The film was praised upon its release by A.H. Weiler, the film critic at The New York Times, who cited "brisk direction, crisp, idiomatic and truly comic dialogue" as being chief among its positive qualities, but held reservations about the film's development of characters and back-story.[3] Contemporary reviewer Richard Harland Smith has reported that Kim Novak received "favorable, albeit condescending reviews" for her portrayal of "night-club chanteuse" Kaye Greylek, which improved her status at Columbia Pictures.[4]