OCEAN’S ELEVEN
US, 1960, hundred and 27 minutes, Colour.
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop, Richard Conte, Angie Dickinson, Cesar Romero, Akim Tamiroff, Buddy Lester, Patrice Wymore, Henry Silva, Red Skelton.
Directed by Lewis Milestone.
Oceans 11 was an entertainment generated by the group of friends in Hollywood known as the Rat Pack, Sinatra, Martin, Davis Jr, Lawford, Bishop. This is a heist extravaganza, old World War II army buddies who were skilled as commandos deciding to rob all the casinos in Las Vegas. The first half of the film is an introduction to each of the characters and bringing them together. The second half is the actual heist, the big plan, the details of the action and timing – with some ironies about their being discovered and the money going up in flames at a cremation.
The group went on to make a number of other films, with numbers in the title, Four for Texas, Sergeants Three, Robin and the S even Hoods.
Direction is by Lewis milestone who 30 years earlier had made the Oscar-winning All Quiet on the Western Front, a director of many genres who found great difficulty, two years later, working with Marlon Brando in a version of Mutiny on the Bounty.
The remake of the film brought together a number of Hollywood stars who were friends, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon. And they went on to Oceans 12 and Oceans 13, all films directed by Steven Soderberg..
1. The classic status of this film? A film of the 1960s? The Hollywood Rat Pack and their kinds of films? The impact of the remake?
2. The Las Vegas settings, the casino, the background of casinos, the workplaces, kitchens, electrical centres…? A sense of realism within the fantasy of this large heist?
3. The cast, their status at this time, their friendships? The comic cameos Shirley Mac Laine, Red Skelton and his gambling.
4. The background of World War II, the commando group, the friendships over the years, contacts? The idea of the heist? Drawing on their military background? The leadership of Jim Foster, Danny Ocean? Contacting the men? Their range of jobs? Tony in prison? Josh and his work? Jim and his easy life? Danny and the tensions with his wife, with his girlfriend? The skills of the other men? Those working in Las Vegas? In the casinos?
5. The idea of the heist, the military background, the planning, the personnel? Selling it to the various men? The meetings, the interviews, their being persuaded, gathering together?
6. Spyros, the racketeer, his anxiety, getting the men together, sponsoring it?
7. The first half of the film introducing the characters, their relationships, their plans? The second half of the film with the heist, the timing, the detail, the afternoon, Santos and his working out what it happened, his hold over the group? The various manoeuvres to outwit him?
8. Anthony dying, his widow and the $10,000, the funeral parlour and the director, persuading her to have the service in Las Vegas transporting the body, the attendance of the men? The phone call to Santos and his turning up?
9. The placement of the body, the money? The irony of the cremation?
10. The characters and their lifestyles?
11. Danny, something of a gambler, easy going, the scenes of discussion with his wife, her refusal to come back, the discussion with the girlfriend? The girlfriend and her pressure on him?
12. Jim Foster, born into wealth, his mother pampering him, many husbands, the demands of him, the phone calls? His military skills? The idea of the robbery? His friendship with Danny and Sam? Sam’s suspicions of him? Easy-going, making demands of his mother for money? His explanations about her pressures?
13. Sam, the musical background, his songs, performance, initial scepticism, agreeing to go along with things, the aftermath, suspicions of Jim, the apology?
14. Tony, being in jail, getting out, his illness, the doctors, the time to live, his agreeing to help, his electrical skills, the timing, the execution of the job? his death?
15. Josh, black, cheery, driving the garbage truck? Roger and his being the contact? Vince and saving his wife from stripping? Mushy as the sidekick?
16. The various men and their skills in the hotel, their friendships, working to time, the blackout, the robbery? The aftermath with the money?
17. Duke Santos and his criminal background, intention to marry Mrs Foster, discussions with her, forgiving him his past, the meeting with Jim, their instant dislike? His suspicions about the robbery, Mrs Foster telling him about the meeting of the commandos, his putting two and two together confronting, wanting
half the money, their attempts to outwit him, everybody at the funeral centre, is the cremation?
18. Life at the casino, the details, target robberies?
19. The amoral tone of the film, heists, getting away with robbery – and not?
