Bloodhounds of Broadway

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.

Damon Runyon whose Guys And Dolls was still running on Broadway when Bloodhounds Of Broadway made its debut with a new musical star. It was a built in audience for 20th Century Fox's new musical star Mitzi Gaynor.

Sad to say that Gaynor came along just as musical films were getting fewer and fewer because of the expenses. She got in some good films though including the choice part of Nellie Forbush in South Pacific. Mitzi could sing, dance, and when called for could be very funny, the total package.

Bloodhounds of Broadway has Scott Brady leaving the New York jurisdiction to avoid testifying at a New York State Crime Commission. He and sidekick Wally Vernon come to a small Georgia town in the piney woods and there find Mitzi Gaynor with her two trained bloodhounds Nip and Tuck. She's also got Timothy Carey who has ideas of marrying her. I don't know about you but I consider that a fate worse than death. Brady takes her and the hounds back to Broadway though he has to lay low.

Brady also has a jealous girlfriend in Marguerite Chapman who might just blow the whistle on him. Brady is head of a large bookmaking operation that uses a laundry for a front. There is a very funny scene with Mary Wickes who has come in the place to get a wash done and she's being discouraged from patronizing the business for that purpose.

There's a really good performance from that other Mitzi, Green that is who spent most of her career on Broadway. She takes Gaynor under her wing. Also Michael O'Shea as a cop who grew up with Brady who is now looking to nail him.

The music comes from a variety of sources, best number is a hillbilly type dance that Gaynor does with Sharon Baird. You will also spot Charles Bronson in an early role as one of Brady's associates.

And those hounds make it complete. Bloodhounds On Broadway holds up well as nice musical entertainment.

Lots of slang like used in GUYS AND DOLLS. Well it is based on Damon Runyon's stories, so why not? Gamblers and dolls. Simple plot revolves around a numbers man Scott Brady meeting up with a little hick from GA, Mitzi Gaynor. Shades of what was to become her Nellie Forbush in SOUTH PACIFIC. Her character development in this is kind of sudden. In "life" a real cute little innocent, and in the musical numbers a regular siren. But who cares. This is a musical. Fox should release more of these little gems that were no great shakes at the box office, but are very much needed in this day and age of smutty and violent films. Nice interview with Mitzi on the new DVD. She says nice things about Marilyn Monroe during THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS, but I understand she didn't like her and didn't say very nice things about her. Has she changed her mind? Hope so. Well, let's have more of Mitzi like GOLDEN GIRL and THE I DON'T CARE GIRL. BLOODHOUNDS is certainly worth a look for nostalgia if nothing else.

Mitzi is knockout in this movie, and shows what a wasted talent she was in Hollywood, every movie Mitzi appeared in, "she shined like a rare talent", but unfortunately at the wrong studio, she was great in The Joker is Wild with Frank Sinatra, which I consider to be his best film, and was one of the best casted films ever, also she was great in Les Girls and stole the show, in There's no Business like Show business she was an absolute knockout and her part was built up as it became apparent the work she was doing was so good, even though during the making of the film the studio sacked her, but they asked her back four years later to star in one of the greatest musicals of all time "South Pacific" which turned out to be a blockbuster, she later went on to be probably one of the greatest entertainers (certainly the greatest female entertainer) in Las Vegas and other cities, where she always got knockout reviews with sold out performances.look out for this movie being at last released on DVD