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      The Joker Is Wild

      Released Sep 26, 1957 2h 6m Biography List
      Reviews 82% 250+ Ratings Audience Score Prohibition-era nightclub crooner Joe E. Lewis (Frank Sinatra) has his career and nearly his life cut short when his throat is slashed as payback for leaving the employ of Chicago mob boss Georgie Parker (Ted de Corsia). A broken alcoholic, Joe is brought back from the abyss by his faithful piano player, Austin Mack (Eddie Albert), who helps turn the former singer into a successful stand-up comedian. But Joe's demons plague his romantic life even as he reaches new heights of success. Read More Read Less

      Critics Reviews

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      Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Frank Sinatra is well-cast playing the comedian. Rated: B- Oct 28, 2015 Full Review Phil Hall Film Threat One of Sinatra's best performances. Rated: 4.5/5 Aug 8, 2014 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member Well acted but painful to watch. Joe Lewis is such an insufferable character that there is no way to sympathize with anything to happens to him, since it's all self inflicted. Frank Sinatra is very good, and so is Mitzi Gaynor, but you fee sorry for her having to be in this. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/15/23 Full Review Audience Member The best movie song ever sung: All the Way! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Frank Sinatra gives a strong performance as singer/comedian Joe E. Lewis in this biopic; Jeanne Crain and Mitzi Gaynor are the women in his life; the song "All the Way" won the Oscar. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review ashley h The Joker Is Wild is an amazing film. It is about Joe E. Lewis, a famous comedian of the 1930s-50s. Frank Sinatra and Mitzi Gaynor give incredible performances. The screenplay is well written. Charles Vidor did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this motion picture because of the drama and music. The Joker Is Wild is a must see. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member what an incredible movie. The story seems predictable at first, but it turns out to be one of the most original and powerful stories I've heard. I absolutely love the ending, and I love how it feels both empty and satisfying at the same time. At first, I felt that the overall themes and even the characters themselves were too vague, but after some recollection, the entire film comes together so beautifully. Frank Sinatra delivers one of his performances in my opinion, the way he shifts his character as the story progresses is unbelievable (in a good way). And the musical numbers are just great. Superb film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member Sinatra offers a good account of Joe E. Lewis in a film made during his most fruitful as an actor before the laziness of the Rat Pack years crept into his work. The moody black and white camera work also helps set the tone for this rather downbeat bio pic. As the two women in his life Jeanne Crain and Mitzi Gaynor both perform well but the really strong woman's role goes to Beverly Garland, always an underused and undervalued actress, as Eddie Albert's loyal wife. She is strong, gritty, sensible and sympathic as needs be doing a great deal with what could have been a nothing part. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

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      The Joker Is Wild

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis Prohibition-era nightclub crooner Joe E. Lewis (Frank Sinatra) has his career and nearly his life cut short when his throat is slashed as payback for leaving the employ of Chicago mob boss Georgie Parker (Ted de Corsia). A broken alcoholic, Joe is brought back from the abyss by his faithful piano player, Austin Mack (Eddie Albert), who helps turn the former singer into a successful stand-up comedian. But Joe's demons plague his romantic life even as he reaches new heights of success.
      Director
      Charles Vidor
      Producer
      Charles Vidor
      Screenwriter
      Art Cohn, Oscar Saul
      Distributor
      Paramount Pictures
      Production Co
      Paramount Pictures
      Genre
      Biography
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Sep 26, 1957, Original
      Runtime
      2h 6m
      Sound Mix
      Mono