NOTE: This page will finish out the
available Reprise era specials, from Frank's concert at Royal Festival
Hall to his big comeback special Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back
to The Main Event as well as a few DVDs which
have only appeared in Europe and Japan. I'll also document a
few odds and ends which have made their way onto the market in the past
few years, from biographies to clip shows, and some direct-to-dvd
releases that have occasionally popped up.
Frank
Sinatra: In Concert At
Royal Festival Hall (1971)
Wea/Waner Brothers;
DVD
Released June 8, 1999,
50 min.
Songs
Include:
You Make Me Feel So Young,
Pennies from Heaven,
I've Got You Under My Skin,
Something,
The Lady is a Tramp,
I Get Along Without You Very Well,
Didn't We,
One for My Baby,
I Will Drink the Wine,
I Have Dreamed,
My Kind of Town,
My Way
REVIEW: A
typical Sinatra concert for this time period, with Frank not in the
best voice, not giving a complete knock-out performance, but still he
fills each song with drama and covers his various mishaps with
practiced ease and humor. This particular concert was a
black-tie charity event benefitting The National Association for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and hosted by Princess Grace of
Monacco (filling in for HRH Princess Margaret). Frank seems a
little off his game at this event, fluffing the timing on "I've Got You
Under My Skin" and having trouble remembering the lyrics - some of
which he manages to cover well, others more apparently blown, but the
songs are mostly top-notch, with several classics from his songbook
leading the way, featuring Nelson Riddle's arrangement on "I
Get Along Without You Very Well" and Gordon Jenkin's lovely setting of
"One For My Baby". He also squeezes in Lenny Hayton's
arrangement of George Harrison's "Something", which works very well for
Frank; it's a song that he really sells here. The one true
clunker of the evening is "I Will Drink The Wine", which hearkens back
to Frank's sad experiments in tapping into the hippie/love era music,
which Frank was never suited for. He finishes the set with
what was becoming a tradition for him: closing each concert with the
bombast of "My Kind Of Town" and the powerhouse "My Way". To
my ears, I much preferred when Frank stepped out of the spotlight after
the song "Angel Eyes", but many fans love this era and the song, so who
am I to argue? A good concert by the mature Sinatra.
Ol'
Blue Eyes Is
Back (1973)
Wea/Warner Brothers;
DVD
Released June 8, 1999,
50 min.
Songs
include:
You Will Be My Music,
I Get a Kick Out of You,
Street of Dreams,
I've Got You Under My Skin,
I've Got the World on a String,
Medley:
Last Night
When We Were Young/
Violets for Your Furs/
Here's That Rainy Day,
Medley
(Frank & Gene):
We Can't Do That Anymore/
Take Me Out to the Ball Game/
For Me and My Gal/
Private Skinny,
Nice
and Easy (Frank & Gene),
Let
Me Try Again,
Send in the Clowns,
You Will Be My Music (reprise)
REVIEW: Retirement didn't sit well with
Frank; he craved
the adulation, the attention, the performing. And on this
well-executed special, Frank shows the world that he's still got the
goods. Thankfully eschewing most of the music that makes up
the lamentable companion LP, Frank sticks closely to what works, with
Gordon Jenkins and Don Costa leading a 40-piece orchestra, Frank starts
out with a series of songs that are closely associated with him, from
"I Get A Kick Out Of You", "Street Of Dreams", "I've Got You Under My
Skin" and "I've Got The World On A String" it's obvious that Frank
understands that his Capitol recordings are the ones that strike a
chord with his audience, and he sings with conviction and
aplomb. His voice is not what it used to be - it's obvious
that in his seventh decade he no longer has the supple vocal instrument
that he's had in the past; but Frank makes up for it with his complete
mastery of how to sing these songs. The way he'll
color a note, or bend it to change the inflection has only strengthened
over the years; he can still sell a song. The one guest star for the
special is well-chosen: Gene Kelly, who starred with Frank in several
films during the mid-to-late forties appears here to sing a somewhat
disingenious song "We Can't Do That Anymore", and then Kelly does a
little tap-dance while Frank sings "Nice And Easy" - it's a wonderful
moment, and spotlights what this show does best: it brings Frank back
by playing to his strengths as an interpreter and entertainer, it
touches on the melancholy of his growing old, but doesn't mope around;
Frank finishes the special by highlighting new work: a heart-rending
"Send In The Clowns" and a similarly-themed "Let Me Try Again". A
surprisingly effective return for Frank.
