The Rat Pack (1998) (TV)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Rob Cohen

Writer (WGA):

Kario Salem (written by)

Release Date:

22 August 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

It was their world. We just lived in it.

Plot:

A look at the famous "Rat Pack" of the '60s, and how their glamorous alliances and carefree sophistication created a mythical lifestyle.

Plot Keywords:

Rat Pack | President | 1960s | Organized Crime | Racism

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Ray Liotta	...	Frank Sinatra
Joe Mantegna	...	Dean Martin
Don Cheadle	...	Sammy Davis Jr.
Angus Macfadyen	...	Peter Lawford
William Petersen	...	John F. Kennedy
Zeljko Ivanek	...	Bobby Kennedy
Bobby Slayton	...	Joey Bishop
Megan Dodds	...	May Britt
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Ava Gardner
Veronica Cartwright	...	Rocky Cooper
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Joe Kennedy
Robert Miranda	...	Momo Giancana
Barbara Niven	...	Marilyn Monroe
Michelle Grace	...	Judy Campbell
Tyrees Allen	...	George Jacobs

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and strong language.

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R (video rating) | USA:TV-MA | Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Trivia:

Barbara Niven gained 20 pounds to play Marilyn Monroe.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: On election night, Frank Sinatra is talking on a phone. The receiver is clearly connected to the phone wire with an RJ-11 jack. That kind of connection is common now but did not exist in 1960.

Quotes:

Frank Sinatra: How tall are you, Peter?
Peter Lawford: About six foot one.
Frank Sinatra: Don't cut yourself off at the knees.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sex at 24 Frames Per Second (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

I've Got the World On A String

Exploring Sinatra's associations with his musical friends and the Kennedy family

I missed this on HBO and was delighted to pick it up recently. With the possible exception of Ray Liotta, the physical casting was truly well done. Liotta plays Sinatra reminiscing towards the end of his life about his golden years, his old friends in the 'Rat Pack' and his aspirations to be loved universally by helping John F Kennedy into power.

What made this stand out for me is not only the wonderful recreations of the legendary on stage horseplay the Rat Pack indulged in, but also some of the private agonies, particularly those of Sammy Davies Junior, in another superb performance by Don Cheadle, who is given his own solo spectacular scene in a face off against the Ku Klux Klan.

The Kennedy and Lawford association is also covered in some depth, and the Sinatra character is well rounded - we feel for him much of the time, but his personality is far from sugar coated. As a film character, he is compelling, although Ray Liotta makes little attempt to emulate Sinatra in voice or mannerisms.

Joe Mantegna IS Dean Martin physically, and this helps the authenticity of the piece, but he is sadly underwritten, Gone is the hell raiser and womaniser of legend. In his place is a laconic 'Fonz', smooth with the ladies, but sleeping alone.

William Petersen nails Kennedy in spite of physical differences, and the scenes with him and Sinatra seem consistent with their characters. Angus McFadyen plays a nervous Lawford, caught between using his Kennedy connections to become part of the Rat Pack and keeping Frank out of the White House. Ava Gardner also makes a brief appearance in the form of Debra Kara Unger. Aside from the unusual casting of it's lead (Aidan Quinn would have been a much more realistic choice), my only real gripe is how suddenly it all ends, while you wait for a proper conclusion. This is a wonderful glimpse into the intertwined lives of some of the highest profile people on the planet.