Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964)

As famous as this movie is supposed to be, I don't really recommend watching it. Chances are, you'll only be watching it because you like Frank Sinatra and want to join the Rat Pack, but if you manage to sit through this two-hour debacle, you'll try to withdraw your membership application.To put it simply, everyone involved in this movie was having a really bad day. The songs, written by Sammy Cahn and James Van Heusen, were unspeakably awful and universally too slow in tempo. The one famous song to come out of it, "My Kind of Town", felt like it had been slowed down by fifty percent. Dean Martin, though never accused of being a good actor, looked like he didn't know what was going on and that he could barely remember the minimal choreography. And if Sammy Davis, Jr. can't sell a song, nobody can. During the one horrible song he was given, he looked like he was giving a Jerry Lewis impression. Finally, Frank Sinatra, who once was full of pep and vigor as he tap danced alongside Gene Kelly, looked incredibly tired and angry. In nearly every scene, he looked like he'd rather be anywhere else in the world. I wondered what could have happened to him during the filming, since it was obvious his mind was elsewhere, and after the film was over I read the backstory behind his very noticeably grumpy performance. I'm sure if you read up on the film as I did, you'll cut him some slack.Robin and the 7 Hoods takes place during the 1920s, and Frank Sinatra and Peter Falk head up rival factions of a Chicago gang. While Frankie has the Rat Pack on his side, Peter has classic old timers like Harry Wilson and Allen Jenkins at his table. The best part of the film is the beginning, when the gang celebrates the birthday of gang-leader Edward G. Robinson. It really is a great five minutes, but the movie tumbles downhill immediately after that.

"Robin and the 7 Hoods" feels very much like a stage play with not enough songs. Forty-six years later was produced as such with a lot of new songs. Viewed half a century later, it's a bittersweet experience. It presents an all-star cast in Sinatra, Martin, Davis Jr., Crosby, Falk, and Buono, but they've all passed away. "My Kind of Town," which became a signature piece for Sinatra, was written for this film. The film stars some handsome dudes who in real life dated some totally hot chicks, but there is only one female character with a significant role. The others are waitresses and dancers – girls without names who are available as eye candy and disposable pleasures, but do nothing to propel the plot. It's more of a bromance. The only three-dimensional female character is played by a television actress who somehow manages to seduce most of the male cast while wearing a modest full-length peignoir in most of her scenes. It is all very early 1960s, almost 1950s. But even this lonely female character is not used to her full advantage. There are hints of doubt as to whether she really is the person she claims to be that aren't brought to any definitive conclusion. Sammy Davis, Jr. is also given short shrift. In a film that began production on the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated, produced and starring a close personal friend of Kennedy, Davis is relegated to a clearly subservient role. He has one song and dance number (and joins the chorus in another), but his scenes are poorly blocked, often showing him dancing behind furniture. That said, Sinatra and Martin shine. Crosby holds his own, as do Falk, Buono and most of the supporting actors. Production values are adequate, although the weapons don't seem authentic in many shots, especially the Tommy gun. Automobiles seem authentic. Costumes are okay, although the dancers seem very modest for the period and Marian's peignoirs seem very 1960s. Lighting and audio are adequate.

Delightful musical with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and the other guys playing gangsters in the way that Robin Hood would have done so, of course, with a twist.The film begins with a rub-out of mob king Edward G. Robinson, in a scene very similar to the birthday party thrown for Spats Columbo (George Raft) in "Some Like it Hot."The big surprise in the film is Barbara Rush, who suddenly appears from nowhere and announces that she is Big Jim's (Robinson's) daughter. As he kept her away from the family business, she is well educated but soon resorts to rub-outs, shakedowns and all other types of criminal activity.Peter Falk steals the film with his typical gangster-like accent.Sinatra and Dean Martin but aren't dominant in their parts, as Sammy Davis, Jr., other than singing about how he likes shooting, is given little else to do in the film.The film disappoints in the end because from the Rush part, crime does pay. It is true that you can't fight the public.

I'll be honest in saying that I was really looking forward to seeing this one. I guess I was expecting another Ocean's 11 type of film and boy, I didn't get it. Basically U get half Ocean's 11 and half a musical. I think their train of thought on this one was to try 1 last time to bring back the musical into the 60's (w/ Bing singing and sammy and frank and deano) and it just wasn't very interesting. I though Peter Falk stole the whole show. If U want vintage Rat Pack stuff, see either Sergeants 3 or Ocean's 11 cause this one is from a bygone day of musical comedy/crime, and those just never worked. Let's just say it's 2 hours of my life I'll never get back...dammit.