PARTY GIRL
US, 1958, 98 minutes, Colour.
Robert Taylor, Cyd Charisse, Lee J. Cobb, John Ireland, Kent Smith.
Directed by Nicholas Ray.
Party Girl is a colourful gangster thriller, made in the late 1950s, at a time when the gangster films of the '30s had begun to be classics. There was a revival of gangsters in the late '50s early '60s. However, with The Godfather and many similar films as well as police stories, the gangster film came into its own in the '70s and '80s. This film was not so well received in its time.
Robert Taylor is solid as the crooked hero; Cyd Charisse has some glamour as the title party girl. There is quite a strong supporting cast. Direction is by Nicholas Ray. He had made an impression with his earlier films including They Drive By Night, The Lusty Men. During the '50s he made what seemed to be some heightened, even lurid, melodramas. His career was cut short by illness during the '60s after making The King of Kings and 55 Days at Peking. A film study of him was made by German writer director Wim Wenders, Lightning Over Water.
1. The popularity of the gangster thriller in American cinema? The classics of the '30s? The revival in the '70s and '80s? Comparisons for this film?
2. Production values: M.G.M., Cinemascope, colour? Chicago, the '30s? Sense of period? Musical score? Song?
3. The M.G.M. cast, playing in and against type? The work of Nicholas Ray and critical acclaim?
4. The presentation of gangsters in the '30s - warnings, encapsulating history as it was made? The moralising? Yet the attractiveness of the gangsters? What had happened by the '50s? Later? The world created ? real or unreal? Audience response to the world of crime. wealth. violence? Gangster types? Power, the law? The vicious subculture of the gangsters and their wheeler dealing?
5. The moral judgment filmmakers made, audiences? Mirroring a world? Audiences identifying with it? Repelled by it?
6. Robert Taylor's style as Thomas Farrell? His presence, lameness? Symbolic? Attitude towards the law? His reputation, connections? His principles? Reaction to Cannetto? His care for Vicky? Ricco and his relationship? His success and his physical and moral disabilities? Cookie and his mania? The build-up of the gang wars? The role of the law? The prosecutor and holding Farrell? The kidnappings? His being picked up. biding for time, saving Vicky? An ambiguous hero? The importance of his lameness, the trip to Sweden. the operation and its success? Relating to Vicky - her saving him, his saving her?
7. Ricco and his power. wealth, father-figure for Farrell and for Cookie, lavish entertainment, glamour and girls, Cannetto and Cookie, the clashes, the violence, his decisions, the kidnapping, the acid threat for Vicky, the violent end? The Godfather type portrait?
8. The sketch of the gangsters, Cannetto and his toughness, Vicky? Cookie and his insanity? Violent deaths? The mad mania. attitude towards the law. believing themselves above the law?
9. The portrait of the law, the ability of administration to hold the gangsters, corruption, the earnest prosecutor?
10. Vicky and her background, type, contacts, victim, the kidnapping, the acid threat? Rescued by Farrell, urging him to better things, mutual help? Love?
11. The issues of gangster films and reflection of American lifestyle? Values? Morals?
