Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event

Frank, Liza & Sammy: The Ultimate Event (1989)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

This special was shown on television just before Sammy Davis, Jr. would die of cancer. This was recorded over a three night stay at the Fox Theatre in Detroit and was a part of the "Ultimate Event" tour, which featured the three legends doing a greatest hits type of package.

The documentary opens up with Sinatra narrating his thoughts on the tour and we get a few bits about how happy it made him to perform with Liza and Sammy. From here we get some behind-the-scenes stuff where we see Liza getting her costume fittings and Sammy talks about being out on the road. From this point we get Sammy's set first then followed by Liza and finally Sinatra comes out before the three are reunited for the encore.

If you're a fan of any of the three musicians then you're bound to love this. Personally speaking I thought Liza somewhat stood out like a sore thumb. Not that she's not talented or doesn't have a great voice but I just didn't think her act went too well in between Sammy and Frank's. With that said, the encore was highly fun and there's no question that Sammy appears to be very happy performing for the people and he does seem genuinely touched that people like his act.

My review was written in October 1989 after watching the program on Kodak Video Programs cassette.

While not living up to its "ultimate event" subtitle, this is an enjoyable document of the 1988-89 international tour that will satisfy fans of Sinatra, Minnelli and Davis.

Taped in December at Detroit's Fox theater by tv vet George Schlatter, program spends its first 20 minutes giving the feel of the tour as a whole. It starts with the press conference of the initial announcement and goes on to include rehearsal footage, snatches of performances and fun and off-the-cuff backstage glimpses, including one of Halston fitting Minnelli with her gown Concert proper contains many highpoints, though nothing as classic as vintage performance footage from the '40s (or early '70s in Minnelli's case) would be. Davis opens the show with familiar hits plus a funny takeoff on pal Michael Jackson performing "Bad" as well as a dramatic song from Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera".

Minnelli follows with showstoppers like Kande/Ebb's "Ring Them Bells" plus a lovely new song by Charles Aznavour, "Sailor Boys". Sinatra, his voice somewhat frail but his showmanship and personality intact, pays tribute to such greats as Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Darin and Louis Armstrong. He serves up a personalized Quincy Jones arrangement of "Mack the Knife" as well as a poignant reading of the saloon song, "One for My Baby, One More for the Road". He also gives kudos to his orchestra, including son Frank Jr. As conductor.

Tape climaxes with a 20-minute medley of numerous signature tunes performed alternately by all three stars, highlighted by Davis' rousing "Birth of the Blues" and "For Once in a Lifetime" and yet another Minnelli showstopper "The World Goes 'Round".