CATCH A CLASSIC
Dean Martin — Part II
TCM, Beginning at 7 p.m.
Tonight’s second of two evenings celebrating the movies of legendary crooner Dean Martin kicks off with two classics in which the “King of Cool” costarred with Frank Sinatra and other fellow Rat Packers. First up is Ocean’s 11 (pictured) (1960), the enjoyable heist comedy that saw the Rat Pack at the pinnacle of their film appearances. World War II vets Danny Ocean (Sinatra) and Jimmy Foster (Peter Lawford) recruit nine of their former military comrades — including Sam Harmon, played by Martin — to help them rob five Las Vegas casinos on New Year’s Eve. The fun ensemble cast also includes Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, Angie Dickinson, Cesar Romero, Norman Fell and plenty more. Up next is Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), a musical that sets its retelling of the Robin Hood legend in mobrun, Prohibition-era Chicago. There, North Side boss Robbo (Sinatra) hopes to get a leg up in his power struggle with rival racketeer Guy Gisborne (Peter Falk). Robbo sets himself up as a latter-day Robin Hood, with philanthropic fronts enabling him to scam the rich, take his cut and then give to the poor. Among Robbo’s band of merry men helping him with his scheme is pool hustler Little John, played by Martin. Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby, Barbara Rush and an uncredited Edward G. Robinson also star. Also of note: This is the film in which Sinatra introduced the tune associated with the Windy City ever since — “My Kind of Town,” which received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.