Rat Pack Mythology Overshadows ‘Ocean’s 11’ 1960

 

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."