Bloodhounds of Broadway

This Damon Runyon story feels slightly related to "Guys and Dolls", but it does not have the production values of the better-known musical that was released in 1955.

Crime boss "Numbers" Foster (Scott Brady) leaves New York by car when the heat is on, afraid he might have to testify before the Crime Commission. When his driver/minion, "Poorly Sammis", takes a wrong turn, they find themselves in the Georgia backwoods, where a beautiful young Emily Ann (Mitzi Gaynor) treats them right neighborly. Numbers decides to take Emily back to New York with him, along with her two pet bloodhounds.

When back in the city, Numbers---whose intentions might be avuncular; it's hard to tell---tries to find a job for Emily Ann. Surprise, she can sing and dance! That works well for everyone except Numbers' girlfriend, Yvonne (Marguerite Chapman), who feels threatened.

This is a decent musical, but definitely B level. Mitzi Gaynor is quite good in her role. The wardrobe and the choreo have notable moments. The music cannot stack up to "Guys and Dolls", but having two cast members named Mitzi is unique.

Damon Runyon's "Bloodhounds of Broadway" (1952) is basically "Kissin' Cousins" meets "Guys & Dolls"; as New York bookie "Numbers" Foster (Scott Brady) stumbles onto calico-clad Emily Ann Stackerlee (Mitzi Gaynor) in rural Georgia and takes her (and her dogs) with him back to his New York City nightclub.

Simply put, no Hollywood actress ever glammed up or plained down with quite the degree of erotic fantasy contrast of Mitzi Gaynor, or at least of a young Mitzi (and she was only 21 when "Bloodhounds of Broadway" was filmed). The mind-blowing qualities of this disparity accounted for much of her popularity with audiences and producers, and gave a special sizzle to her most memorable films. On the other hand, her performances in films that failed to showcase this disparity (like "South Pacific") had a sterile flatness.

"Bloodhounds of Broadway" neatly exploits Gaynor's physical range, it is almost as if the storyline was written solely for this purpose. Her transformation deliberately lacks subtlety because the whole point is to overwhelm the observer with the contrast, causing them to participate in producing the synergy of the experience. It is plausible only because Gaynor has a unique physical quality which visually sells it, bookending the production at her most innocent with "In the Sweet Bye and Bye" and at her hottest (this side of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes") with "Jack of Diamonds".

The audience's reaction to the transformation of Emily Ann nicely illustrates the concept of a film as a semifinished product, to be used by the viewer to complete the artistic process rather than something they simply consume.

If you are buying the DVD used (or unsealed) be sure that the two-fold brochure and the 20th Century Fox envelope are included; the envelope contains four miniature black & white lobby cards on glossy heavy stock paper.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Mitzi Gaynor, to me, is an enigma. She could dance well, sing with more than a little ability... but never really grabbed the screen and held onto it. Her performance in this one is a very good example. True, the part is ridiculous, and the character's transition is sloppily written. But her acting, in general, is pure artifice, part of the problem she would eventually face in 'South Pacific'. She is pert and yet lacking charisma. This film does have some charm, including the 'I've Got a Feeling You're Foolin' Number. And Scott Brady happens to be in his element here. To me, though, the film is worth seeing just to admire Marguerite Chapman, one of the most beautiful and unjustly forgotten actresses. Few actresses could show 'spit and vinegar' and temperament in their performances the way Chapman does so easily. Harmon Jones' direction follows the imperfect script. When the structure of a Runyhon yarn becomes so obvious that you take note of its inconsistencies, its plot holes seem like Manhattan potholes.

As delightful as it is corny, this comedy-musical is based on a story by Damon Runyan, whose interest in the New York crime world led to the creation of "Guys and Dolls," another must-see musical. Mitzi Gaynor is a delight as a country girl caught up in the escapades of a couple of crooks. This is totally her film, whether she is dancing a duet with Mousketeer Sharon Baird to the folk tune "Cindy" or swinging with Richard Green and Mitzi Green to "I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'." However many Mitzis they put in this movie, it belongs to Gaynor, whose enduring career makes her a performing legend and a movie great. In 2020 she was still kickin' going on age 89.

I am an entirely biased Mitzi Gaynor fan. The most all around talent of them all. Singer, Dancer, completely natural actress and entertainer extraordinaire.

I think the less said about Scott Brady the better. Someone once said about an early Katherine Hepburn movie "she covered the range of emotions from A to B" ... well she was still two up on Scott. Couple of nice Damon Runyon comedy relief characters that did do nice work, however. The bloodhounds were fun and provided a great ending.

The number "Bout Eighty Miles Outside of Atlanta" knocked my socks off. Straight out of a Lil Abner scene in Dogpatch (only better) The other big number, "Jack of Diamonds" was also a good example of Mitzi comin' on full blast. Throw the rest of the movie away and just give me those two numbers and I am still happy.

Thank you for your attention .. go see the movie.