BEST FRANK SINATRA MOVIES
“On the Town” (1949) Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Jules Munshin live it up energetically as sailors who pack in all the fun they can while on a 24-hour leave in New York.
“From Here to Eternity” (1953) Sinatra’s fight to land the role of Maggio in this military drama about the Pearl Harbor attack paid off big, since he won a supporting Oscar (as did co-star Donna Reed).
“Suddenly” (1954) In this intense melodrama, Sinatra plays a captor of a family as he invades their home and waits to assassinate the U.S. president.
“Guys and Dolls” (1955) Sinatra is gambler Nathan Detroit in the screen version of the famously sassy hit musical. “The Tender Trap” (1955) A major highlight of this romantic comedy is the opening, in which Sinatra shows off the wide screen by walking toward the camera singing the title song. This is part of a Sinatra mini-festival Wednesday, July 27, on Turner Classic Movies. “The Man With the Golden Arm” (1955) A stunning Sinatra plays a recovered heroin addict struggling to keep from resuming the habit in Otto Preminger’s drama. “High Society” (1956) “What a swell party this is,” indeed, as Sinatra teams with Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly in this musical take on “The Philadelphia Story.”
“Pal Joey” (1957) Sinatra has the title role in the Rodgers and Hart musical about a singing womanizer whose deepening affection for a chorus member (Kim Novak) doesn’t keep him from trying to use a former flame (Rita Hayworth).
“The Joker Is Wild” (1957) Sinatra is terrific in the true story of comedian Joe E. Lewis, who incurred the wrath of mobsters in a drastic way.
“Ocean’s Eleven” (1960) This popular casinoheist caper, the first of Sinatra’s “Rat Pack” movies with such pals as Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., was reborn as a franchise for George Clooney and company four decades later “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962) A Korean War veteran’s (Sinatra) hunch that a former comrade (Laurence Harvey) is being prepped to commit an assassination fuels this controversial thriller, which Sinatra also produced. “Robin and the 7 Hoods” (1964) Sinatra introduced his song standard “My Kind of Town” in this highly entertaining gangster spoof featuring much of the “Rat Pack,” plus Bing Crosby and Peter Falk.
“Von Ryan’s Express” (1965) This excellent military drama casts Sinatra as a prisoner of war who engineers an escape for many of his fellow captives. “Assault on a Queen” (1966) Rod Serling wrote the screenplay for this crime caper, with Sinatra playing the leader of a gang planning to rob the Queen Mary ocean liner.
“Tony Rome” (1967) Sinatra is suited ideally to the title role of a laid-back Miami private eye who becomes entangled with a wealthy, troubled family. A sequel, “Lady in Cement,” was released a year later.
“The Detective” (1968) In this very adult police drama, Sinatra plays a veteran investigator whose murder probe hints at corruption within his department.