ROBIN AND THE SEVEN HOODS

US, 1964, 123 minutes, Colour.
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Bing Crosby, Peter Falk, Barbara Rush, Victor Buono.
Directed by Gordon Douglas.

Robin and the Seven Hoods is the last of the films from the Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop are absent from this film. However, a very engaging performance by Bing Crosby more than makes up for it, as does seeing Peter Falk as a gangster, not entirely different from Colombo, in Chicago. Barbara Rush makes a suave femme fatale.

Other films included Ocean’s Eleven, Four for Texas, Sergeants Three (a reworking of Gunga Din).

The film is about gangsters – but is also a musical comedy. It has echoes of Some Like it Hot and gangster massacres, including the opening with Edward G. Robinson doing a cameo as the Mafia don who is assassinated. Peter Falk plays Guy Gisborne as the film unfolds with parallels of the Robin Hood legend. Dean Martin is laidback, of course, as Little John. Sammy Davis Jr is Will. Frank Sinatra is Robbo and Barbara Rush a variation of Maid Marian.

The film has the popular ingredients of the gangster films, but with widescreen, colour and music. It also has a portrait of the humour, Damon Runyon style, with gambling establishments during Prohibition suddenly being turned into revivalist meeting centres.

One of the values of seeing the film is the trio of Sinatra, Martin and Crosby. They have various songs individually and together, including Mr Booze.

The film was directed by Gordon Douglas, better known as an action director who directed Sinatra in The Detective, Tony Rome and Lady in Cement. He directed Bing Crosby in the remake of Stage Coach, 1966.

1. An entertaining film from the Rat Pack? The camaraderie of Sinatra, Martin and Sammy Davis Jr? The added ingredients of Bing Crosby and Peter Falk?

2. The Chicago settings, the period, gangsters, charities? The streets of Chicago, the shops? The drop-in centres? Realism or fantasy?

3. The musical score, the range of songs, My Kind of Town for Frank Sinatra, Mr Booze for the trio, songs from Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr? The songs from the Mafia hoods?

4. The parallel with the Robin Hood story, robbing the rich – but helping themselves? Helping the poor? Frank Sinatra as Robbo, the others with their characters from the story, Little John, Will, Guy Gisborne as the villain, the presence of the sheriff, Bing Crosby as Allen A. Dale? Barbara Rush as Maid Marian – and the variation with her antagonism towards Robbo?

5. The opening, the Mafia banquet, Edward G. Robinson and Jimmy’s speech, the toast, his being killed? His portrait? Robbo and his absence, his antagonism towards Guy Gisborne? The appearance of Marian, wanting to avenge her father’s death – and take over?

6. The picture of criminals? Gambling setups? The revival centres – and the thugs all singing and praying when the police arrived?

7. Allen A. Dale, his style, manner of speaking, people commenting on his bad throat with his vocabulary? His clothes? The song where he changed and had style?

8. Guy Gisborne, his working with the sheriff? Taking over, the election? The death of the sheriff? The deputy sheriff and his support? Guy Gisborne setting up his own gambling centre? Customers not coming because they went to Robbo’s? His getting the sheriff, the police, the raid, the revival meeting? His frustration? Teaming up with Marian, the plan to get rid of Robbo and John? The irony of their outwitting him? The role of the deputy sheriff, the yes-man?

9. The range of characters, thugs, Mafia, their appearance, tough, the thug with his knitting?

10. John, Dean Martin’s style, laidback, supporting Robbo? Following along? The verve of Sammy Davis Jr, his support, songs? The three as Santa Clauses at the end of the film?

11. The tongue-in-cheek mixture of gangsters, comedy, music, songs and dances – an entertainment confection?