Party Girl 1958

Note: Party Girl is one of only 4 colour films included within the 250 Quintessential Noirs listing.

Robert Taylor stars in director Nicholas Ray's Party Girl as the traditional Ray anti-hero: a criminal lawyer who's a little bit of both. Fronting for Chicago gang boss Lee J. Cobb during the late 1920s, Taylor manages to get Cobb-underling John Ireland off on a murder rap. Cobb throws a party to celebrate the event at his penthouse, where showgirl Cyd Charisse performs a sexy dance. Ireland has the hots for Charisse, but she's more interested in Taylor. Thanks to her good influence, Taylor decides to quit the rackets. But after agreeing to take one more case for Cobb, Taylor is wounded in a shoot-out and hauled before prosecutor Kent Smith. Smith orders Taylor to testify against Cobb; the lawyer agrees to do so provided that Charisse is given police protection. Unfortunately, Cobb gets to Charisse first and threatens to throw acid in her lovely face while Taylor watches helplessly.

Robert Taylor - Thomas Farrell

Cyd Charisse - Vicki Gaye

Lee J. Cobb - Rico Angelo

John Ireland - Louis Canetto

Kent Smith - Jeffrey Stewart

Corey Allen - Cooky La Motte

Lewis Charles - Danny Rimett

David Opatoshu - Lou Forbes

Patrick McVey - O'Malley

Barbara Lang - Tall Blond Party Girl

Myrna Hansen - Joy Hampton

Betty Utey - Party Girl

Hy Anzell - Man

Herb Armstrong - Intern

Margaret Bert - Wardrobe Woman

Peter Bourne - Cab Driver

Marshall Bradford - District Attorney

Barrie Chase - Showgirl

John Damler - Detective

Ken Dibbs - Joey Vulner

Burt Douglas - P.A [Voice]

Michael Dugan - Jenks

John Franco - One of Cookie's Henchmen

David Garcia - Newsman

Jack Gargan - Officer

Tom Hernandez - Sketch Artist

Harry Hines - Newsboy

Stuart Holmes - Juror

Paul Keast - Judge Davers

Clare Kelly - Genevieve

Jack Lambert - Nick

Rusty Lane - Judge John A. Dasen

Herbert Lytton - Judge Alfino

Sam McDaniel - Jesse

David McMahon - Guard

Sanita Pelkey

Carmen Phillips - Ricos' Girlfriend

Michael Pierce

Dolores Reed - Woman

Benny Rubin - Mr. Field

Georges Saurel - Rico's Hood

Aaron Saxon - Frankie Gasto

Jerry Schumacher - Newsboy

Vito Scotti - Hotel Clerk

Floyd Simmons - Assistant Prosecutor

Ralph Smiley - Hotel Proprietor

Sydney Smith - Judge Bookwell

J. Lewis Smith - Juror

Vaughan Taylor - Dr. Caderman

Carl Thayler

Erich Von Stroheim, Jr. - Police Lieutenant

Geraldine Wall - Day Matron

Marc Wilder - Speciality Dancer

Robert B. Williams - Guard