Frank
Sinatra:
The Main Event (1974) Wea/Warner
Brothers;
DVD Released March 9, 1999,
50 min.
Songs
include:
Overture: It Was a Very Good Year/All the Way/My Kind of Town
The Lady Is a Tramp
I Get a Kick Out of You
Let Me Try Again (Laisse Moi le Temps)
Autumn in New York
I've Got You Under My Skin
Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
Angel Eyes
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
The House I Live In
My Kind of Town
My Way
REVIEW: Not
surprisingly (for me at least) The Main Event comes off much worse on
screen than it does in the recorded version. The unashamed bombast of
the event is right in your face, and Frank looks puffy and old here,
despite the fact that he was only fifty-nine. Seeing him in this
condition, surrounded by bodyguards and hangers-on, singing in front of
an audience who cares more about the presence of
Sinatra than the songs he sings, gives the entire show an eerily
surreal carnival air. None of this is helped by sports announcer Howard
Cosell, who is so over the top in his fawning introduction that he
seems to be a parody of himself. Frank's performance is hard to watch
as well, as he visibly stuggles with notes and the noise of the
audience (he even has to quiet them down before he can begin "Angel
Eyes". Backed by the fiery Woody Herman orchestra, Frank slices and
dices his way through "The Lady Is A Tramp" and "I Get A Kick Out Of
You", before slowing down with the moody "Let Me Try Again", and
"Autumn In New York". Perhaps the most embarassing moment for fans is
Frank's cover version of "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown", but he's obviously
having a great time singing it, despite its incongruousness here. He
also tackles the contemporary "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" which
comes off better, before winding the show down with the out-of-place
"The House I Live In" and the slash and burn closing numbers, "My Kind
Of Town" and the unrepentant "My Way". The video is pretty poor for an
archival release, and the original special is also a mess, with lots of
audience reaction shots, and a ludicrous opening with Frank and his
team coming onto the stage like a prizefighter walking into the ring. A
bloated, overheated event, which would have played better in a true
concert hall than in a stadium setting.
Frank
Sinatra: Sinatra And
Friends (1977)
Warner Music Vision;
DVD
Released September 30, 2002;
50 min.
Songs
include:
Where or when – Sinatra and Friends
I’ve got you under my skin
I get a kick out of you – duet with Natalie Cole
I’ve got love on my mind – Natalie Cole
If I were a rich man – Robert Merrill
Oldest established floating crap game – duet with Dean Martin
and Robert Merrill
She’s got you – Loretta Lynn
All or nothing at all – duet with Loretta Lynn
One – Tony Bennett
My kind of town – duet with Tony Bennett
I honestly love you – Leslie Uggams
The lady is a tramp – duet with Leslie Uggams
My sweet lady – John Denver
September song – duet with John Denver
Night and day
Everybody ought to be in love
Put your dreams away
Closing credits
REVIEW: One of the
countless frightening musical variety specials that were all the rage
during the 1970s, Frank here is paired with guest stars who range
from true "friends" to "stars" who would soon be making
appearances on episodes of The Love Boat and The
Muppet Show. As such, it's a hit and miss affair, with
enough hits to make it worth purchasing (but only available in Europe -
U.S. DVD players won't be able to decode this). It begins with a
full-cast rendition of "Where Or When" with each of the guest artists
taking a line of the song and Nelson Riddle and his Orchestra providing
backing; it's a curious choice for an opening number, since the Rodgers
and Hart song was written as a ballad, but it's a good introduction for
what follows. Basically, the show
alternates between Frank and the
guest singing a duet, and then the guest artist getting a solo spot to
plug a song, and then Frank getting to sing a three-song mini-concert
at the end of the program. Of the guest stars, Natalie Cole, Tony
Bennett, and Dean Martin come closest to matching Frank's charisma and
songcraft, with Broadway and cabaret star Leslie Uggams
and country-pop singer John Denver coming in a close
second. Country star Loretta Lynn is hopelessly mismatched on
her duet with Frank "All Or Nothing At All", and John Denver, at the
height of his popularity, proves a surprisingly adept partner, with
his clear tenor voice an interesting
contrast to Frank's on "September Song". Natalie Cole, still
years away from her makeover as retro-pop chanteuse, manages to give a
surprisingly affinitive reading of "I Get A Kick Out Of You", presaging
her own classic pop albums by several years, and Dean Martin pops in
for a sloshy trio of "Oldest Established..." with blustery Bob
Merrill. Tony Bennett is pure class in his duet with Frank on
"My Kind Of Town", and Frank's final solo turn is so-so, with his
somewhat suspect voice limiting his readings of "Night And Day" and
"Put Your Dreams Away". This special needs to be released in
the U.S. as it's worth watching.
