Robin and the Seven Hoods (Gordon Douglas, 1964)
[originally posted 2Mar2000]
What happens in the Rat Pack stays in the Rat Pack.
Not long before this started shooting, there was a major rift in the rat pack, and because of that, only three members (Martin, Davis, and Sinatra, of course) show up here. The other two roles were filled in, and quite ably, by Peter Falk and Bing Crosby. And if you like rat pack-style music, having ensemble numbers with Frank, Dean, and Bing is something you’re gonna love.
The last half of this movie is good. It ain’t Oceans Eleven, but it’s good. Too bad the first half moves slower than a snail on ludes. Crosby doesn’t show up until an hour into the film, and the action starts right there; before that, what the movie needs most is an editor who isn’t afraid of Sinatra. It does, however, have some fine music (Sinatra debuted “My Kind of Town” here), and once it picks up, it’s a lot of fun. Watch it when it comes on AMC, but spend the first half hour or so going to the store to get munchies. ** ½
I loved this movie when I was a kid. I haven’t watched it in ages.