A Hole in the Head (1959)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Frank Capra

Writer:

Arnold Schulman (play)

Release Date:

15 July 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The most wonderful entertainment in the whole wide wonderful world!

Plot:

An impractical widower tries to hang onto his Miami hotel and his 12-year-old son.

Plot Keywords:

Motel | Boy | Liar | Father Son Relationship | Greyhound Racing

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	Tony Manetta
Edward G. Robinson	...	Mario Manetta
Eleanor Parker	...	Eloise Rogers
Carolyn Jones	...	Shirl
Thelma Ritter	...	Sophie Manetta
Keenan Wynn	...	Jerry Marks
Joi Lansing	...	Dorine
Connie Sawyer	...	Miss Wexler
James Komack	...	Julius Manetta (as Jimmy Komack)
Dub Taylor	...	Fred (the clerk)
George DeWitt	...	Mendy Yales
Benny Rubin	...	Abe Diamond
Ruby Dandridge	...	Sally
B.S. Pully	...	Hood
Joyce Nizzari	...	Alice (Jerry's secretary)

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

New Zealand:G | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Cardozo Hotel - 1300 Ocean Drive, South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida, USA

Company:

Sincap Productions

Trivia:

Nearly all of the characters' names were changed from the original play.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Ally is shown running back along the street calling for his father at the end, in the distance the taxi is seen making a U-turn while a large crowd of onlookers stand on the streets behind it, obviously watching the scene being filmed.

Quotes:

Fred: Life is just a bowl of cherries
Tony Manetta: Why
Fred: I don't know. I ain't a philosopher!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Mole People (#9.3)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

ALL MY TOMORROWS

There is Better Carpra, Sinatra, and Robinson Out There

Read all my reviews at www.midnitcafe.blogspot.com

I received A Hole in the Head for my birthday in a Frank Sinatra double pack with the original Manchurian Candidate. I had put off watching it because it did not seem like a movie I would particularly enjoy. But in my quest to watch and review all of my movies, I had no choice but to put it in the player. Of course the fact that my wife wanted to watch it prompted me a little further even to the point of watching it out of alphabetical order.

Frank Capra is the great godfather of sentimental movies. Many of these are deservedly hailed by fans and critics. From Mr Smith Goes to Washington to It's a Wonderful Life Capra made movies about the little guys fighting the system and coming out on top. These movies are sentimental enough to be dubbed "Capracorn" by the system, but are handled with masterful hands that rise above the schmaltz created by so many others. Besides little guys he also flooded his movies with eccentric characters standing out in a world full or normal folk. Arsenic and Old Lace and You Can't Take it With You are standouts of this form. Sadly, A Hole in the Head tries to mix both of these Capra types and fails on both accounts.

The film is the second to last picture ever made by Capra and was the beginning of an attempted comeback from a few years break from making Hollywood pictures. But instead of a comeback this film serves only to remind us of what Capra used to be. Frank Sinatra plays a down on his luck big dreamer who is about to be evicted from his hotel business in Miami, Florida. He calls up his brother, Edward G Robinson and sister-in-law Thelma Ritter for help pretending his son is sick. Robinson and wife quickly head down from New York to see what's going on. Hilarity and sentimentality ensue. Swinging Sinatra butts heads with button down Robinson until a quick ending and easy solution are found.

The performances of the stars are fine. At this point in their careers Sinatra and Robinson are essentially playing themselves. Although Sinatra is more up and coming to the declining Robinson. There are some good jokes and the simple story is fair enough as it is. Capra fills Sinatra's hotel with an odd collection of eccentrics that seem to have no other purpose but to fill up some time and tell a few jokes. The ending of the movie seems tied on and creates changes to some characters without any real provocation. The cheese factor is high even for a Capra film and it's not subdued by any superb performances. The drama is not elevated above the schlock you would see in a made for TV movie.

The stand out of the film is Sinatra and son singing the classic "High Hopes." Being a fan of Sinatra more as a singer than actor this amusing break in the middle of the picture helped keep my hopes up for a decent picture. Those hopes were not shattered, nor were they completely fulfilled. For beginners of "Capracorn" you should pick out some of his earlier, superior films. But for a lonely night in need of some corny sentiment, this is some fluffy candy that just might fill.

More reviews at www.midnitcafe.blogspot.com