Frank Sinatra:
The
First 40 Years (1979)
Warner Music Vision;
DVD Released September 30, 2002;
120 min.
Paul Anka
Lucille Ball
Tony Bennett
Milton Berle
Charlie Callas
Sammy Davis Jr.
Glenn Ford
Cary Grant
Harry James
Gene Kelly
Rich Little
Dean Martin
Robert Merrill
Don Rickles
Red Skelton
Orson Welles
William B. Williams
Flip Wilson
REVIEW: This
over-long tribute, stuffed with more stars than Luigi's on a Saturday
night, served a couple of purposes when it first aired on NBC: First,
it was a celebration of Frank's career in show biz for forty years
(counting from 1939, I guess); it was Frank's sixty-fourth birthday; He
received the ASCAP's 1st Pied Piper Award for service to lyricists, and
finally was presented a special Grammy Trustees' Award. Whew! Well, I
guess I'm glad this was all taken care of on one 2-hour special rather
than broken up into four different events, but seriously, who would
want to watch this? It's nothing more than an excuse to trot out the
roster of guest stars, some of whom are legends (Lucille Ball, Cary
Grant, Milton Berle, Sammy Davis Jr., Glenn Ford, Cary Grant, and Gene
Kelly) as well as lesser lights like Paul Anka, Rich Little, Robert
Merrill, Don Rickles and Red Skelton; and then there's the names that
don't ring any bells with me: Harry James? William B. Williams? Charlie
Callas? and what is Flip Wilson doing here? But this is nothing more
than a clip show of many of Frank's career highs, with Frank soaking it
all in with good grace and all the humility he can muster - and you can
always count on Don Rickles to throw a barb or two, and Dean Martin
tries to be on his best behavior (not really), but mostly it's just two
hours of speeches, broken up by film clips and tributes. Ugh.
Frank
Sinatra: The Man and His Music with the Count Basie Orchestra (1981) WEA/Warner
Brothers;
DVD
Released September 21, 1999,
50 min.
Songs
Include:
(This is a) Lovely Way to Spend an Evening [Instrumental]
Nice 'n' Easy
The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else
Pennies from Heaven
I Loved Her
The Girl from Ipanema
At Long Last Love
Something
Monday Morning Quarterback
The Best is Yet to Come
(We Had a) Good Thing Going
Say Hello
I Get a Kick Out of You
Theme from "New York, New York"
Thanks for the Memory
REVIEW: Who knew that a lousy
preposition would leave this little DVD out in the cold for so many
years? For a long time, I assumed that this title was the
same as Sinatra:AMan
and His Music,
rather than the separate 1981 television event that it was.
Essentially a review of Sinatra's Reprise-era recordings up
to that point, THEMan
and His Music
makes quick work of a baker's dozen of Sinatra's most recent tunes,
with special emphasis on She
Shot Me Down, and accompanied by Count Basie and his
powerhouse orchestra. Despite what other reviews have said
about this special, I found a lot to like about it, beginning with it's
emphasis on the singer and the songs, rather than any "special guest
artists" - this is just Frank, on an ornate staircase set, singing live
with the band, and putting as much gusto into each number as he can
muster, which, in 1981, was still formidable. Anyone who can
watch Frank belt out
Theme from "New York, New York" and not be wowed has got rocks for
heartstrings, and similar sentiments can be stated for his
in-the-pocket readings of "The Girl I Love Belongs To Somebody Else",
"Something" "The Best Is Yet To Come" and particularly, a loose,
ultra-swung version of "I Get A Kick Out Of You." Vocally,
Sinatra is very strong here, with the odd exception of two numbers: " I
Loved Her" sounds very rough, as though it were the last number
recorded - and Frank wobbles noticably on both pitch and power, while
one of my favorite tracks from Sinatra
and Swingin' Brass, "At Long Last Love" feels like Frank
doesn't lock into the melody until a good third of the way in (in fact,
it seems like he's not singing the melody at all - but a sort of
sub-melodic line in its place). The lack of an audience is a
little disconcerting, as each number is met with resounding silence,
but overall, I enjoyed the intimacy and immediacy of this show, and if
you, like me, have been overlooking this late-period gem, I highly
recommend it to you. Keep watching through the credits, as
the orchestra, as if in recompense for the lack of applause, gives
Frank a standing ovation.
