Meet Danny Wilson

1952 "It's Frankie and Shelley! That Dynamite pair!"
6.2| 1h28m| NR| en
Details

A lounge singer sees his career skyrocket after he signs a contract for a mobster nightclub owner.

Director

Producted By

Universal International Pictures

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Reviews

ClassyWas Excellent, smart action film.
Forumrxes Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.
Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.
Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
JLRMovieReviews A largely forgotten gem is Meet Danny Wilson, a musical drama with Frank Sinatra. He's an aspiring singer with a partner who plays the piano. But there's a story there, as to how the partner's health is failing. Through a new acquaintance they make in costar Shelley Winters, they get a break and audition for a nightclub, owned by Raymond Burr, who's, of course, on the shady side. Ray knows a good thing when he hears it and only agrees to let him perform in his club if they agree to let him have a percentage for all future income, all future income. His partner doesn't like it, but Frank doesn't care. He doesn't know what he's doing when he makes a promise to Raymond Burr. (There's no signed contract, because Ray doesn't need one; he holds people to their word.) Shelley Winters is Ray's girl, but Frank takes a liking to her and she to Frank's partner. Oh boy! Such is the dramatic content of the picture, with Ray being possessive of his part of Frank and the love triangle, which is almost superfluous to the music. Every song sung here is a highlight, a bluesy one in jail, a duet between Frank and Shelley, and others. There were no new songs written for this film, but the standards sung are worth the price of admission themselves. Miss Frank Sinatra as Danny Wilson and you miss one of the best crooners ever in action and being chased by Raymond Burr!
bkoganbing Any excuse like Meet Danny Wilson you can get to hear Frank Sinatra sing some great old standards is something to take advantage of. Problem with Meet Danny Wilson is that when Sinatra stops singing, he's really one obnoxious boor in this film.Singer Frank Sinatra and his accompanist piano player Alex Nicol are making a meager living in a whole lot of dives until top singer Shelley Winters hears them and gets them hired by her gangster boss Raymond Burr. Burr's got eyes for her, Sinatra has eyes for her, but she only sees Nicol. That leads to a whole lot of complications.What further leads to complications is Raymond Burr's verbal contract to get 50% of Sinatra's earnings. Burr doesn't like things in writing just fork over the money and he has 32 caliber lawyer if needed.Some have said this is a thinly veiled Sinatra autobiographical film. If so it's a picture of Frank no one could take. I'm still trying to figure out why Nicol puts up with him. They're old army buddies, but that only takes you so far.Danny Wilson is one of the least attractive characters Sinatra ever brought to the screen. But when he's singing, my oh my.
willrams Most enjoyable film with Sinatra and Shelley Winters in a love triangle and messy criminal goings on. Specifically interesting is the part of Raymond Burr, who is a real meany, and cameo roles abound including Tony Curtis and Jeff Chandler, among others who look like they're waiting for something to happen! It does! The music and singing is great! The acting is great! Be ready to enjoy! 7/10
clive-38 At the time of its release "Meet Danny Wilson" was never considered to be one of Frank Sinatra's better roles and the film received poor reviews in most of the Press. However, in my opinion it was the perfect part for Sinatra (almost a fictionalised biography of his life in fact) - he gave a most impressive performance and put over all his songs with superb style and confidence. This was Sinatra's last film before his celebrated "comeback" role in "From Here to Eternity" (1953) for which he deservedly won the Best Supporting Actor "Oscar". "Meet Danny Wilson" is one of Sinatra's lesser known films made during the shaky period when his career was in serious decline. Everyone remembers "Pal Joey", "The Joker Is Wild", "Man With the Golden Arm", "High Society", "Guys and Dolls", "The Manchurian Candidate", "Oceans 11" and the other Rat Pack films but how many can actually recall "Meet Danny Wilson"? Just a few dedicated fans I'll wager!Although "Meet Danny Wilson" was only a small budget black and white production (from Universal International) it was competently directed by Joseph Pevney and had a talented supporting cast including Shelley Winters, Alex Nicol and Raymond Burr, with cameo appearances from Tony Curtis and Jeff Chandler. The film contains a wonderful range of Sinatra standards such as "She's Funny That Way", "That Old Black Magic", "When You're Smiling", "All of Me", "I've Got a Crush on You", "How Deep is the Ocean?" and others.Sinatra played quick tempered up and coming bar singer Danny Wilson hoping to break into big time show business. Alex Nicol was his friend/pianist/manager Mike Ryan always there to get him out of trouble and Shelley Winters as Joy Carroll provided the love interest (although it has been rumoured that in reality Winters did not get on at all well with Sinatra during the filming!). Raymond Burr (in an early role long before his popular "Perry Mason" TV series) was corrupt club owner and gangster Nick Driscoll who could foresee the star potential in Danny and therefore gave him a singing engagement at his club to get him started (and gain control) in return for 50% of all Danny's future earnings. This arrangement naturally caused much bitterness and many problems later when Danny became famous!!Raymond Burr: "Personally, I'm a Crosby fan". Sinatra: "That should make Bing very happy"."Meet Danny Wilson" is one of Sinatra's more obscure films but has an interesting storyline with good performances by its stars. The songs alone make it all worthwhile. Be sure to see it if you get the chance. 10/10. Clive Roberts.