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 | |
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Robert Miranda | ... | Momo Giancana |
Barbara Niven | ... | Marilyn Monroe | |
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Michelle Grace | ... | Judy Campbell |
Tyrees Allen | ... | George Jacobs |
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. Written by Jim Sadur <jsadur@keyflux.com>
The HBO movie, "The Rat Pack" chronicles the high-living times of the famous Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Peter Lawford) during the years 1958-1962. Supposedly based on fact, the story centers on the collision of personalities between the Rat Pack's leader, Frank Sinatra, and the Kennedy clan. In the story, Frank Sinatra so admires Senator Jack Kennedy that he'll do anything to help him be elected President. When it involves the dirty and unethical dealings of Joe Sr., Frank's reluctant, but game. Frank manipulates friends, brings in the Mafiosi, dumps on the downtrodden. So when Kennedy is elected what's Frank get? The shaft.
How much of the story is true? Who knows? But it does make for good entertainment, bringing along Marilyn Monroe, Bobby Kennedy, Joe DiMaggio and other period luminaries. The story is moved along by some excellent acting especially Don Cheadle as the tortured Sammy Davis Jr, Ray Liotta as Frank Sinatra and Joe Montegna as Dean Martin. It may twist the truth, but it's decent entertainment.