Robin and the 7 Hoods

I consider this the best of all the Clan movies that Frank Sinatra did with his pallies. By the time Robin and the 7 Hoods was made, Sinatra's movie career consisted of a lot of sleep walking roles. But Frank still took his singing quite seriously and he's at the top of his game in this one.

Since he produced and starred in it naturally Frankie reserved for himself the best song in the Jimmy Van Heusen-Sammy Cahn score. My Kind of Town did for Chicago what New York, New York did for the Big Apple and was nominated for best song that year. Sinatra delivers it in grand style.

He gave a little something for everyone in the cast. Peter Falk who plays Guy Gisborne gets one of those once in a lifetime chances to overact with abandon and gusto. He looks like he's having a ball, especially singing All For One And One For All as he's electing himself numero uno of the Chicago gangs.

Sammy Davis, Jr. other than in Porgy and Bess and here got very little opportunity to show off his amazing multi-talents in film. His Bang Bang number as Frankie's crew is busting up Falk's speakeasy, displays those talents of singing, dancing and mimicry. Listen close and you'll Davis do some good imitations of Al Jolson and Jerry Lewis.

Bing Crosby in his last musical role plays Alan-A-Dale and he replaced Peter Lawford when he and Sinatra came to an abrupt parting of the ways. He's the secretary of an orphans home where Sinatra donates some hot money to launder it. Crosby's one solo number in this is Don't Be A Do-Badder which is vintage philosophical Bing and I'm sure Van Heusen and Cahn wrote it after the casting change was made.

Dean Martin got short changed here. I wish he'd been given something better as a solo than Any Man Who Loves His Mother.

There's a song on the cast album that is heard in the background called I Like To Lead When I Dance. It got cut from the film. It also appeared on other Sinatra albums and Old Blue Eyes does really well by it. I wish it had been left in.

You can't possibly go wrong with all the talent that Sinatra gathered for this film. It was his last musical role as well.

To begin with, I recall catching the opening sequence of this one as a kid on a now-defunct Sicilian TV channel Considered the best of the Rat Pack films, this is a slick, likable and witty transposition of the Robin Hood legend to gangland Chicago. A generally bright outing, it loses steam towards the end, emerging as being decidedly overlong.

The stars are in their element – Frank Sinatra is Robin (called Robbo and clearly relishing the role, it’s hard not to be reminded of the star’s real-life mob connections), Dean Martin is Little John (their famous initial confrontation takes place over a game of pool!), Sammy Davis Jr. (who does a fair imitation of James Cagney) is Will Scarlett and Bing Crosby turns up half-way through as Allen A. Dale (this proved to be his last musical role). As for the villains, Peter Falk is wonderful as Guy Gisbourne (though he seemed stuck in gangster types during this time in his career) and heavy-set cocoa-drinking Victor Buono is the new Sheriff. However, I think it was a mistake to present Marian (Barbara Rush) as a femme fatale; appropriately, then, Edward G. Robinson (an icon of the gangster genre) cameos as Big Jim – the Richard the Lionheart figure. There are also notable bits by Hans Conried (as Robbo’s put-upon architect), Allen Jenkins (as a disgruntled partner of Falk’s) and Sig Ruman (as a leading citizen).

Though OCEAN’S 11 (1960) did provide a title tune sung by Davis, this is the only Rat Pack musical of the lot. Sinatra’s “My Kind Of Town” was nominated for an Oscar – but other songs are actually more memorably presented: Davis’ own energetic destruction (at the rhythm of a tap dance) of Falk’s gambling joint; “Style”, a momentous collaboration between Sinatra, Martin and Crosby (three of the best-loved crooners ever); and Crosby’s show-stopping “Mr. Booze” (at one point, to divert a police raid organized by rival Falk, Robin’s gang turns the joint into an impromptu temperance meeting!). With this in mind, the film has definite black comedy touches – particularly in the cornerstone-laying motif. However, the Christmasy finale in which the tables are once again turned in favor of Robbo and Rush is reformed (off-screen) by Crosby feels rushed.

Some trivia connected to the film: a kidnapping scene was dropped for hitting too close to home – Sinatra’s own kid had just been abducted and eventually ransomed for $250,000!; on the day JFK was shot dead, the scene of Robinson’s funeral was being filmed!; apparently, Sinatra’s old musical pal Gene Kelly was originally involved in the production as a dance director but left during its early stages after disagreeing with Sinatra (who also served here as producer) over the number of dance routines to be incorporated into the film.

ROBIN AND THE 7 HOODS, last of the 'official' Rat Pack trilogy, was undeniably the best of the series (OCEAN'S ELEVEN, a glossy but ultimately standard 'B' movie about a Las Vegas casino heist had been filmed, between the Pack's nightclub appearances, in 1960, and SERGEANTS 3, a so-so comic Western cavalry remake of GUNGA DIN, appeared in 1963), and with tunes by the legendary Jimmy Van Heusen, it was the only film that gave it's legendary stars a chance to perform in the format best suited to them...an old-fashioned movie musical.

Set in Prohibition Chicago, the spoof of the Robin Hood legends offered Frank Sinatra as Robbo, favorite 'lieutenant' of murdered crime boss 'Big Jim' (unbilled Edward G. Robinson), who 'takes on' successor Guy Gisborne (a very funny Peter Falk) and his 'right-hand' man, Sheriff Alvin Potts (Victor Buono, also excellent), for control of the city. A likable gangster with a code of ethics, Robbo, and his pal, Will (Sammy Davis, Jr), are soon joined by 'new-in-town' grifter, Little John (Dean Martin), who easily beats Robbo in a game of pool (while harmonizing about being faithful to one's mother!). Meanwhile, a beautiful, mysterious woman (Barbara Rush) appears, introducing herself as Marian Stevens, with links to Big Jim, and an agenda of her own...

