Frankie und seine Spießgesellen

I originally saw this movie with my folks as a baby boomer kid of eight. My parent who were in their late 30s seldom went to movies but went out of their way to see this one. This was a big deal at the time, everybody's favorite celebrities in Vegas, wow! This was at a time when few could afford to go there and it was considered a far away exotic world for adventurous or special folks. I remember we had only NBC and CBS black and white television for regular entertainment essentially from 7pm to 9pm for the real stuff. For us Vegas was a dream land. We didn't really know what it was all about. Frankie and Dino acted like it was their personal playground, knew the ropes, how cool.

From that time on my folks had it in their heads they someday would visit Vegas, when they had raised the kids and retired. And that's exactly what they did although it took another 20 years. Fank and Dino weren't there but they didn't seem to mind, they made it.

This version of 'Ocean's 11' hardly needed a plot, did it? Just an extended ad for the Rat Pack's Vegas shows and the enormous ego of Frank Sinatra, here strutting his stuff as Danny Ocean, leading his war chums in a plan to rob numerous casinos in one night.

So we get Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop (did they play characters in this? can anybody remember who?) and a fun romp to the pay off - still getting referenced in films being made today. George Clooney's remake was nowhere near as much fun. There's music in this movie, of course (with that cast you'd be disappointed if not), plus appearances from Angie Dickinson, Shirley MacLaine (uncredited but noticeable), Cesar Romero, and Errol Flynn's widow Patrice Wymore.

This really is a lightweight lark if you're in the mood. Is it a good film? Probably not. Is it good entertainment? Absolutely.

The exception of what rule? The Rule that says (at least as listed in most books) that the original (movie) is better than the remake. Well here comes this movie, to show you, that that isn't the case. A shame then, because the stellar cast (after all you get to see the Rat Pack at work here!) promises so much more, than you actually will get out of it!

Although it seems to be more the fault of the script than the cast, I can assure you that I did watch this movie before I watched the remake (which is crucial, to not be afflicted by the impact of the movie) and it just doesn't sustain the comparison with the remake! That's how I felt!

Ocean's 11 never tries to be brilliant and is only sometimes good. The thin plot is a set up for the "boys" to look sharp (and they sometimes do), sing songs (which they do well) and to show off 1960 Las Vegas (which by today's standards looks pretty shabby).

This is a second rate heist story with a few gangsters thrown in. But after all, we have Sinatra and company. You can see that the excellent film, The Rat Pack, was very right on. Sinatra is his arrogant self. Martin is relaxed, Lawford is suave and the singing by Sammy Davis Jr. is great.

Ocean's 11 is a snap shot of what was "cool" in the ultimate era of coolness. It's all here, the clubs, the Marilyn Monroe look a likes, the flashy clothes and lots of money. It's better than imitations such as Swingers since Ocean's 11 is the source. Of course it includes the legendary bad treatment of women and African Americans. The actresses are either add-ons or pathetic martyrs (Angie Dickinson). As for Sammy, he puts up with the garbage man part, a racial slur (all in good fun of course!) and the self centeredness of these guys. I just admire him because he had to do it, so he could perform.

Back to the "fun". The boys get to be clever, then there's a surprise ending and finally we see them shuffle hung over in front of a casino. Every few years I check out Ocean's 11 not just to watch this silly movie but also to see the rats (or brats?) and chuckle (and wince) at an amazing time in the USA, baby.

I first saw this movie when I was a little kid. Being a big Sinatra fan and a lover of 60's and 70's movies I watched it again last night. I remembered loving it as a kid but now I have to say that this movie stinks.

Sure it looks all 60's cool and has Sinatra, Martin, and Davis but honestly it was Cesar Romero who stole the show. Romero housed every member of the rat pack. This guy was on a different level from the rest of the cast and it showed. Sinatra was phoning it in as was Martin. The only guys even trying to act were Davis and Lawford. After the film was over I had a new found respect for Cesar Romero.

Okay now that I've crapped on the acting which was mediocre with the exception of Cesar R. I really have to crap on the writing, but this is more like something after eating five black bean burritos with chiles and a quart of Mexican tap water.

Who is the Greek guy? Why is he even in the film? It looks like Sinatra has the thing planned out what did this guy do? I guess he was there for comic relief but not only was he annoying but his purpose is never really explained. Why would the 11 cut him in, he didn't do anything.

Next, you mean to tell me that there is no security in the money room at a casino. I mean basically these guys turn off the lights and only have to subdue one or two money counters before getting to the safe at each casino. I can suspend my disbelief as much as the next guy but you'd have to be brain dead to buy into this part of the story.

Finally, the Ocean's 11 gang are spread out from Phoenix to Salt Lake, to San Francisco and Los Angeles. The gang descends on Vegas to pull the heist but then as a matter of coincidence everybody's mistress, mom and fiancé also decide to go to Vegas for the New Year's festivities, to throw a monkey wrench in the heist and put Cesar Romero on the case. The script is weak. Decent story but the execution is lame from the get go.

After seeing so many rave reviews for this flick I just had to chime in. Giving it a 9 out of 10 because this "isn't supposed to be a good movie" is a sorry excuse. So is the lame excuse "hey these guys are just being themselves and goofing off like they do when the cameras aren't rolling." To my eyes the Rat Pack weren't having fun. They looked bored and like they were all mailing it in. Looks more like they had a contractual obligation to make this flick and they didn't put any effort into it. Like I said the only guys trying were Sammy Davis Jr, and the scene stealing Cesar Romero.

As a heist film this movie stinks. Rating 1/10 Good premise, that's it. Acting stinks for the most part: 3/10 (Cesar gets an 11/10.) Script: 0/10 Style Points: 8/10 pretty cool display of 60's cool. Needed more exteriors and cars to bring it to 10/10 the sets were cheap too.

Overall a 4/10 for me. Sinatra and gang normally cool but are borderline lame in this movie and it's the script that should have been put in that casket with Richard Conte, not the mony.