Concert
For The
Americas (1982)
Warner Music
Vision;
DVD Released September 30, 2002,
86 min.
Songs include:
01.- Introduction
02.- I´ve Got The World On A String
03.- I Get A Kick Out Of You
04.- Come Rain Or Come Shine
05.- When Your Lover Has Gone
06.- The Lady Is A Tramp
07.- Sinatra Speaks about America
08.- The House I Live In
09.- Buddy Rich - Prologue / Jet Song (from West Side Story)
10.- Searching
11.- My Kind Of Town
12.- Something
13.- The Best Is Yet To Come
14.- Strangers in The Night
15.- All Or Nothing At All
16.- Band Introductions
17.- The Gal That Got Away / It Never Entered My Mind
18.- I´ve Got You Under My Skin
19.- Send In The Clowns - Featuring Tony Mottola on guitar
20.- I Won´t Dance/Theme From New York, New York
REVIEW: Recorded
in the Domincan Republic when Sinatra was sixty-six years old, this
concert stands as one of Frank's finest latter-day concerts. Backed by
the Buddy Rich orchestra which is directed by Vincent Falcone, Jr.
(although Buddy is featured on a spectacular drum solo halfway through
the set), the set is a dream, with some of Sinatra's signature tunes
delivered with an energy and panache that shows that The Chairman of
the Board was still willing to pull out all the plugs. Part of the
energy comes from the band, who eschew a string section, giving each
number a hard-edged punchiness in the brass and percussion which really
rocks the house on the swing numbers, like the swaggering "My Kind Of
Town" or "The Lady Is A Tramp", and especially are powerful on the
closing numbers - the authoritative stance of "(Theme From) New York,
New York" shows Frank at the top of his game. He's good here vocally as
well, from the blue mood of "Something" (which suffers a bit from the
lack of a string section) or the fine medley of "The Gal That Got
Away/It Never Entered My Mind", to Frank's wonderfully morose rendition
of "Send In The Clowns". But one of my favorite moments has to be the
surprise inclusion of West Side Story's "Jet
Song" which follows Buddy Rich's 10-minute-long drum solo - Frank rips
into the song with a bite and joy which makes me wish that he had
committed this particular song to vinyl. It's a dream of a concert, and
Warner Home Video needs somebody to tap them on the arm and release
this DVD in the States, where it belongs. (Hello? Concert
For The Americas... released only in Europe? Hello?) Almost
worth buying a multi-region player for.
Sinatra
In Japan: Live
At The Budokan Arena, Tokyo (1985)
Warner
Music Vision;
DVD Released January 28, 2002,
70 min.
Songs
Include:
1. Introduction / Instrumental Medley
2. The Lady is a Tramp
3. Fly me to the Moon
4. My Way
5. I've Got You Under My Skin
6. Something
7. I Get a Kick Out of You
8. My Kind of Town
9. Someone to Watch Over me
10. All or Nothing at All
11. Mack the Knife
12. Luck be a Lady
13. L.A. is My Lady
14. Strangers in the Night
15. Come Rain or Come Shine
16. Pennies From Heaven
17. One for my Baby
18. Theme From New York, New York
19. You Are There - Instrumental
REVIEW: At
this fine concert filmed when Sinatra was seventy years old, a fit,
focused Frank takes the stage at the Budokan Arena, which,
although in setting it bears an uncomfortable resemblance
to The Main Event, this concert is much
preferable to that one, in both performance and set list. In
1985, it had been eleven years since Frank's last appearance in Japan,
and although Frank uses humor that would be considered
insensitive today (referring to himself as "Ol' Rue Eyes" and to "Luck
Be A Lady" as 'Ruck Be A Rady' in front of the predominently
Asian audience) he doesn't say it in a mean-spirited way, simply as a
cultural bias that was the norm at the
time. His voice is also not in great shape, leading
him to speak some lines of songs rather than sing them, but Frank is
such a fine performer that even these lapses are forgiveable.
