Trailer
Plot summary
In Prohibition-era Chicago, Joe E. Lewis has made his name as a nightclub singer, and he works for the Mob. When he decides to perform at another club, his mob employer answers with violence, and thugs slash his face and throat, ending the singing career he has built. His piano accompanist is Austin Mack, and Martha Stewart and Letty Page are among the people in his life during these years. Lewis, a singer and comedian, was a nightclub attraction from the 1920s into the early 1950s.
Cast
- Hank Henryas Burlesque Comedian
Show all 20 cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Joker Is Wild (1957)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Frank Sinatra bought the rights to Art Cohn's book about Joe E. Lewis after Lewis turned down a reported $150,000 from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for the film rights.
- The song "All the Way" by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn won the 1957 Academy Award for Best Original Song, and its popularity later led a re-release to retitle the film All the Way.
- Frank Sinatra insisted that all the musical scenes and songs be recorded live on set to keep the performances genuine, and had filming done mostly later in the day because he preferred to work then.
