skinny little guy you'd pass by on the sidewalk without looking at but whatever it is the girlies like - he's got it in spades.He ain't above schmoozing the chicks for bread either,if he's a bit short of the folding green.Basically the guy's a putz.OK,so he can sing a bit,but that don't make him Gigli,right,he's still a putz. That,basically,is the "book" for the George Sidney musical "Pal Joey". Fortunately it has some fine Rodgers and Hart songs and two strong if not particularly likable performances from Mr Frank Sinatra and Miss Rita Hayworth.The very beautiful Miss Kim Novak has eyes of the most startling colour,skin as smooth as a baby's and the air of slightly-bruised innocence that men of a certain age prize very highly.She plays Miss Hayworth's rival for the affections of Mr Sinatra.She mimes rather sweetly to "My Funny Valentine" and there are lots of close-ups of her eyes. Mr Sinatra was the byword for cool in 1957 but to more modern sensibilities some of his attitudes may find less favour than of yore. He certainly seemed to have no trouble suppressing his feminine side. Lines I laughed at when it first came out now seem distinctly unfunny. He seems to be polishing up his Las Vegas act.I loved the way he carries his mac over his shoulder and pushes his hat onto the back of his head, the passing of time has,unhappily,cast that as affectation not cool,and his snappy one-liners offensive,not sharp.Both he and Joey Evans I imagine would be easy men to love but hard men to like.
Review of Pal Joey