After a lengthy orchestral introduction which presents several of his
signature songs in medley form (including My Way/I Get a Kick out of
You/Young at Heart/Nancy/This Heart of Mine/High Hopes/I've Got You
Under My Skin/My Kind of Town/All the Way/Strangers in the Night),
Sinatra enters the stage to sing an electric version of "The Lady Is A
Tramp". He's accompanied throughout the show by a hot
orchestra, led by Joe Parnello, and featuring jazz guitarist
Tony Mottola, and drummer Irv Cottler. Among the highlights
are Quincy Jones' arrangements of "Fly Me To The Moon" and "Pennies
From Heaven", Nelson Riddle's charts on "Something" and "I've Got You
Under My Skin". But the entire concert is a triumphant return
to Japan for Sinatra, and it's obvious that he still is giving it all
for his adoring fans.
Judy,
Frank & Dean:
Once In A Lifetime (1962)
Kulter
Entertainment;
DVD Released November 19, 2002,
50 min.
Songs
Include: 1. Introductory Theme
2. Just In Time
3. When You're Smiling
4. You Do Something To Me
5. Too Marvellous For Words
6. You Do Something To Me
7. You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby
8. You Do Something To Me
9. One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else
10. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
11. You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves you
12. You Made Me Love You
13. Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
14. Swanee
15. Closing Theme
REVIEW: This
is the same television special which was captured on the On
The Air CD release reviewed elsewhere on this site, the
occasion being Judy Garland's short-lived television show, and the
inclusion of Frank and Dean as guest stars. For this DVD
release, the unfortunate decision was made to 'colorize' the picture,
with distracting results, but on the plus side, the audio has been
remixed into stereo, which is a nice addition. The show
itself is a marvel to watch, with Judy Garland fresh from her 1961
triumph at Carnegie Hall, and even if you don't care much for her voice
in later years, you've gotta admit she really knows how to sell a
song. From the easy patter of "Just In Time" to the smooth
seduction of "You Do Something To Me" - this is Judy showing herself
the equal of any performer who ever lived, with a powerful set of pipes
which by this time could growl or blast like a trumpet blare.
Sinatra is the first guest on, and the obviously scripted patter gives
way to a marvelous performance of "Too Marvellous For Words" which
Frank sings holding a cigarette in one hand and giving a knock-out
reading of the song with a loose, easy manner. Judy reprises
"You Do Something To Me" to introduce Dean Martin, who takes the stage
to sing a slushy version of "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby", and
then Frank & Dean team up for a fun, Rat Pack take on "The One
I Love Belongs To Somebody Else" leaving the rest of the show to be
performed by Judy, who does show-stopping versions of her concert
repetoire: "You Made Me Love You", "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby (With A Dixie
Melody)", and "Swanee". This kind of music/variety show is a wonder to
watch, and the star power involved here is spectacular - I just wish
more care had been given to the presentation of the video. Added as a
bonus feature is a brief biography/discography of Judy Garland.
Frank Sinatra:
Off The Record (1965)
Twentieth
Century Fox;
VHS Released August 25, 1998,
60 min.
Cast: Frank Sinatra
Walter Cronkite
Gordon Jenkins, et al.
Features: A candid behind-the-scenes look
at Frank
Sinatra, as he talks about his career, milestones, and twenty-five-year
presence in show business. Includes a 10-minute segment of
Frank in the recording studio.
