Currently Listening Romance: Songs From the Heart By Frank Sinatra see related

It was ten years ago today that Frank Sinatra passed away. The Post Office has released a gorgeous stamp honoring Ol' Blue Eyes (have you picked yours up yet? ).

I'm a little late to be blogging about TCM's Sinatra film offerings today, but I'll mention the ones I'm most interested in.

The Tender Trap (1955):

Charlie Reader (Frank Sinatra) is an agent in New York who lives the high life as a bachelor dating a series of beautiful women. Longing for the stability of married life, he runs into Julie Gillis (Debbie Reynolds), who is determined to get married but has little tolerance for Charlie's romantic liaisons. Unable to make up his mind, Charlie proposes to Julie and Sylvia (Celeste Holm) at the same time, and the requisite comic complications ensue.

I started this movie but haven't finished it yet (got distracted by American Idol - can someone please explain to me the appeal of David A.??? I don't get it...). However I'm loving Sinatra in the film so far...I'll probably be sick of the title song by the time I watch the entire movie...it gets quite a workout, LOL. The Tender Trap is available as a single-disc DVD and as part of the Frank Sinatra: The Golden Years DVD boxed set.

High Society (1956):

Tracy Lord is a recently divorced Newport socialite whose upcoming marriage with upper-crust stiff George Kittredge is making the headlines. Mike Connor is a reporter set to cover the wedding and C.K. Dexter-Haven is her ex-husband, ostensibly there to attend the Newport Jazz Festival, but who evidently still carries a flame for her. Tracy's high-class demeanor has nary a crack in it until Connor gets her drunk and the two of them take a midnight swim.

This is one of my all-time favorite musicals. It's a musical remake of the Katherine Hepburn classic The Philadelphia Story...and honestly I prefer the remake (I know, I'm sure that's the equivalent of classic movie sacrilege!!!). But seriously, who could ask for anything more than to have Bing Crosby and Sinatra paired on-screen with fabulous Cole Porter songs? Their duet of "Well Did You Evah?" kicks some serious butt.  Sinatra is in his prime as jaded reporter Mike Connor - and when he thaws ice queen Grace Kelly by serenading her with "You're Sensational" and "Mind If I Make Love to You?"...Oh. My. WORD. There's just not words to describe the sublime perfection of those performances.  High Society is available on DVD.

Do yourself a favor and skip The Pride and the Passion...unless you need a really good laugh. Or it might work as a possible cure for insomnia. I'm just sayin'...

The last film I want to highlight is A Hole in the Head (1959):

Since the film was directed by Frank Capra, and was advertised as a warm family comedy, audiences may have expected a lighthearted romp. The comedy is there, and the warmth, but there is a darker, desperate undercurrent in the film, which suits Sinatra's edgy personality. He plays Tony Manetta, a small-time promoter running a shabby hotel in Miami's South Beach neighborhood, a run-down area at the time. The widowed Tony is raising a young son (Eddie Hodges) and dreaming of creating a Disneyland-type resort. But he's about to lose his hotel because of his irresponsible ways, and his stodgy businessman brother (Edward G. Robinson) is after him to give up his freewheeling life and settle down with a respectable widow (Eleanor Parker).

I absolutely adore this movie. It's sweet and funny without being sappy or anything like that. Definitely worth checking out...I have the DVD but haven't watched it in ages...maybe I can revisit this film this weekend.