It's the prohibition era in Chicago. Guy Gisborne (Peter Falk) with the help of the Sheriff takes over after assassinating Big Jim. Robbo (Frank Sinatra) was Big Jim's friend and refuses to go along. Will (Sammy Davis Jr.) is Robbo's right hand man in the north side. Pool hustler John (Dean Martin) is new in town and Allen A. Dale (Bing Crosby) is the director of an orphanage for boys. Gisborne starts a war with Robbo. Marian (Barbara Rush) is Big Jim's secret daughter and tries to hire Robbo to avenge his father's murder.
This film is more notable for what happened behind the scenes. The music is old fashion Rat Pack. It's great for fans of their style but none of it is really catchy. There is little energy and considering the circumstances, it's perfectly understandable. The camera style is rather pedestrian and the whole movie lacks pace.
Robin and the 7 Hoods
1964
Action / Comedy / Crime / Musical
Robin and the 7 Hoods
1964
Action / Comedy / Crime / Musical
Plot summary
In Prohibition-era Chicago, the murder of mob boss Big Jim Stevens leaves a vacuum at the top. As the murder was orchestrated by Gisborne - one of Big Jim's underlings - with the assistance of Sheriff Glick and Deputy Sheriff Potts, who were also in Big Jim's back pocket, Gisborne plans to take over. However, Big Jim would have wanted Robbo, who he treated like a son, to take over. As such, a gangland war ensues, with Robbo having among his men an Indiana pool hustler named Little John, and Will, a sharp shooter. What happens between the two gangs is affected by Marian Stevens, Big Jim's beautiful and sophisticated daughter, who inherited her father's ambition and has more criminal smarts than her father. Among Marian's wants is for her father's murder to be avenged. Marian's intervention into the matter leads to Robbo and his band of merry men gaining some legitimacy within the Chicago public mindset, he giving some of his profits and the profits of others to the less fortunate. But Marian may have a bigger influence on the outcome of the war as she works toward her own end manipulating whichever man she can using her feminine wiles.
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not enough fun
Sinatra sings "My Kind of Town," and Sammy Davis Jr. interprets the peculiar 'Machine Gun' dance scene
After an emotional rendition of 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow' number one gangster, Big Jim, is shot dead at his own birthday party, and Guy Gisborne (Peter Falk) takes over the mob
Robbo (Frank Sinatra),a rival gangster, warns Gisborne to stay out of the North Side
John (Dean Martin),a minor hood from Indiana, joins Robbo's gang just before Robbo and Gisborne destroy each other's nightclubs
Robbo rebuilds, outfitting his new gambling hall so that it becomes a new little modern casino at the touch of a button
Marian (Barbara Rush),Big Jim's daughter, gives Robbo $50 grand to kill her father's murderers, but he orders Will (Sammy Davis, Jr.),his aide, to donate the money to an orphanage
Allan A. Dale (Bing Crosby),who runs the institution, crowns Robbo as a modern-day Robin Hood
The action takes place in the gangland Chicago of 1928 instead of Sherwood Forest
Amusing ideas abounded
The best being a brief appearance by Edward G. Robinson as the chief hood who is shot by the mob just few seconds in the film
Don't miss the formidable dance number "Style" performed and sung by Sinatra, Martin, and Crosby
Lightweight...and after a while a bit tedious.
One of the more pleasant surprises I had watching movies was watching "Oceans Eleven" with the Rat Pack plus several others. I had just assumed it was a vanity project and nothing more. To my surprise, it was a heck of a good film with a heck of a good story. Because of this, I was much more inclined to watch a film by these folks in the future...and sadly, I saw "Robin and the 7 Hoods" next...a rather dull little film that seemed to go on and on and on!
One of the big reasons I wasn't so taken by "Robin" was that it was a musical and never at all took itself seriously...very much unlike "Oceans Eleven". To me, "Oceans Eleven" was entertaining to the audience..."Robin and the 7 Hoods" was mostly entertaining to Robin and his 7 hoods! In other words, these old friends may have enjoyed getting back together but that alone isn't the reason to make a film.
Perhaps some of my boredom with this movie is that I am not a huge Rat Pack fan. I don't have an overwhelming need to see Dean, Frank and Sammy...so to get my attention they need a film that would excite anyone, not just devoted fans. And, sadly, it's just for the devoted fans...period.
While I must admit some of the songs were nice, the story just seemed very lightweight and skippable. And, many times the film seemed to come to a dramatic climax...yet it then continued. I call this poor writing and these actors deserved better.