REVIEW: CBS
scored a real coup when it
approached Frank Sinatra and asked if they could conduct an exclusive
one-on-one interview with the legend. Frank was notoriously
leery of the press, and also extremely touchy about revealing
much of his personal life, but given the sincerity and
credentials of Walter Cronkite, who was labelled "the most
trusted man in America" - Frank gave his consent, and this video
chronicles one of the rare moments when Frank drew
back the curtain on his life and allowed fans a
peek. Sinatra was at the time
in his forty-ninth year, and was in the process of
creating the seminal album September Of My Years,
and interspersed with filmed performances of signature songs ("You Make
Me Feel So Young", "I've Got You Under My Skin", and "Luck Be A Lady
Tonight") Frank sits down with Cronkite and shows himself to
be a self-effacing, serious, and occasionally harsh self-critic, but
with doses of his brash confidence and humor peeking through.
The performances and interview are both revealing, showing Frank as an
artist completely committed to the music, throwing
himself into each song as if it were the first time he were performing
it, and showing the work that went into what appeared
in the final product as effortless ease. Most interesting in
the extended look into the recording studio, as Frank
allowed cameras into the creation of one of September Of My Years
classic songs, "It Was A Very Good Year". This ten-minute
long journey with Frank as he records live in the studio
with Gordon Jenkins conducting the orchestra is a
one-of-a-kind experience as we see Frank take charge of the
session, even stopping a take when he hears a single violin
hit a "clam" (a wrong note). His professionalism and
intensity make this video a real gem, and worthwhile watching for any
affeciando of popular music. VHS only
Sinatra: The Best Is Yet To Come - The
Definitive Look at the Greatest Entertainer of Our Time (1990)
MGM Entertainment [VHS];
Released May 4, 1999,
80 min.
Features previously unseen
concert and personal film clips.
Tributes
by Roger Moore, Robert Wagner, Tony Bennet, Perry Como, George Burns,
and more.
REVIEW: An
OK tribute special, filled with the usual "stars" heaping effusive
praise on Frank, this nearly 90-minute tribute won't ring many bells
with viewers except for the interwoven clips of Frank performing live
in concert in front of a star-filled audience. Frank's in
fine
form, even though this is one of his latter-day concerts - he looks
occasionally blank while he's performing, but he clearly is having a
good time, as is the audience. But intercut between these
live
outtakes are several long, dry stretches with various co-stars and
hangers-on boasting about their relationships with Frank.
Some
are justified: a frail-looking Gene Kelly doesn't so much talk about
Frank as narrate as various clips from Frank's film dances fill the
screen. Shirley Maclaine is a riot in her tongue-in-cheek
reminiscences, and George Burns gets off a few hoary jokes at Frank's
expense (what else is new?) But then you have other stars,
such
as Robert Wagner, and Tom Selleck (who uses the time to plug his TV
series Magnum P.I.), and the droll Roger Moore acting as a wooden
master of ceremonies. The film clips are nothing special;
mostly
taken from Frank's various television and film appearances, and nothing
here is excerpted at length - we just get glimpses - so the main event
of this video is the live concert, which is fun - even though you have
to hit the fast forward button on your VCR Player to get to the good
stuff. It's all very dry and reverential, which is what you
should expect from an "officially sanctioned" tribute.
Sinatra:
The
Miniseries (1992)
Warner Brothers Television;
VHS
Released December 10, 1992,
DVD Released May 18, 2008;
250 min.
Cast:
Philip Casnoff .... Frank Sinatra
Olympia Dukakis .... Dolly Sinatra
Joe Santos .... Marty Sinatra
Gina Gershon .... Nancy Barbato Sinatra
Nina Siemaszko .... Mia Farrow
Joe Grifasi .... George Evans
Marcia Gay Harden .... Ava Gardner
Bob Gunton .... Tommy Dorsey
David Raynr .... Sammy Davis Jr.
Ralph Seymour .... Budd
Andrew Bloch
Robin Gammell
Jeff Corey .... Quinlin
Danny Gans .... Dean Martin
Vincent Guastaferro .... Hank Sanicola
James F. Kelly .... John F. Kennedy
Matthew Posey .... Harry James
Jay Robinson .... Major Bowes
REVIEW: A
surprisingly
unflinching look at the life and career of Frank Sinatra, taking over
four hours to tell his life story, this is a fine tele-film, produced
by Frank's daughter Tina, and using the original music from Frank's
career. In short, the producers did it right.
