This 1959 release/remake of a Paulette Goddard vehicle from 1949 is stylish. It's definitely an artifact of its' day. Eartha Kitt is the titular character, and Sammy Davis, Jr., is "Danny". Danny just can't stay away from Anna.
Anna is a "good time girl"/"fallen woman" (or any other cliche you want to use). She works her assets to make a living in San Diego, after her father "Joe" (Rex Ingram) kicks her out of the family home. The plot is fairly predictable, but the dialogue makes it work. Of course there is a duality within Anna. She wants a better, more stable life. She wants to be loved. On the other hand, her self-defeating choices continue dragging her down into the sordid life on the streets.
Anna's family finds out that the son of a family friend (Henry Scott, as "Rudolph") is soon moving to southern California. Rudolph is a fine catch, handsome and educated. He's also traveling with a bit of cash, as a stake to start his new life. Some of Anna's relatives find out, and decide Rudolph must be the type of "mark" they can manipulate. Perhaps they can relieve Rudolph of part/all of his wad of cash.
Rudolph is a dreamer, and wants to believe the best in every person. He meets Anna, and the spark is immediate. In short order, he proposes marriage. She accepts, and soon wedding plans are made. However, the streets keep calling to Anna. In addition, Joe wants Anna back to the street life (since Joe sometimes benefits from Anna's playing around).
No, there are no surprises in the ending. However, the presentation is impressive. The words come quick, the soundtrack is dynamic. Elmer Bernstein and Sammy Cahn are credited as composers, and they nailed it. It's an interesting look at black life on the west coast in the late 50s.
This is a great example of why Kitt had such a following for the latter half of the 20th century. No, she wasn't a classic beauty like Lena Horne. Her allure was more earthy, more curvy. She was the kind of girl about whom mothers warned their sheltered sons. The role had her in lots of tight dresses and heels, showing off a dangerous figure. She was quick-witted and all about surviving.
Davis was energetic, fairly bouncing off the walls. This movie is a good showcase of his work as well. He handled his lines with aplomb, did some stylish interpretive dancing, and made you pay attention every time he was on screen.
Scott, as Rudolph, was presented as the upwardly mobile black man of that era. He did a solid job as the kind of guy women would want and men would want to emulate. Ingram was blustery, aggressive and overbearing as the patriarch with his own issues. Fredrick O'Neal, as Anna's brother-in-law Frank, was nearly a cleaned-up/younger predecessor to Fred Sanford - dealer in knick-knacks, smooth-tongued and supremely confident.
For fans of this era in film-making, you might enjoy this film. I surely did.
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