Flickgrrl

I'm a big Sinatra fan and agree with you EXCEPT... give me Brando singing "If I Were a Bell" over just about any movie moment I can think of. I LOVE IT! The untrained voice, the romance, sweetness, and that face....

For me, Brando looks so uncomfortable in the movie that I am uncomfortable watching him. But I agree with you about the song, and give Jean Simmons credit for the scene’s success.

I just watched "From Here to Eternity" last night and he's wonderful in that. I also love "High Society". It's a fun remake of the "Philadelphia Story" with a great duet with Sinatra & Crosby.

I think Sinatra's turn in "The Manchurian Candidate" was the best male performance of 1962, bar none - and I say that without apology to Gregory Peck who won for "To Kill a Mockingbird" (I liked what Peck represented in that film, not necessarily his performance) or Jack Lemmon who was nominated for his overrated turn in "Days of Wine & Roses" (and, Carrie, you know I love Jack Lemmon).

But back to Frank. I have only three words left to say:

Some

Came

Running

That's his best. I can easily watch it at least once a day.

Say no more.

Absolutely agree with you on “Some Came Running,” Joe. Interesting that James Jones, who wrote “From Here to Eternity” and “Some Came Running” was instrumental in defining Sinatra’s persona in the 1950s.

I was astonished by "The Manchurian Candidate" when it was finally released in, if I recall correctly, the 1980s. I have a vague memory of seeing it on a UHF station out of Cleveland in the mid-1960s, when I would have been about six. Even panned-and-scanned, as it would have been, it left a strong impression. The re-released version, in wide screen and a new print, was better than I could have hoped. The premise, the dialogue and characterizations, the performances - everything had the feeling of everyone involved shooting the moon, putting all they had into a movie that they somehow understood was the cinematic equivalent of a prison break. By that, I mean a movie that conveyed a palpable sense of breaking free from any and all accepted norms of that era's Hollywood. (This one, too, because let's not kid ourselves that this movie could ever be made today.) It didn't even fall into any of the accepted styles of movies that were meant to signify "Rebellion," or "Cynicism," or any other typical trademarked brand of movie dissent - dissent that always managed to conform to the commonly agreed upon standards. "Manchurian Candidate" really feels like, for lack of a better word, a violation - and it does so without making me think the filmmakers merely wished to shock or repel, but instead were grasping for some perhaps undefinable, inexpressible new shape of freedom. There really is no other movie like it. And Sinatra's final "Oh, hell - hell!" is one of the great last lines in movies.

In addition to his movies, TCM is showing the series of TV specials Sinatra made in the latter half of the 1960s. These rank with the best of his film work - especially enjoyable is the collaboration between Frank and Ella Fitzgerald. His joy during their songs is palpable.

Nobody ever mentions classics like "Dirty Dingus Magee" or "Cannonball Run II" in threads like this. I wonder why that is?

Tony Rome is cool, calm, collected and is Sinatra at his best. It is the wannabe Sinatra personna fulling the screen. Designed by the maestro of lyrical phasing, he brings to this character all the grit, humor, and spice that we admire in Sinatra when he sings. I can never get enough of Tony Rome. It must be I was born in 1950 and grew up in the 60's and still cling to idolizing COOL.

Wwolfe,

Thanks for mentioning the TV specials that TCM is airing, and I agree on "Manchurian Candidate."

JDM,

You are so naughty. Every star has a couple of sell-out paydays in his filmography, no?

John, Jr:

Like your argument on behalf on "Tny Rome better than the movie!

Sinatra was great in from "Here To Eternity," and also in the other movies cited. Helluva singer, too. Now that you mention it, it's only fair to say that, eg, Reese Witherspoon has been the very best thing in some really lousy movies. Also, like Sinatra, the very best thing in some wonderful movies. OTOH, I don't think if she marries again that Ryan Phillipe will say about her something like Ava Gardner said about Sinatra when he married Mia Farrow. Then again, Ryan Phillipe strikes me as being about as bright as a box of hammers.

On film, the heart-throb Frank in "On The Town" and the conflicted Frank in "The Manchurian Candidate" were extraordinary for me.

In recordings, the "Sinatra-Basie" and "The Count Meets The Duke" albums are the best because they swing better than anything Riddle or Dorsey or any of the others produced.

I agree with wwolfe that Sinatra's television work with Ella was wonderful.

Most fun performance - Pal Joey. As for a song, Wee Small Hours breaks your heart every time.