Philip Casnoff as Frank is very good, mimicking Frank's voice and
mannerisms without ever falling into parody or hysterical
over-playing. Olympia Dukakis is her usual radiant self as
Frank's tough Italian-to-the-bone mother, and the film takes the story
from early in Frank's life in Hoboken, New Jersey, showing a
fourteen-year-old boy who discovers within himself the desire and drive
to become a singer. It follows Frank through his early career
as a singer in the Hoboken 4 on Major Bowes Amateur Hour, thorugh his
tutorial in solo singing in Harry James band, through his tempestuous
relationship with Tommy Dorsey (portrayed with suitable vinegar by Bob
Gunton), to eventual rise to stardom as a solo performer. The
different eras are believably portrayed, with excellent attention to
detail in costuming and settings, and the actors are for the most part
convincing. The only flaws in the film are the obvious ones
from trying to portray an entire life in a truncated form - while the
opening and first three-quarters of the film manage to hit both
high-and low-lights of Frank's life, the final hour feels rushed,
trying to fit in too many references to famous friends and notorious
accquaintences, but not able to satisfactorally tie it all
together. but the tone, the acting, and most of all the
music, which manages to hit all of the eras of Frank's career, are all
top-notch, and Sinatra
is a wonderful all-around introduction to both
Frank's life and his music.
The Rat
Pack (1998)
HBO Studios;
Written by Kario
Salem,
Directed by Rob Cohen;
DVD Released May 3, 2005,
120 min.
Cast
List
Ray Liotta ... Frank Sinatra
Joe Mantegna ... Dean Martin
Don Cheadle ... Sammy Davis Jr.
Angus Macfadyen ... Peter Lawford
William L. Petersen ... John F. Kennedy
Zeljko Ivanek ... Bobby Kennedy
Bobby Slayton ... Joey Bishop
Megan Dodds ... May Britt
Deborah Kara Unger ... Ava Gardner
Veronica Cartwright ... Rocky Cooper
Dan O'Herlihy ... Joe Kennedy
Robert Miranda ... Momo Giancana
Barbara Niven ... Marilyn Monroe
Michelle Grace ... Judy Campbell
Tyress Allen ... George Jacobs
John Diehl ... Joe DiMaggio
REVIEW: This
expertly produced, sleek-looking production from HBO looks great,
sounds great (with original music being used), but misses the mark
completely in its main focus, and stumbles in some of its casting
choices. The good stuff first: the show manages to capture
pre-Beatles America with great finesse; the sets and costuming are
first rate, and the script, by Kario Salem manages to capture the
fast-talking patter of the Rat Pack in all their slangy
glory. The songs are classics too, from "I've Got You Under
My Skin" and "Come Fly With Me" for Frank's character, to
"One For My Baby (and One More for the Road)" taken by Dean,
and Sammy's "Too Close For Comfort" are tearing up the
soundtrack. Several of the characters manage to nail their
impersonations as well, with Joe Mantegna looking like
Dean Martin, and capturing his mannerisms, (if not
his voice); Don Cheadle giving a nicely nuanced performance as Sammy
Davis Jr. (even though he doesn't much resemble him) and Angus
Macfadyne doing a nice impersonation of the timid
Peter Lawford. But the lynchpin for most Sinatra fans, in the
casting of Ray Liotta as Frank, turns out to be a
dissapointment. It's not just that Ray doesn't look at all
like Frank, but his voice and mannerisms don't capture his essence
either. He comes across as brittle and thuggish, but Ray
tends to look psychopathic when upset, rather than simply
angry. And William L. Petersen tries hard, but
anyone who puts on that thick of a New England accent and gives such a
one-note performance of John F. Kennedy as a bed-hopping playboy can't
be taken seriously. The tone of the film is disappointing as
well, with the focus more on politics and mob relations than the
performing chops of these ultra-talented friends: rather than
be entertainment, HBO stoops to creating a hash-job bio
pic, showing Dean as a drunk, Sammy as a conflicted man torn
by the racial jabs he laughs at onstage, and
Peter Lawford so scared he practially jumps at his
own shadow. Sinatra is portrayed as a
power-hungry hanger-on who has strong mob connections and uses
them to bring Kennedy the White House on a
silver platter. HBO also makes sure the
film is rated "R" by throwing in some needless sex and foul
language. Not my idea of entertainment, but
some good performances, and great music.
