Themes: Opposites Attract, Mothers and Sons, Dancer's Life
Main Cast: Dan Dailey, Cyd Charisse, Agnes Moorehead, Lili Darvas, Jim Backus
Release Year: 1956
Country: US
Run Time: 112 minutes
Plot
A whole slew of guest stars makes Meet Me in Las Vegas a special treat for movie buffs. The central plot concerns wealthy rancher Chuck Rodwell (Dan Dailey), who takes a Vegas vacation with his mother (Agnes Moorehead). At the same time, ballerina Maria Corvier (Cyd Charisse) also arrives in Las Vegas, accompanied by chaperone Sari Hatvany (Lili Darvas). During one marathon gambling session, Chuck comes to the conclusion that Sari is a good-luck charm, and insists that she remain by his side throughout his visit. Naturally, their relationship deepens into love, but not before a few complications, misunderstandings, and song-and-dance duets. Among the celebrities making cameo appearances (à la Around the World in 80 Days) are Jerry Colonna, Paul Henreid, Lena Horne, Frankie Laine, Peter Lorre, and Sammy Davis Jr. (voice only). Featured as dancers in Cyd Charisse's troupe are stars-to-be Liliane Montevecchi and George Chakiris. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
MGM threw every available star they could find into cameos in Meet Me in Las Vegas, as well as some nifty on-location shots and the then-fashionable Cinemascope; too bad they neglected to throw in a real script to hold it all together. Oh, there's a plot alright, and it more or less makes sense, but the dialogue is flat and too often the screenplay is just biding its time until the next number. That wouldn't be so bad if Las Vegas boasted a superior score, but most of it ranges from adequate to pleasant. Granted, Lena Horne is always worth hearing, but one wishes this star's cameo was centered around something more memorable than the unexceptional "If You Can Dream." The film's leads, Cyd Charisse and Dan Dailey, do well individually -- Charisse is given ample opportunity to show off her exceptional dance skills, not to mention her legs that go on for days, and Dailey displays charm in his duet with little Mitsuko Sawamura -- but they don't light up the screen together. There's dependable support from Agnes Moorehead and Jim Backus, of course, and the spot-the-stars cameos hold the interest for a while, but Las Vegas runs out of steam after a while. It's not like rolling snakes eyes, mind you, but it's also a long way from a lucky seven. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Cedric Gibbons - Art Director, Urie McCleary - Art Director, Eugene Loring - Choreography, Hermes Pan - Choreography, Helen Rose - Costume Designer, George Rhein - First Assistant Director, Roy Rowland - Director, Albert Akst - Editor, Johnny Green - Composer (Music Score), George Stoll - Composer (Music Score), William J. Tuttle - Makeup, Robert J. Bronner - Cinematographer, Joe Pasternak - Producer, Richard A. Pefferle - Set Designer, Edwin B. Willis - Set Designer, Warren Newcombe - Special Effects, Isobel Lennart - Screenwriter
