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	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	March 9, 1956 (1956-03-09)
Running time	112 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$2,495,000[1]
Box office	$3,714,000[1]

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.

The original story and screenplay is by Isobel Lennart, cinematography by Robert Bronner, music direction by George Stoll of Skip Martin's orchestrations, with 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 and classical 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 (in his last film role)
• Liliane Montevecchi as Lilli
• Cara Williams as Kelly Donavan
• George Chakiris as Young Groom (as George Kerris, in a non-dancing role)
• 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 teenage singer Mitsuko Sawamura. Cameos include Frank Sinatra, Debbie Reynolds, Vic Damone, Pier Angeli, Peter Lorre, and Tony Martin (who was married to Charisse). Jazzman Pete Rugolo plays the house band's pianist-conductor.

For the closing production ballet, Sammy Davis Jr. narrates and sings offscreen an updated "Frankie and Johnny", danced principally 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]

Critic Bosley Crowther wrote " ... the best thing, by far, is the finale — a gaudy, satiric ballet, done to the old "Frankie and Johnny" ballad, as arranged by Johnny Green. Miss Charisse is accompanied in this one by Liliane Montevecchi as "the other dame" and John Brascia as the luckless Johnny, and the ballad, with modern Bebop lyrics, by Sammy Cahn, is sung by the off-screen voice of Sammy Davis Jr. It's crazy, man! And cool!''^[3]

Honors

The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Musical Score. The original songs were composed by Nicholas Brodszky and Sammy Cahn.

Home media

The film was released on DVD from Warner Brothers Archive Collection on July 8, 2011.