The Rat Pack (1998)

The public and private lives of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Peter Lawford.

Director:

Rob Cohen

Writer:

Kario Salem

Stars:

Ray Liotta, Joe Mantegna, Don Cheadle

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 7 wins & 26 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ray Liotta	...	Frank Sinatra
Joe Mantegna	...	Dean Martin
Don Cheadle	...	Sammy Davis, Jr.
Angus Macfadyen	...	Peter Lawford
William Petersen	...	John F. Kennedy
Zeljko Ivanek	...	Bobby Kennedy
Bobby Slayton	...	Joey Bishop
Megan Dodds	...	May Britt
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Ava Gardner
Veronica Cartwright	...	Rocky Cooper
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Joe Kennedy
Robert Miranda	...	Momo Giancana
Barbara Niven	...	Marilyn Monroe
Michelle Grace	...	Judy Campbell
Tyrees Allen	...	George Jacobs

Storyline

In the 1950s and 1960s Frank Sinatra was the head of the infamous "Rat Pack". He, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop worked and played together. This film dramatizes their volatile relationships with each other and the Kennedys, Marilyn Monroe, mobster Sam Giancana, Judith Campbell Exner and the FBI. Sinatra helps John F. Kennedy get elected in 1960 with a little help from Giancana. Lawford, married to a Kennedy, is an unhappy go-between. Davis is fighting racism and insecurity. Campbell is sleeping with both Giancana and JFK who is also sleeping with Monroe.

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Plot Keywords:

rat pack | president | racism | organized crime | fbi | 

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Taglines:

They never let business get in the way of having fun.

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Genres:

Drama | Musical

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality and strong language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 August 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Rat Pack

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Films, Original Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Don Cheadle only had a couple of weeks to prepare for the role of Sammy Davis Jr.. He learned to sing, tap dance, play drums, play trumpet and twirl six-shooter pistols like Davis did. He took tap dance lessons from Savion Glover.

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Goofs

In the scene where Sinatra goes crazy upon learning that JFK will not be staying at his house, he begins pounding on a plaque which says "John F. Kennedy slept here November 6th and 7th 1960" JFK did not become president until January of 1961 yet we've already seen him in the White House and being referred to as Mr. President. Sinatra was even talking about building bungalows for the Secret Service which would not have been protecting him at that time. In reality JFK's visit to Sinatra's house was set for 1963 not 1960.

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Quotes

Frank Sinatra: If power doesn't mean that you have the opportunity to work with the people that you love , then you haven't really got any.

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Connections

Referenced in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Episode #8.54 (2009)

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Soundtracks

Come Fly With Me
Written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen (as James Van Heusen)

User Reviews

Fascinating look at the Sixties.

Most of us of a certain age will remember the events in this movie as newspaper headlines. I have no idea how much fictionalisation there is but the film does capture the mood of the time and the sleazy blend of Las Vegas show business, gangsterism and American politics. There is no attempt to get look alikes for the main roles but their personalities are suggested rather cleverly. In the smaller roles I thought Dan O'Herlihy was a standout as the evil, conniving Joe Kennedy. The musical numbers are well integrated into the plot and nicely done.