Joseph L. Mankiewicz adapted and directed this lavish screen-version of the long-running Broadway hit musical, retaining much of Frank Loesser's fine score in a romantic Damon Runyon story about two gamblers in New York, one trying to stay ahead of the cops and the other trying to stay ahead of a female missionary with the Salvation Army. Frank Sinatra is the proprietor of a floating gambling ring who bets smooth-operator Marlon Brando a thousand G's he can't conquer Jean Simmons, a prude in uniform. As agonizing as it is to hear the men constantly referring to the ladies as "dolls", this is a tuneful, colorful enterprise which includes a fun group of shady characters but ultimately sags from the weight of Mankiewicz's disappointing staging. At one point while singing, Brando's head is framed by the American flag (it looks like he's wearing it as a hat); later, Vivian Blaine is up on stage performing and her head is framed by a neon bird in the background. Trimming might have helped since the show is a good 30 minutes too long, yet the picture has a galumphing rhythm, harmed further by Michael Kidd's comically physical choreography and Brando's too-high intensity. The wordy scenes of Brando attempting to seduce Simmons are rather surprising in this otherwise cartoon-bright setting with attention-deficit disorder, yet his manner and delivery are all wrong (he acts like he's going to belt her). Amusing performances come from mostly from the supporting cast, with Stubby Kaye and B.S. Pully always nice to have around. Sinatra gets the short shrift, but he's in good voice and makes the best of what genuine razzle-dazzle there is. **1/2 from ****