Meet Me in Las Vegas
Meet Me in Las Vegas is a 1956 American musical comedy film directed by Roy Rowland, filmed in Eastman Color and CinemaScope, and starring Dan Dailey and Cyd Charisse. It was produced by Joe Pasternak for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
| Meet Me in Las Vegas | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Roy Rowland |
| Written by | Isobel Lennart |
| Produced by | Joe Pasternak |
| Starring | Dan Dailey Cyd Charisse Agnes Moorehead Lili Darvas Jim Backus Oskar Karlweis Liliane Montevecchi Cara Williams The Four Aces Jerry Colonna Paul Henreid Lena Horne Frankie Laine Mitsuko Sawamura |
| Cinematography | Robert J. Bronner |
| Edited by | Albert Akst |
| Music by | George Stoll |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
|
Running time | 112 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2,495,000[1] |
| Box office | $3,714,000[1] |
The screenplay is by Isobel Lennart, cinematography by Robert Bronner, music direction by George Stoll, and choreography by Hermes Pan and Eugene Loring. It was largely shot on location in Las Vegas and several popular celebrities are featured as themselves.
Plot
Set in and around the Sands Hotel, the film tells "what happens when a gambling rancher discovers that all he has to do to win at roulette is take hold of ballerina Charisse's hand". The film was tailored for the talents of Charisse, showcasing her skills with modern ballet.[2]
Cast
- Dan Dailey as Chuck Rodwell
- Cyd Charisse as Maria Corvier
- Agnes Moorehead as Miss Hattie
- Lili Darvas as Sari Hatvany
- Jim Backus as Tom Culdane
- Oskar Karlweis as Lotzi - Sands Blackjack Dealer
- Liliane Montevecchi as Lilli
- Cara Williams as Kelly Donavan
- George Chakiris as Young Groom (as George Kerris)
- Betty Lynn as Young Bride
- Henry Slate as Slate Brother
- Jack Slate as Slate Brother
- Sid Slate as Slate Brother
- Pete Rugolo as Conductor
- John Brascia as Specialty Dancer
There are brief appearances by The Four Aces, Jerry Colonna, Paul Henreid, Lena Horne, Frankie Laine, and Mitsuko Sawamura. Cameos include Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, Vic Damone, Pier Angeli, Peter Lorre, and Tony Martin (who was married to Charisse).
Sammy Davis Jr. sings "Frankie and Johnny", danced by Charisse, Montevecchi, and Brascia, with special lyrics by Sammy Cahn and arranged by Johnny Green.
Reception
According to MGM records, the $2.5M film earned $2,217,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $1,497,000 in other markets, resulting in a profit of $496,000.[1]
Honors
The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Musical Score.
Home media
The film was released on DVD from Warner Brothers Archive Collection on July 8, 2011.
References
- The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
- Clive Hischhorn, The Hollywood Musical