The arrival of milquetoast accountant Allen A. Dale (Bing Crosby, having a ball playing 'against type') with a scheme to turn public sentiment against Guy Gisborne and the Sheriff, through charity and 'good works', quickly brands Robbo as a hero who would steal from the rich to give to the poor, and Chicago adores him, driving Gisborne NUTS! As plots are hatched to discredit Robbo, body counts rise, and Marian proves the most duplicitous of all, in her quest to gain power.

While the plot summary doesn't sound particularly amusing, the film, with it's 'tongue-in-cheek' tone, is much closer in spirit to GUYS AND DOLLS than GOODFELLAS. With Sinatra, Crosby, Martin, and Davis crooning a rousing "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat"-style mission number, "Mr. Booze", Davis singing and dancing to machine-gun volleys, and Sinatra performing what would become one of his 'signature' tunes, "Chicago (My Kind of Town)", the music is all first-rate, with the dramatic elements all played for laughs.

As Marian ends up with a surprising new 'mob boss', and Frank, Dino, and Sammy are reduced to pan-handling (but happy) "Santa Clauses", ROBIN AND THE 7 HOODS leaves viewers with a smile, and the Rat Pack with a film finally worthy of their considerable talents.

Not a bad legacy, at all!

Like we've taken the Robin Hood legend and changed the bows and arrows to machine guns! ... Like with songs yet! ... Like WILD! . In prohibition-era from 1920s Chicago, the racketeer marshal (Victor Buono) along with a mobster named Guy Gisborne , a corrupt(Peter Falk) who controls the south side , knock off the ringleader Big Jim (Edward G Robinson). Everyone falls in line behind Guy except the do-good gangster Robbo (Frank Sinatra) who rules north side in his last go-round . Robbo wishes to keep his own territory with a ¨Robbo project foundation¨ and his particular business . A pool-playing man from Indiana named Little John (Dean Martin)and the director of a boys' orphanage named Alen Dale (Bing Crosby) unite forces with Robbo and Will (Sammy Davis Jr). When he gives some money to the orphanage, he turns the toast of the town as a hood like Robin Hood and people shout ¨Chicago loves Robin¨. As Robbo along with his friends creates the ¨Robin Hood foundation¨ and a ¨Free soup kitchen¨ . Meanwhile, Guy schemes to get rid of Robbo, and Big Jim's heretofore unknown daughter named Marian (Barbara Rush) turns up and goes after from dudes attempting to encounter an ally in her quest to run the whole show. Later on , Robbo is detained and newspapers publicize : Robbo held for sheriff murder¨ .

This is an amusing musical comedy with some Hollywood major stars reunited by Frank ¨Robbo¨ Sinatra and incarnating Robin and his merry men in modern times , including usual names as Little John , Will Scarlett , Marian and Guy Gisborne . It's a ¨Rat Pack¨ version of 1920's Chicago with Frank Sinatra and his boys as do-good mobsters in their last outing . Fine musical numbers with beautiful songs by Nelson Riddle as ¨Bang, Bang¨ , ¨Mister Booze¨, ¨Don't be a do-baddler¨ and ¨My kind of town¨ with Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra singing and dancing and dressed in smoking , besides another sensational show including Crosby dancing with children . This is a typical Rat Pack vehicle such as ¨ Ocean's eleven(1960) ¨, ¨ Four for Texas (63)¨ and finally ¨Cannoball run II (1984)¨ with the sympathetic trio Frank Sinatra-Sammy Davis Jr-Dean Martin . The motion picture is professionally constructed by Gordon Douglas. This is one of various and mediocre works of his long career as filmmaker. He was a Hollywood veteran director, directing early movies (Little rascals, Spanky), expert on Western (Chuka,Rio Conchos, Yellowstone Kelly, Only the valiant ), and usually worked for Frank Sinatra in various films (Lady in Cement, Tony Rome,The detective, Robin and the 7 Hoods). Rating : Passable and acceptable , 5,5 . This is a nice musical entertainment and to be liked for Frank Sinatra fans.

Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

The Rat Pack take on gangsters in the 1920's Chicago in this spoof of the genre, which is also mixed with the Robin Hood story. After the top gangster is killed at his birthday party, Guy Gisborne (Peter Falk) takes over the mob with the help of a corrupt cop but this doesn't sit well with Robbo (Frank Sinatra). Instead of joining up with the other mobs, Robbo decides to team up with some buddies (Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Bing Crosby) and take the city over with charity work. This movie starts off very well but slowly runs out of gas and in the end it becomes a rather drag, which is a shame since the movie started off so well. I think the biggest problem is the running time, which just keeps the moving going and going when it should have probably ran only 90 or 100 minutes. The first half of the film is extremely fast, loose and fun and it offers up plenty of nice laughs including a hilarious cameo by Edward G. Robinson. Sinatra, rumored to have had mob connections, fits his role extremely well and delivers a fine performance of "My Kind of Town". Sammy Davis, Jr. is also very good in the film and gives one of the highlights in his performance of "Bang, Bang" and he also does a great impression of James Cagney. Martin is also very funny as is Crosby but Falk really steals the show as the rival gangster. For the most part the music is good, although I think the song "Mr. Booze" runs too long and really brings the film to a standstill. The history behind the making of this film is rather interesting since Kennedy was assassinated during production and Sinatra's own son was kidnapped and held for ransom, which also had the filmmakers cut a kidnapping scene from the film. There's a joke early in the film about the Lincoln assassination and I'm shocked this was left in the film after what happened to Kennedy. At any point, this is a fairly entertaining comedy that has a lot going for it but an editor really would have helped things.