Guys and Dolls

Movie review by Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Guys and Dolls Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 9+

Classic Sinatra/Brando musical is a whole lot of fun.

NR 1955 150 minutes
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Parents say

age 12+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

age 9+

Based on 10 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that overall this is a family-friendly classic movie musical, but characters do lie and gamble. Also, Sky gets Sarah drunk by telling her that her frothy rum drink is "sweet milk."

Community Reviews

cpembroke
cpembroke Adult
October 27, 2021
age 13+

Includes sexual micro aggressions, maybe more

One of the main characters slips the lead actress a drink so she will kiss him. She was portrayed as so drunk she doesn’t remember. At the end of the show, everyone repents and everyone is in love. This show is a product of its time but I certainly want my daughter to be old enough to watch to have an analytical discussion about it.
sarahkay89
sarahkay89 Adult
November 17, 2010
age 10+

Great classic. Tweens and up will enjoy.

I have always loved old movies...especially musicals. This is an excellent production. The messages for kids are a little iffy...alcohol use (one character gets very drunk) and gambling is a big theme throughout the movie (crap-shoot). Technically the main characters are gang members and keep dodging the police. And one of the woman co-stars is a night club dancer/singer who does a couple somewhat questionable dance numbers. However, the end is happy with the them all reforming their ways and getting married. : )

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

The musical GUYS AND DOLLS takes place among the small-time underworld characters of New York. Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra) runs a "floating crap game." But he doesn't have enough money to book the next location. And, his (very) long- term fianceé, showgirl Adelaide (Vivian Blaine), is so distressed over his failure to marry her that she has developed a psychosomatic cold. Trying to get the money he needs, Nathan makes a bet with Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando). After Sky brags that he can get any "doll" to go out with him, Nathan challenges him to ask Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons), the local mission worker. Sky persuades Sarah to go to Havana for dinner, and, after he spikes her drink with liquor, they have a wonderful time and she starts to fall for him. When they get back, however, she finds that the crap game was held in the mission, and feels betrayed. In order to persuade her that his intentions are honorable, Sky rolls the dice in the crap game against the "souls" of the other players, and when he wins, they must all go to a meeting at the mission, the two couples get married, and everyone lives happily ever after.

Is It Any Good?

This musical classic, based on the stories of Damon Runyon, is a lot of fun, despite the fact that two of the leads are not singers and none of them can dance. But Brando and Simmons do surprisingly well, especially in the scenes set in Havana, and the movie is brash and splashy enough to be thoroughly entertaining.

Themes worth discussing include honesty in relationships and in competition (Harry the Horse cheats and threatens the other players) and how people decide whether to align themselves with (or between) the two extremes presented by the mission workers and the grifters and gamblers.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Adelaide says she has developed a cold from waiting for Nathan to marry her. How do people get physically sick from unhappiness or worry? What is the meaning of Sky's father's advice about the deck of cards? Is that good advice? Who changes the most in this movie? How can you tell?

Movie Details

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