# "Guys and Dolls" 1955 movie -- why Sinatra for Nathan Detroit?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-dolls-1955-movie-why-sinatra-for-nathan-detroit/682130>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 24, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-dolls-1955-movie-why-sinatra-for-nathan-detroit/682130 "2014-02-24T18:33:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-dolls-1955-movie-why-sinatra-for-nathan-detroit/682130/21 "2014-02-25T01:42:00Z")

</div>

> [@Sampiro](#):
>
> Maybe somebody will remake the movie and cast Ronan Farrow as Sky.

You are [del]my hero[/del] an evil, evil man.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-dolls-1955-movie-why-sinatra-for-nathan-detroit/682130/22 "2014-02-25T01:46:20Z")

</div>

Sinatra later recorded a version of “Guys and Dolls” with his Rat Pack/ Summit buddies for Reprise. I think he sang most of the Masterson songs. Brando and Sinatra didn’t like each other. Sinatra said Brando should be called Mumbles, Brando described Sinatra as mad at God for making him bald.

```
Not the only time Sinatra was past over for a non singer. Johnny Carson assessment of Howard Cosell Saturday evening variety show was tennis star Jimmy Connors sang but Sinatra didn't.
```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\
**Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-dolls-1955-movie-why-sinatra-for-nathan-detroit/682130/23 "2014-02-26T14:06:07Z")

</div>

I love the music from G&D - have Sinatra’s recording as mentioned above - but I can NOT watch the movie with Brando.

Never did like him as an actor, or a person - let alone the man mangling such good music. Like nails on a blackboard!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-dolls-1955-movie-why-sinatra-for-nathan-detroit/682130/24 "2014-02-28T08:26:01Z")

</div>

> [@RealityChuck](#):
>
> Not only no singing, but originally written for someone (Sam Levene) who couldn’t sing a lick. “Sue Me” has that run up ("Get a lawyer and … ") because Levene couldn’t get anywhere near the right note without it.

This small golden nugget of a story is exactly the kind of thing that led me here to the Dope in the first place. Thank you.

I don’t think I would have liked Sinatra as Sky, and as others have said - Brando does a passable job of singing, and looks great.  
I’ve read all the Damon Runyon stories multiple times, but the musical and film are just different entities - the characters ages in the stories mean nothing to the film really. They aren’t sweet scallywags in the books… and they don’t sing.  
The songs are fantastic though. My favourite being ‘Adelaide’s Lament’ - genius writing.

MiM

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guys-and-dolls-1955-movie-why-sinatra-for-nathan-detroit/682130.md?page=1)