atlasmb Lucille Ball plays a callous chorine named Gloria Lyons who is undeservedly adored by a busboy named "Little Pinks" Pinkerton (Henry Fonda). She treats him--and most other people--like dirt, but he is willing to take abuse from the woman he worships.When Gloria faces adversity, Pinks is there to see her through it, but she remains a resolute bitch. Ball never acted better than in this role. Fonda portrays a favorite from his repertoire--the earnest man.Adapted from a story by Damon Runyon, the film is populated in part by those from the other side of the (race)track. Another reviewer implied that few would be familiar with the patois of Runyan, but any of the millions upon millions who have seen "Guys and Dolls" are already infinitely familiar with his peculiar but lovable vernacular. How does it all end? Will Pinks finally grow tired of his unappreciative goddess? Will he finally get the girl then regret it? I won't say. But it ends rather nicely nicely.

candidcamel This is a Must See Movie with stellar acting from Ball, Fonda and all others, however; this is one of the most depressing movies that I have ever watched and I will never watch it again. So, if you are on the sensitive side you might want to brace yourself with a box of tissues as Meg Ryan said in You've Got Mail and be prepared to endure a really difficult movie to watch. Do not think that because Lucille Ball stars in this movie that there will be any comedic and/or light moments. This movie is almost dark from beginning to end and Lucille's character is the most extreme opposite of anything that you have ever seen her in. I adore all of Lucille's early comedies and mysteries. She was right to be upset for her snub at the academy as her performance is startling brilliant, so much so as I stated before, to be seen, but for me...nevermore.

Jimmy L. It's always fun to spend time around the colorful characters of Damon Runyon's stories. He always wrote about eccentric New York City gamblers with hearts of gold and stylish lingo ("Guys and Dolls", "Little Miss Marker", "Lady for a Day"/"Pocketful of Miracles").Here the lovable mugs are played by an excellent cast including Ray Collins, Sam Levene, Eugene Palette, Agnes Moorehead, Millard Mitchell, and Hans Conried. Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball star, with Barton MacLane as the heavy.Runyon wrote the original story and produced this film, which tells the story of a humble busboy (Fonda) who is devoted to a selfish night club singer (Ball), even when she falls on hard times. It's got that sort of fairy tale spark evident in other Runyon stories, with the gambling community pooling their resources to help make someone's dream come true. In a way it's a love story, and in another way it's a very sad, tragic tale.Fonda's character comes across as pathetic, fawning over Ball's ungrateful diva when it is clear she is ugly on the inside. But his friends feel sorry for him and do all they can to help him help her.The greatest performances come from Ray Collins and Sam Levene as The Professor and Horsethief, respectively: the two most vocal Broadway mugs. Collins in particular is delightfully colorful. Bullfrog-throated Eugene Palette plays the part of Nicely-Nicely Johnson, made famous by Stubby Kaye in the musical "Guys and Dolls". Agnes Moorehead, in only her third film (after two Orson Welles pictures), lends lovable support. Lucille Ball is lovely and puts in a rather nice performance in an unconventional role for her.Damon Runyon's characters are always fun, and the scenes with Collins & co. buoy the story weaknesses.6.5/10

Noir-It-All I saw this film in the late '60's on our local TV station. It was not unusual to catch B movies starring our television personalities back in the day. What a film! I cried at the end. What shines through is the portrayal of the class levels within American society then. Lucille Ball's dame certainly internalized the idea that she was above the class of Henry Fonda's Pinky even while she subsisted on the food he brought home for her after she was no longer a gangster's moll. Henry Fonda's Pinky was a true codependent, picking her up from the floor, keeping her alive, even moving her from cold, icy New York City to the east coast Eden of Miami (shades of Midnight Cowboy!)with nary a thank you from this ungrateful woman. Through a plot device, Pinky and the busboys don tuxedos at the end so she condescends to be carried up the stairs by one of their own, enabling her self deceit that she is an upper class lady. Someone wrote it was too much of a downer to have been successful when released and couldn't be made today as the bit players do not exist to round out the cast. Rise above the limitations of both eras and enjoy this film.