When he sang a song especially in the late fifties and very early sixties it was like hearing the lyrics for the first time. And God bless Nelson Riddle for his arrangements.

Worst song - Strangers in the Night. Grates on me every time I hear it. Not his tempo - not his style.

I second the vote for "In the Wee Small Hours." My only regret about "Pal Joey" is that it wasn't directed by Minelli. (Well - and the fact that they used the bowdlerized lyrics to "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered.")

kskf

I’m not sure how you can hate on Ocean’s 11 like that Carrie. Sure, it was an excuse for them to hang out in Vegas, but there is a REAL sense of charm, camaraderie, and charisma there that is severely lacking in the fabricated remake. Not to mention it has one of the greatest film endings of all time. Other favorites are Young at Heart and Can Can, both of which probably get me more for one of the musical numbers in each (singing “Just One of Those Things” to Doris Day in Young at Heart, and “It’s Alright With Me” to Juliet Prowse in Can Can).

As for his music, most people tend to love his Capital years the most, I guess I’m different in that I really prefer the Young Frank at Columbia (songs like I Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night, She’s Funny That Way, and A Ghost of a Chance) and the returning Frank to Reprise (Ole Blue Eyes Is Back album and especially stuff from She Shot Me Down – Monday Morning Quarterback, No More Crying, and The Gal That Got Away/It Never Entered My Mind). For fun, listen to all his versions of Everything Happens to Me in chronological order, just astounding to listen to his voice grow and still always be captivating. For a song that will always make you cry, find his recording of “All the Way Home” an unreleased gem from late in his career (and not to be confused with “All the Way” although everyone should listen to that one too).

I know these were not his best and not really great films, but I liked when he would take on detective roles like "Tony Rome", "The Detective" and " The First Deadly Sin".

There is nor will there ever be another Sinatra The wee small hours and Old Man River and Set them up Joe are just a few of my favorites.As far as acting goes he acted best when he sang because he was meticulous and communicated with his whole body and soul.He was the man and it was his nusic

I AM FIFTY SEVEN YEARS OLD AND THE BEST GIFT BESIDES MY KIDS WAS MY WIFE SUPRISEING ME WITH CONCERT TICKETS TO SEE FRANK SINTRA IT WAS LATE IN HIS CAREER PROABLEY HIS LAST TOUR, AND SHE WASN'T A FAN. EVEN THOUGH HE HAD SOME TROUBLE WITH THE WORDS THAT NIGHT,AS A ITALIAN I GOT TO SEE THE MAN I WILL NEVER FORGET HIS PERFORMANCE.HOW ABOUT WHEN HE SINGS THAT LADY IS A TRAMP TO RITA HAYWORTH,UNBELIEVEABLE.

I AM FIFTY SEVEN YEARS OLD AND THE BEST GIFT BESIDES MY KIDS WAS MY WIFE SUPRISEING ME WITH CONCERT TICKETS TO SEE FRANK SINTRA IT WAS LATE IN HIS CAREER PROABLEY HIS LAST TOUR, AND SHE WASN'T A FAN. EVEN THOUGH HE HAD SOME TROUBLE WITH THE WORDS THAT NIGHT,AS A ITALIAN I GOT TO SEE THE MAN I WILL NEVER FORGET HIS PERFORMANCE.HOW ABOUT WHEN HE SINGS THAT LADY IS A TRAMP TO RITA HAYWORTH,UNBELIEVEABLE.

Sinatra is great. Then again, JDM strikes me as being about as bright as a box of hammers.

Hey Joella, the song is entitled "One For My Baby (And One More For the Road)" but I agree, it is easily one of the greatest recordings ever.

I agree with you, Carrie, about the two screen performances -- although I'd modify that with a "pretty much," since it's been a long time since I've seen "Tender Trap" and my memory is kinda hazy.

I have two favorite Sinatra albums: one "up" and one "down," to reflect the bi-polar nature of so much of Sinatra's musical style. The "up" one is "Songs For Swingin' Lover," from which I'd choose "Old Devil Moon" or "I've Got You Under My Skin" (at least this week). The "down" one is the "In The Wee Small Hours" -- and did you ever notice that the cover art has almost exactly the same shade of "Empire Hotel" green as in "Vertigo"? My chosen cut for that would be "Last Night When We Were Young."

Much as one has to acknowledge Sinatra, though, I incline more towards the Mel Torme of "Lulu's Back In Town."

