RICK'S REAL/REEL LIFE

Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, & Sammy Davis, Jr. are the key players  in 1960's heist film, "Ocean's 11."

There's much heavyweight Hollywood talent involved in the lightweight 1960 version of Ocean’s 11.

Right at the start—and closing—legendary Saul Bass designed the Vegas-bright opening titles for Ocean’s 11. Lewis Milestone (All Quiet on the Western Front) directed but really played traffic cop for the Rat Pack. Ocean’s 11 was a cakewalk compared to directing Marlon Brando in the notorious 1962 remake of Mutiny on the Bounty, Milestone's last feature film. William H. Daniels, who photographed nearly all of Garbo’s films, and 10 of Frank Sinatra’s from the late ‘50s through the ‘60s, contributed the stylish cinematography; Sinatra fave Nelson Riddle composed the lively score. 

Saul Bass created the neon bright titles for 1960's "Ocean's 11."

Then there were “The Three Crooners.” Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr. were all iconic singers who could act and had a flair for comedy. And Peter Lawford provides the class as their wartime pal. This all helps the high-concept plot immensely. The pitch: WWII soldier pals reunite to knock over five Las Vegas hotels on New Year’s Eve and win big.

These five hotel/casinos are the New Year's Eve targets of the "Ocean's 11," from 1960.

An admirable plus about this movie is that it shows mega star Sinatra's generosity toward other performers. Dean and Sammy get musical numbers, plus a reprise, yet Sinatra doesn't sing a note. Most stars would demand equal time.

Ocean's 11 is unique because it represents a moment in time, much like the previous year's Pillow Talk. Both films were huge hits and a zeitgeist. Pillow Talk caught the wave of sex comedies with its iconic stars and is remembered as the prime example of the genre. And Ocean's 11 snapped the Rat Pack/Las Vegas era at its absolute peak. And yet, by the early '60s, both sex comedies and Rat Pack antics were already becoming passé. Each year of the '60s was like dog years in United States’ society. In the case of the Rat Pack, Marilyn's death, Frank falling out with the Kennedys and dumping Lawford, JFK’s assassination, the Beatles invasion, etc. all made these 40-something guys look increasingly irrelevant. Yes, Rat Pack fans will die on that sword that they were eternally cool cats. But seeing middle-aged men booze, chain smoke, chase broads, and making like frat boys got old really fast. Burt Reynolds did the same thing in the '70s with his hillbilly version of the Rat Pack, with all those car chase comedies and corny cop movies.

Frank Sinatra, far left in his favorite color orange, is Danny Ocean. The other 10 guys  make up the "Ocean's 11," in this 1960 heist caper.

The surprise of Ocean's 11 is that while it is smoothly made, it's not very snappy, clocking in at a leisurely 2 hour and 8 minute movie. The “humorous” dialogue, supposedly improved by these real life pals, wasn't very funny or witty, even for its time. The lightly sexist, racist dialogue didn't bother me that much, as I know this came from 40-something men in 1960, more of an eye roll.

Laid back Dean Martin, with pal Frank Sinatra, who gives the look of when he's been crossed, in 1960's "Ocean's 11."

Another drag is that it takes an hour just to introduce all the characters. They are not all that interesting, as written. While the stars are all charismatic, it feels like they are on autopilot. It's been said that the three crooners, plus Bishop and Lawford, performed in Vegas at night and made this movie during the day. If so, it shows. And you can practically smell the second hand smoke just from watching Ocean’s 11. The last half of the movie is setting up the heist and its outcome.

The main stars of 1960's "Ocean's 11" played on stage at night and before the cameras  during the day, which may explain the laid back performances.

Frank is understated here. Dean offers his deadpan humor. Sammy is energetic and gets a great music number that echoes through Ocean’s 11. Peter as the charming waster has always left me cold, but he does well enough here. 

All the world's a stage for Sammy Davis, Jr. as a singer/trash collector, in 1960's comedic heist, "Ocean's 11."

