Sugartime

She was a dazzling singer, part of a trio that dazzled the world over; he was a brutal mobster who lived in a world of death and violence. Sounds like an excellent work of fiction or the content of a good song, but alas, it actually is the real life case of the romance between Phyllis McGuire and Chicago gangster Sam Giancana, a story that is decently told in 1995's HBO film "Sugartime". Starring John Turturro and Mary Louise-Parker in the starring roles, it's a film that reasonably captures the 1960's, be it through the fashion, music, or especially the cars. The movie introduces us to the McGuire sisters, a song and dance trio that's taking the world by storm. While performing one night in a club, Phyllis, the lead singer, catches the eye of mobster Sam Giancana, and thus begins one of the most unusual relationships in pop culture history, as the two do their best to keep the relationship secret, but of course, it's only a matter of time before their secret affair is discovered, which will send their two worlds on a collision course they may never recover from.

While "Sugartime" may not be as good as say, films like "The Godfather" or "Goodfellas", it's not necessarily a bad film either. As someone who's done a lot of reading about Sam Giancana and the mob in general, I can honestly say the director and producers did a good job of trying to stay true to the original source material as much as can be possible in a movie. John Turturro does an fine job of bringing the persona of Sam Giancana to life on screen, bringing a sense of charm and charisma to the man but at the same time conveying the fact that violence and thuggery lurk just below the surface as well. Mary Louise Parker is radiant and wonderful in her interpretation of Phyllis McGuire, bringing a sense of Midwest charm to the character, and beauty too. Another bonus is the fairly well written dialogue of the film, particularly when it concerns Turturro's lines as Sam Giancana, which in some places, manage to be both foul, salty but somehow absolutely hysterically at the same time (Turturro's lines in the scene where Phyllis tells Sam she has to go to London and can't stay after Sam went to the trouble of building Venice, Italy on a lake in the Chicago suburbs comes to mind!). All that being said, the movie isn't perfect either, dragging in some places and at times, it feels that the combining of Sam's and Phyllis's two worlds was not as cohesive as perhaps it could have been. Also, those looking for a action-packed, blood soaked mob film might be disappointed, as the film covers more of the romance aspect than the gangster (That being said, the movie does contain a few particularly memorable, violent scenes). However, for anyone who has an interest in the mob and in particular, Sam Giancana himself, "Sugartime" is not a bad way to kill some time and take in a good story. And it's available on youtube. Also starring Elias Koteas.

The real Sam Giancana was short, bald, old, and ugly. In my idealistic 20s I couldn't understand what Phyllis McGuire saw in him. If he had looked more like John Turturro, it would have made sense. Now, in my cynical 70s, I can see it was the butterscotch Cadillac convertible and probably a few other baubles, plus the seductive allure of being the mob boss's girl. Why didn't they use recordings of the real McGuire Sisters? They were pretty good singers, much better than whoever dubbed the songs in this movie. Still, the film is interesting because all these details didn't come out until long after the trio's stardom had faded.

I really like this movie. If you like bio/dramas , this is great. If you like mobster movies , this is a good story. If you're into history , this is a ticket... I totally recommend this film to anyone who has not seen it and has an interest in any of the above catergories mentioned. I havent ever seen John Turturro in anything other than this movie - and in my opinion - he is brilliant as Sam Giancana - almost makes you love Sam. Great flick! Rent it! Borrow a friend's copy!!See it!!!

HBO made-for-TV movies are usually based on actual historical events, the drama centered on a famous personality at a critical time in their careers. "Sugartime" is no exception, dramatizing the romance between mobster Sam Giancana, and singer Phyllis McGuire (one the three McGuire Sisters). Set in the early 1960s within memory-range of most American baby-boomers, and dealing with organized crime and the music industry, this should have been slow-pitch for HBO. But surprisingly they whiffed it, and pretty badly at that.

The movie is as flat as a pancake. Here's a man, as loathsome as his profession may be, he's at the top of it. And he's about to throw it all away (and maybe his life) for love. You might suppose there'd be some drama to this. Nope.

The movie is also sunk by the acting. The actors seem to be sleepwalking. The success of the whole endeavor seems to rest solely on 1960 Cadillacs, tacky gangster clothing, big hair, and countless renditions of the McGuire Sisters singing "Sugar in the morning, sugar in the evening...". Give this a pass.

From the New York Times of 27 June 2007, about a just released batch of CIA documents.

"One technician was arrested in 1960 after trying to bug a Las Vegas hotel room. The operation had been requested by Sam Giancana, the Chicago mobster, who was then helping the C.I.A. in a plot to assassinate Mr. Castro. Mr. Giancana had been concerned that his girlfriend, the singer Phyllis McGuire, was having an affair with the comedian Dan Rowan, and surveillance was ordered to "determine the extent of his intimacy" with her."

I think this is a 'telling' incident on several fronts.