Wonder if Torme has any screen performances worth looking at. That TV thing directed by Frankenheimer, perhaps?

Thanks for recommending that folks do not waste their time on Ocean's Eleven. I wish I had read your recommendation 15 or 20 years ago, when I gave it a try.

His performances in The Manchurian Candidate and From Here to Eternity are my favorites, with his performance in the latter, in a smaller role surrounded by a star-studded cast maybe most impressive because I think his scenes steal the movie. The Manchurian Candidate is simply a fantastic movie, and he's obviously a huge part of it. He's also good in The Man with the Golden Arm, even though the movie itself is only so-so.

As much as I love music, I'm still not anything near a fan of Sinatra's music. I can't choose a favorite song of his. I appreciate it much more than another underrated actor who started out better known as a singer, Cher, but I'd rather listen to Ella Fitzgerald or Tony Bennett if I'm going to listen to that sort of music.

Did Dean Martin ever turn in a great performance in a film? He's a Rat Packer who had great television presence, but I've never seen him shine on the big screen.

frankenslade--

Check out Dean Martin in "Career," "The Young Lions," "Some Came Running," "Rio Bravo," "Who Was That Lady?" and especially "Bells Are Ringing," in which he has great rapport/chemistry with Judy Holliday. Minnelli's nervy staging of the "I Met a Girl" number in that film is executed to perfection by Martin.

Frankenslade,

I second what Joe said. Martin was a terrific actor. Jean-Paul Belmondo, in I think "Breathless," does a wonderful tribute to Dino while in the bathtub. He's sublime in "Bells Are Ringing," hilarious in "Rio Bravo," and he made me cry in "Some Came Running," where Sinatra turned in one of his best performances.

Best,

Sometimes in the '60s, Frank recorded the theme song from the movie, "The Cardinal." Does anyone know on what label he made the recording, or where it can be found today??

Jim-- The song from "The Cardinal" (1963), with a haunting melody by Jerome Moross, is called "Stay With Me." I believe Sinatra was recording for Reprise in the '60s, so it should be one one of his Reprise albums. It's a beautiful song.

Just watched some of "Kings Go Forth" the other night. A fine performance with Sinatra as a soldier in Southern France in WWII, wooing Natalie Wood, the daughter of two American expatriates. Sinatra falls in love, but is turned down by Wood because her father was Black and she hears how American GI's use the N-word. He comes to realize that race doesn't matter in love. A good performance also by Tony Curtis, a playboy sergeant who gains Wood's love only to slam her for being bi-racial.
One thing you can say about Frank, he took on several social mores in his films: race, prejudice, psychological problems, drugs. He was also instrumental in breaking the color barrier in Vegas. He refused to play hotels that didn't allow Black performers to stay where they played, like Sammy Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole.

Carrie-

Regarding the French film in which the lead actor emulates Dean Martin's in-the-bathtub-with-hat-on scene from Vincente Minnelli's "Some Came Running," I also thought it was Jean-Paul Belmondo in Jean-Luc Godard's "Breathless." However, on his new blog, which he titled "Some Came Running," Glenn Kenny runs a photo of Michel Piccoli - in a bathtub, with his hat on - from Godard's "Contempt." Well, we were close, Godard-wise. (However, I still think Belmondo does it, too, in "Breathless.")

I have a real soft spot for two movies which remind me of my parents -- Hole in the Head and The Joker's Wild. But that may be the sweet memories rather than the movies themselves.

But my single favorite Sinatra moment in the movies is when he sings I Fall in Love Too Easily in Anchors Aweigh. Such tenderness and vulnerability.

The first song I ever learned to sing in my life was "Strangers In The Night". Fast forward to South Street the diner at 2nd Street, 15 years ago. Some black, jagged but clean black guy comes in orders breakfast and then casually catching you, the restaurant manager, off guard as glides to the juke-box. You, the restaurant manager, see this Black urban guy approaching the juke-box and you race through your cosmopolitan oasis to the juke-box controls. Turning it down beyond recognition only to discover some Black urban guy singing Frank Sinatra in your (now) restricted cosmopolitan oasis.

Props to Frank Sinatra in "The Man with the Golden Arm". He is a natural actor, and held a presence that demands attention whenever he was in a scene. The scene in which he was going in withdrawal really made me respect him as an actor. I also could feel a bit of George Clooney in Frank during some of his lines...is that just me?

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