Interesting that Sinatra fave Richard Conte ended up in The Godfather. Hope Frank didn’t hold that against him! And that Henry Silva always creeped me out after first seeing him in 1962’s The Manchurian Candidate.

One dud is Joey Bishop, who I always thought was the cliché of the unfunny Vegas comedian, and here he’s just as flat a film performer. A shame the film starts with Joey carrying the ball. His deadpan, hangdog demeanor reminds me of Norman Fell, who’s also in the film!

Joey Bishop, far left, uses his deadpan expression to convey the rest of his gang's  feelings at the funeral finale of 1960's "Ocean's 11."

The real surprise is that Angie Dickinson is barely in Ocean’s 11. The then-rising starlet appears in the opening as Frank's ex-wife. She has a long scene with Dean Martin, who wants them to reconcile. Angie has a second scene with Sinatra, sporting a nifty chemistry; what a shame they didn't equally co-star in a film. That's it—except for a brief scene on the phone with Sinatra's most recent dame, which could have easily been cut in this overlong movie. The women in this movie are made up and coiffed like mannequins, a Vegas version of The Stepford Wives. 

Frank Sinatra as Danny Ocean & Angie Dickinson as Bea, his ex-wife, in 1960's "Ocean's 11."

There's a great cast of supporting actors who give Ocean’s 11 some oomph, though they’re typecast: Cesar Romero, Richard Conte, George Raft, Ilka Chase, Patrice Wymore, etc. There are a couple of unfunny, unbilled cameos that last nearly as long as Angie Dickinson’s scenes: Red Skelton as himself, futilely trying to get his credit extended. Shirley MacLaine appears as a drunk. Both scenes meander, add nothing to this lengthy film, and could easily have been cut.

Ocean's 11 is the forerunner to the heist movie set at Christmas, like Die Hard. And the film's climax is at New Year's, when they pull off the heist. Of course human frailty and error fouls the perfect crime, with a twist ending.

That final scene, with Danny Ocean's crew walking away, is the Rat Pack so effortlessly cool. The finale is more than a bit bittersweet, when you think of the legends in their ensuing years, walking away here at their zenith. The ending’s morale is literally that you can't take it with you. And Rat Pack leads Sinatra, Martin, Davis, and Lawford all lost a lot in their last years. In 1960’s Ocean’s 11, the stars are captured at their peak, for posterity.

The bittersweet finale of 1960's "Ocean's 11."

Here’s a very entertaining melodrama featuring several of the Rat Pack, 1958’s Some Came Running. My look here:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2019/04/stellar-cast-helps-some-came-running-go.html

Frank Sinatra & Peter Lawford were the best of friends when they made 1960's "Ocean's 11."

Gene Tierney thinks she has troubles as a kleptomaniac in "Whirlpool." Wait till she meets Jose Ferrer's hypnotist!

20th Century Fox upper middle class luxury meets lurid film noir via a charlatan hypnotist, in 1950’s Whirlpool. The con man (Jose Ferrer) takes advantage of a well-to-do housewife (Gene Tierney) who is a kleptomaniac. Once David Korvo has a hypnotic hold on Ann Sutton, he sets her up for murder.

Gene Tierney's Ann Sutton is under hypnotic suggestion to carry out crimes in 1950's "Whirlpool." The good news is she sleeps like a baby!

Fox studio head Darryl F. Zanuck was hoping for another Laura, as Whirlpool had the same director, female star, and composer. As the smooth-talking hypnotist, Zanuck wanted an elegant villain along the lines of Laura’s Clifton Webb. Filmed in mid-1949, I understand why Jose Ferrer was considered a casting coup at the time, as he was a huge Broadway hit as Cyrano de Bergerac.

Gene Tierney's troubled housewife falls under phony Jose Ferrer's spell in 1950's "Whirlpool,"from 20th Century Fox.

