The Night We Called It a Day (2003)

Director:

Paul Goldman

Writers:

Peter Clifton (writer)
Michael Thomas (writer)

Release Date:

14 August 2003 (Australia)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

This nobody is about to catch a big somebody.

Plot:

Based on the true events surrounding Frank Sinatra's tour of Australia. When Sinatra calls a local reporter a "two-bit hooker", every union in the country black-bans the star until he issues an apology. |

Plot Keywords:

Apology | Frank Sinatra | Tabloid Journalism | Big Band | Female Reporter

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Dennis Hopper	...	Frank Sinatra
Melanie Griffith	...	Barbara Marx
Portia de Rossi	...	Hilary Hunter
Joel Edgerton	...	Rod Blue
Rose Byrne	...	Audrey Appleby
David Hemmings	...	Mickey Rudin
David Field	...	Bob Hawke
Victoria Thaine	...	Penny
Stephen O'Rourke	...	Jilly Rizzo
Nicholas Hope	...	Phil
George Vidalis	...	Vinny
Peter Demlakian	...	Ruby
Tony Barry	...	Ralph Blue
Vincent Ball	...	Rex Hooper
Jennifer Hagan	...	Doris

Also Known As:

All the Way (USA) (DVD title)
All the Way: The Kidnapping of a Music Legend (USA) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language.

Runtime:

Germany:97 min (Filmfest Hamburg) | Argentina:97 min

Country:

Australia | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Argentina:13 | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-11 | Netherlands:AL | Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Fox Studios, Moore Park, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

The Night We Called It a Day Pty. Ltd.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: There are a number of anachronisms in the Sydney backdrops, ostensibly set in the 1970s. The most obvious is the catamaran harbour ferry that crosses the screen, in an early night-time shot of the harbour bridge. These were not introduced until 15 years later in 1988.

Quotes:

Bob Hawke: [to Sinatra] You are what we call a 'tall poppy'. We have a way of dealing with tall poppies in this country: we cut their heads off!

Movie Connections:

References The Godfather (1972)

Soundtrack:

Silvery Moon

The Australian cultural cringe in all its glory

This movie had fairly good reviews when it hit the cinemas here - and I frankly expected a lot more than it delivered.

Having been around at the time, I wondered then why so much was being made of Sinatra's well known behaviour and his hatred of the press in general. I thought it was a predictable series of events blown up - mainly by Union intervention - into an imagined insult on Australia and all it stood for. A classic example of our cultural cringe. That the aforesaid cringe is still rampant is illustrated by the fact that anyone decided to make this movie.

Itis totally impossible to cast anyone successfully as Frank Sinatra - the man was unique in so many ways. Dennis Hopper was I suppose a reasonable compromise, but his grating voice and total lack of charm spoilt much of the movie for me. Sinatra had a musical speaking voice, as well as his singing one - and his charm (when he chose to turn it on) was inescapable. Anyone unfamiliar with the Man, watching this movie would wonder what all the fuss was about. The ludicrous portrayal of Bob Hawke, a man who excelled in being ludicrous, was another disappointment. Tom Burlinson's delivery of the few songs was, as usual, competent and wooden - Hopper's "on-stage" lip-synching missed everything that was magical in a Sinatra performance. Melanie Griffith was - Melanie Griffith, the rest of the cast was competent and did their best with what in the end was nothing more than a fairytale wound loosely round an actual series of events.

Not a totally bad movie - entertaining in parts - but on the whole a waste of time and money.