THE RAT PACK (1998)

[Larry's 66 Diner]

TC and I just finished watching this movie a while ago. This is a very interesting movie.

As I'm sure most of you are aware, "The Rat Pack" consists of Dean Martin; Frank Sinatra; Sammy Davis Jr; Joey Bishop; and Peter Lawford.

Many may recall that this group of individuals reportedly had connections to the organized crime boss Sam "Momo" Giancana. And of course we all know the connections with them and the Kennedys and Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio, etc etc.

As the back of the DVD reads:

The Pack makes Vegas their kingdom with Frank and the boys ruling generously — a private corner of America, where anything goes. This safe haven proves invaluable to entertainers, politicians and the mob, all of whom share restaurants, bars, cocktails ... and more. But when President Kennedy, newly elected with the support of the Pack, is advised that the friends who made him shouldn't be the friends he keeps, the guys soon discover that lady luck has chosen another partner. As America sips one last martini before flipping to The Beatles; as marilyn Monroe ceases to be a living legend; and as Attorney General Robert Kennedy begins a crackdown on mob ties in Vegas, the Rat Pack's world on a string is cut loose and drifting slowly out of their hands.

WARNING: There is strong language and brief scenes of very extreme nudity and sexual content. However, this is a great movie if, for nothing else, its intrigue! Whether it is historically accurate, well, I guess no one will ever really know the truth to that.

[tclion]

Yes there is really nothing in the movie stating how historically correcet the movie really is. It is one I probably won't watch again...

I think that this is just not my kind of movie. That is why I probably won't watch it again...

[diane]

I think I can remember seeing it a few years ago. I think at the time there was so much on
about the Rat Pack - documentaries and stuff. If I can remember Dean Martin seemed to be
very sympathetically portrayed. Wasn't Don Cheedle Sammy Davis Jnr?

[Larry's 66 Diner]

That is correct Diane; Don Cheadle portrayed Davis pretty well in this film.

[dvdjunkie]

While I found this movie very intriguing and also very violent, I have added it to my collection for historical value, and will probably not watch it again, who knows. One thing this movie did is make me seek out the 'rat pack' movies - "4 for Texas", "Oceans 11", "Assault on the Queen", "Robin and the Seven Hoods" and "Sergeants Three". Watch these movies and then watch "Rat Pack" and it sort of all fits into place, whether it is historically correct or not.

[tclion]

I will try to do that. I think what put me off was that I was told this is the real thing this tells the real story. All I saw was a movie and no facts to back it up. To me it seemed jsut as you said Bill just a violent film...