The Rat
Pack (1999)
A&E Entertainment;
Written by Luke Sacher,
Directed by Carole Langer;
DVD Released
January 1, 2001,
200 min.
Cast (in credits
order)
Frank Sinatra .... Himself (archive footage)
Dean Martin .... Himself (archive footage)
Sammy Davis Jr. .... Himself (archive footage)
Peter Lawford .... Himself (archive footage)
Joey Bishop .... Himself (archive footage)
Danny Aiello .... Narrator (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lauren Bacall .... Herself (archive footage)
Count Basie .... Himself (archive footage)
Milton Berle .... Himself
Jules Blumberg .... Himself
Humphrey Bogart .... Himself (archive footage)
Lillian
Burns ....
Herself (as Lillian Burns Sidney)
Montgomery Clift .... Himself (archive footage)
Harry Cohn .... Himself (archive footage)
Pat Cooper .... Himself
Frank Costello .... Himself (archive footage)
Tony Curtis .... Himself
Grace D'Amato .... Herself
Paul 'Skinny' D'Amato .... Himself (archive footage)
Elvera Davis .... Herself
Angie Dickinson .... Herself
Jimmy Durante .... Himself (archive footage)
Jean Fedeli .... Herself
Clark Gable .... Himself (archive footage)
Ava Gardner .... Herself (archive footage)
Sam Giancana .... Himself (archive footage)
Jackie Gleason .... Himself (archive footage)
Katharine Hepburn .... Herself (archive footage)
Virginia Hill .... Herself (archive footage)
John F. Kennedy .... Himself (archive footage)
Joseph P. Kennedy .... Himself (archive footage)
Patricia Kennedy .... Herself (archive footage)
Robert F. Kennedy .... Himself (archive footage)
Sonny King .... Himself
Janet Leigh .... Herself
Jerry Lewis .... Himself
Shirley MacLaine .... Herself (archive footage)
Louis B. Mayer .... Himself (archive footage)
Marilyn Monroe .... Herself (archive footage)
David Niven .... Himself (archive footage)
Patti Page .... Herself (archive footage)
Louis Prima .... Himself (archive footage)
Frank Sinatra Jr. .... Himself (archive footage)
Nancy Sinatra .... Herself (archive footage)
Red Skelton .... Himself (archive footage)
Keely Smith .... Herself
Claude Trenier .... Himself
Cliff Trenier .... Himself (archive footage)
Sophie Tucker .... Herself (archive footage)
Lana Turner .... Herself (archive footage)
Jack L. Warner .... Himself (archive footage)
REVIEW: Cable
channel A&E put together a fine documentary of The Rat Pack in
this 1999 production, managing to cover not only their art, but the
politics and mob connections in this well-rounded, and lengthy
pic. Narrated by Danny Aiello, the documentary
deftly weaves together archival material, such as the Democratic
fund-raiser put on by Frank; the Summit; Peter Lawford television
performances, Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis Television specials,
and also delves into Frank's romance with Ava Gardner, while slipping
in interviews with celebrities who were in the know at the time: Angie
Dickenson, Keely Smith, Milton Berle, Jerry Lewis, Tony Curtis, and
others. Split into four sements, the film moves
chronologically (more or less) through the rise of Vegas as the
gambling capital of the world, and simultaneously notes the rise of the
main Rat Pack ensemble. Stories of their infamous practical
jokes, infighting, racial tensions, and political and mob associations
which would haunt them for the rest of their lives, are all neatly
woven together with lots of accompanying photographs, location shots,
and snips of performances and music. In keeping with
A&E tradition, no interviews with any of the lead characters
are included, and the focus of the documentary leans towards Sinatra,
and almost completely excludes Joey Bishop, except for passing
mentions. And teetering time-wise at over three-and-a-half
hours, the show moves remarkably fluidly, and manages to keep
interest-level high, although Danny Aiello's narration can seem a bit
dry and perfunctory at times, and the common problem of how to tie
things up appears here, with a rushed finish feeling
unsatisfactory. But even so, this is probably the
highest-quality, most even-handed approach we're going to see on The
Rat Pack, so don't be afraid to check this out.