However, I think Fox should have stuck with one of their charming cads, Vincent Price or George Sanders. Ferrer is all sonorous voice but looks and acts like such a little weasel that it begs why someone like Gene Tierney would give him the time of day. At least with the two Fox stars, they had stature and good looks that allowed them the guise that hid the wiles. Or best of all, James Mason, who had a great face and voice, and was new to American movies.

Jose Ferrer's unctuous hypnotist is short on charm & long on creepy in "Whirlpool."

 Richard Conte seems somewhat miscast as Ann’s shrink hubby Bill, but Conte at least has conviction. I think that Conte is a handsome, solid, and intense actor. Conte would have thrived over at WB playing either cops or robbers; he has that kind of face. With those piercing eyes and jutted jaw, Conte always looks like he is gonna belt somebody!

Richard Conte is the psychiatrist husband of Gene Tierney's kleptomaniac in 1950's "Whirlpool."

Charles Bickford is always instantly believable, here as no-nonsense Lt. Colton, who finds the whole story beyond belief—and he's right! The police detective is also mourning the recent loss of his wife, which gives him some depth.

Charles Bickford is the no-nonsense police detective solving a nonsensical crime in 1950's "Whirlpool."

Barbara O’Neil, beloved by film fans as Scarlett O’Hara’s mother and   memorable as the deranged wife in All This, And Heaven Too, plays one of Korvo’s victims. To distinguish O’Neil as the older woman, she is given a skunk-like white streak in her dark hair! Her performance is much more subtle.

Barbara O'Neil's older socialite tries to give Gene Tierney's matron some friendly  advice in 1950's "Whirlpool."

As for Gene Tierney, I've always admired her great beauty, class, and intelligence. Tierney always seemed to do best in roles where she seemed other-worldly. Here is no exception, given that Ann Sutton's under hypnosis half the time. There's a certain amount of psychology here, with a wife who seemingly has everything, but resorts to shoplifting for some kind of release. Tierney's performing is not electric, like Bette Davis, or deeply empathetic like Ingrid Bergman, but she performs well within the studio era’s stylized acting. 

Hey, when hypnosis doesn't work, drastic measures are required! Jose Ferrer and  Gene Tierney in 1950's "Whirlpool."

Even for a studio era film noir, the plotting in Whirlpool is preposterous. The movie opens with moneyed suburban matron Tierney getting busted for shoplifting in a swanky LA store. When Ann Sutton is escorted to the manager’s office by security, onlooker David Korvo follows, and imposes his opinion about the awkward situation. In reality, the security would have escorted him out before he could finish his first sentence! Nor would anybody in their right mind meet with this obviously smarmy character in public, despite red flags galore. I won’t give away the finale, but it goes beyond the pale of believability.

One of the most unbelievable scenes, Jose Ferrer in 1950's "Whirlpool."

At the time, Whirlpool was considered an “A” picture, though it feels a bit minor by today’s standards. Zanuck had a personal hand in this film, the book was considered a hot property, Ben Hecht was the screenwriter, etc. And yet, all the ingredients didn’t create a memorable melodrama.

Part of the problem was the miscast leading men, plus neither were particularly box office magnets. Which meant the burden of carrying the picture fell on Gene Tierney’s slim shoulders. Even in her greatest vehicle, Leave Her to Heaven, Gene was bolstered by a strong supporting cast. As Laura, she got great support from Dana Andrews and especially, Clifton Webb. Tierney was a leading lady who always benefited from a strong leading man.

The direction by Otto Preminger, score by David Raksin, cinematography by Arthur C. Miller, and costumes by Oleg Cassini for then-wife Tierney are all top class. But the characters don’t click, due to off-target casting and absurd plot contrivances. Whirlpool is worth a watch, but it’s not exactly a hypnotic film.

Richard Conte and Gene Tierney call it a night in 1950's "Whirlpool."

My take here on Laura, the first and best of four films that Gene Tierney and Otto Preminger made together:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2018/04/laura-1944.html