AllMovie

More valuable as a record of a good 1950s Broadway revue than as a piece of cinema, the incredible staginess (both in terms of filming and material) of New Faces will be too much for many viewers. Those willing to accept this significant hindrance, however, will find this an enjoyable time capsule. Clearly, theater fans (especially those with an appreciation for old musicals) will get the most out of New Faces, and most of these people will be willing to overlook the datedness of much of the material (as well as what will strike some modern viewers as an occasional lapse of taste) for the chance to experience it pretty much as presented on-stage. (Ironically, the few attempts to "cinematize" the material -- the ridiculous backstage plot, the annoying reaction shots of Robert Clary in "Boston Beguine" -- detract from rather than add to one's enjoyment.) In general, the songs come off much better than the sketches (although the Arthur Miller/kitchen sink drama takeoff is quite good), with "Boston Beguine," "Santa Baby," and "Monotonous" getting special points in the composition and lyrics department. Eartha Kitt is totally delectable in the latter two numbers (and in everything else she does), Alice Ghostley takes the top-notch "Boston Beguine" material and really runs with it, and Clary is charming throughout. While some of the production numbers fall a little flat, "Lizzie Borden" provides plenty of laughs and "Time for Tea" is haunting and lovely. There's no getting around the fact that New Faces is static and stagebound, but on its own terms, it's quite appealing.