In 1990s HBO was slowly building its reputation as the embodiment of quality television in America. One part of that process was the series of films dealing with certain dark events from US history, usually ignored by mainstream Hollywood or broadcast networks. However, on occasion, HBO would also deal with historical chapters that could be best described as glamorous. One such example is The Rack Pack, 1998 biopic directed by Rob Cohen.
The film is dedicated to the group of larger-than-life personalities that dominated American entertainment industry in late 1950s and early 1960s. The plot begins in 1960 when their members – singer Frank Sinatra (played by Ray Liotta), singer and actor Dean Martin (played by Joe Mantengna) and singer, dancer and actor Sammy Davis Jr. (played by Don Cheadle) – are at the top of the popularity. They are best friends and often perform together, especially in Las Vegas and its luxurious hotels, casinos and night clubs, turning the former desert town into the entertainment capital of America and the world. Because of that, they are nicknamed “The Rack Pack”. The group, that also involves comedian Joey Bishop (played by Bobby Slayton) and English actor Peter Lawford (played by Angus Macfadyen). Sinatra, who is unofficial leader of the group, wants to support presidential campaign of Democratic US senator John F. Kennedy (played by William Petersen) and gets recruited with the help of Lawford, who has been married into Kennedy family. Sinatra, however, soon learns that Kennedys would demand a lot from him – because they fear backlash from racist voters in South, Sinatra must try to publicly distance himself from Sammy Davis Jr. who is not only black but challenges racist attitudes by intending to marry white Sweidsh woman May Britt (played by Megan Dodds). At the same time, Joseph Kennedy (played by Dan O’Herlihy), patriarch of Kennedy clan, wants Sinatra to contact his old associates in the Mafia in order to use their help in gathering votes for son’s campaign.
Although made with relatively modest budget, The Rat Pack for the most part look as big as its larger-than-life protagonists. Rob Cohen, director best known for his work in action genre (including starting the The Fast and the Furious franchise), handles this biopic well and gives it a sense of flamboyance despite most of the scenes taking place indoors. Script by Kario Salem gives most of the emphasis on the dynamic between various members of the group; they are portrayed as close friends that love each other, but there are still differences in background, characters and politics that would ultimately tear the group apart. Casting looks adequate with Cohen comfortably using actors that look little like their real life countepart. That includes Ray Liotta, who needs additional effort to convince audience that he is legendary “Ol’ Blue Eyes”. Mantegna, although he too lacks physical resemblance with the character, is much better as Dean Martin. Don Cheadle also lacks resemblance with Sammy Davis Jr., but nevertheless delivers the best role of them all, probably because his character is burdened not only with accident that had left him without an eye, but also issues of race that plagued America even in its entertainment capital.
The Rat Pack provides very good character study and reconstruction of the period, but Salem’s script fails to provide the most important ingredient for the succesful biopic – strong plot. Story about “Rat Pack” and its role of Kennedy campaign and ultimately unsuccessful attempts to exploit it during the first years of Kennedy presidency is nothing more than an excuse to stuff the screen with as much historical celebrities as possible. Although some of them are interpreted by capable cast (like Deborah Kara Unger in the role of Sinatra’s former wife Ava Gardner), those scenes ultimately serve as a filler. There are some hints that the film would be something more, like an attempt to show how fame and success is fleeting and that entertainers, even when they rub shoulders with politicians, are always disposable. The Rat Pack is also one of the first films that challenges decades of Kennedy deification in American popular culture, showing the iconic president and its family as cynical and ruthless politicians, not very different than those before and afterwards. Sinatra family was very displeased with the film being issued only months since Frank Sinatra’s death and the critics weren’t too enthusiastic. Don Cheadle, however, managed to win Golden Globe for his performance and this should be one of the reasons why The Rat Pack should be recommended even to more demading audience.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
Blog in Croatian https://draxblog.com Blog in English https://draxreview.wordpress.com/ Leofinance blog https://leofinance.io/@drax.leo
Unstoppable Domains: https://unstoppabledomains.com/?ref=3fc23fc42c1b417 Hiveonboard: https://hiveonboard.com?ref=drax Bitcoin Lightning HIVE donations: https://v4v.app/v1/lnurlp/qrcode/drax Rising Star game: https://www.risingstargame.com?referrer=drax 1Inch: https://1inch.exchange/#/r/0x83823d8CCB74F828148258BB4457642124b1328e
BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7
