I love, love, love this movie! I highly recommend it to any Rat Pack fan. The special features are horrible, though. I was hoping for better.

"Rat Pack" was a fantastic movie. Ray Liotta, in the final scene of the movie, conveys as close to heartache as one can get when he's recording "One For my Baby". Sinatra's always been known to be one of the only singers that can make the listener feel all the "Electric Heartache" in his songs. To me, the final shot of Liotta with obvious pain and sorrow in his face finishing the song and fading to black...that is the mark of a great film. This is one of my all time faves.
Considering the loss of JFK (at least per Peter Lawford's untimely news about staying with Bing Crosby), Ava's eventual departure, and the Rat Pack's "Heydays" pretty much behind them, Frank knows it was time to move on.
There are a quite a few Rat Pack Tribute tours going on throughout the states (and especially Vegas) in a given year, and I'm sure even with HBO's clout, they decided to utilize said Tribunals for this movie's soundtrack.
All the actors (including a pre-CSI William Petersen as then Sen. Kennedy) hold their own against an era and events that would have overwhelmed anyone.
Most of the movie keeps relative hold of the pre- and post-Kennedy election storyline, and also touches on Joe Kennedy's disain for Sammy's interracial relationship, Frank's hiring of a Blacklisted screenwriter, et al.

This is not a history lesson, and since even "Gods and Generals" and other actual events movies are throwing the "actual events" parts out the window, I wouldn't worry about this being a movie that will get the facts straight. It's played for the soundtrack and how some Presidents won elections they shouldn't have. (Hint, hint Liberals)

I waited in angst to see this movie when it came out on HBO. I love the Rat Pack and couldn't wait to hear the music. I thought the cast was excellent. The problem was the music for Sinatra, wasn't Sinatra singing.

The result obviously for a fan is pure dissapointment to say the least. Maybe people who don't realize this will like the film and rate it 5 stars. Like I said... could have been a great movie, it just wasn't.

You can't blame the actors. Who are great! Who wouldn't want to have played these parts?

I thought it was an excellent movie with equally fine performances from the actors. It was well written and edited so one could really get a sense of what The Rat Pack was like in that particular moment in time. Indeed their talent has not been surpassed. I would like to have seen them in person in Las Vegas but this is a great substitute.

Please don't believe all those other reviews! This Movie is the BEST!!! It's a movie not history class. Buy it and ENJOY it!!!

Don

I'm the world's biggest Rat Pack fan, so I'd have been partial to this movie anyway. And it is, essentially, a mediocre (if very good-looking) effort. Still, it's given "platform shoes" by two SUPERB performances--by Joe Mantegna as Dean Martin and Don Cheadle as Sammy Davis Jr. Also very impressive are Angus McFadyen's performance as Peter Lawford (a very subtle performance) and William Petersen's dead-on impersonation of JFK (you can't even tell it's William Petersen!).

As for Ray Liotta as the Chairman of the Board--granted, he really doesn't act or sound or look like Sinatra. And his looks and demeanor are too young and petulant for the role of the mature Francis Albert. But he is very good, nonetheless. The problem is, Sinatra's looks and sound are too well-known, and the fact that Liotta can't even approximate them is too great an obstacle. Martin's and Davis's looks and sounds are well-known, as well, and Mantegna and Cheadle aren't Xerox copies of the originals, granted, but they SUGGEST them with sufficient deftness that, at times, it's really hard to tell the difference.

I thought the Rat Pack was an excellent movie. Charactor portrayals were very close to what I remember them being having grown up in the early 50's. Tensions abound inside the Pack as they deal with the evolution of entertainment industry close friendships and outside as Sinatra draws the Pack through a politics-meets-the-mob maze. Perhaps the most telling and eloquint of all lines spoken, Sinatra's reflection on days past, "I miss my guys."

If you haven't seen this movie, you're cheating yourself out of a delightful romp through the old days of wine, women, and song.

This movie is indeed good entertainment and nothing more than that. It somewhat captures the swinging late 50s and early 60s before the onslaught of the Beatles changed the music industry forever.

There are a bunch of half truths and rumors in here but the movie is fun to watch anyway if you take it with a grain of salt. For example, by early 1962, Sinatra was no longer at CAPITOL and the song ONE FOR MY BABY was recorded at CAPITOL in 1958.

None of the rat pack except maybe Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford's character closely resemble the real legends in looks and speaking voice.

As stated earlier, this is a good half truth, half fiction movie.

OK, so there are several problems with this 1998, sensationalist tale of Sinatra, his cronies, JFK and the mob. But, flawed as it may be, there is enough here to make it worth watching.
The major issue is the fact that Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, JFK, RFK, etc., etc. were so visible on screen back in the day and their images are forever preserved in peoples minds and memories forever. So when one sees a film like this, and they see contemporary actors playing historical figures of just a few decades ago, it doesn't always sit well with the viewer. Right off the bat, the cards were stacked against this film. Hell, in that respect it would be easier to make a film about Helen of Troy than Ol' Blue Eyes (We don't know for sure what she looked like, but we know she was attractive enough to launcha thousand ships).
The other issue was that Sinatra himself and his people tried desperately to a put a stop to this film. This is rather odd. Though he's hardly portrayed in the most positive light, he comes across much better here than he did in the 1992 miniseries which was authorized by Sinatra and produced by his daughter. Odd. At least here, Sinatra is seen as being someone who would do anything and everything for his friends.
Really, the plot focuses on Frank and the boys having the time of their lives as they quickly come together, film "Oceans Eleven," help elect Kennedy, and live large. Though their peak lasts only so long, it sure looked like a lot of fun.
Ray Liotta does a great job as the Chairman of the Board. He perfecty captures Sinatra's erratic behavior, volatile personality and borderline manic-depressive personality. He may seem, to some, like an odd choice, but check him out. You will be impressed.
Joe Mantegna tries his best to capture the essence of Dean Martin- an impossible task. While he looks and talks the part quite well, he never seems fully at ease in the role. Still, one must applaud his effort. Not even those closest to Dino knew him that well, so it can't be easy for any actor to truly get inside this enigmatic character.
Don Cheadle is quite good as Davis. Davis' voice and gestures have been so mocked over the years that it would be easy to play this character as a total caricature, but Cheadle brings tremendous heart to this role.
Speaking of caricatures, check out the Kennedy brothers! They may look the parts, but the actors are far from convincing (especially their awful faux-Boston accents).
Perhaps the real find here is Angus MacFayden as Peter Lawford. Not does he only bare a striking resemblance to him, but MacFayden seems to embody this troubled and tragic figure perfectly (Lawford was Sinatra's liason to JFK). His final confrontation with Liotta, at the very end of the film, is explosive and well worth the wait.
Critics may have reached their vedict prematurely on this film, claiming it to be a travesty and a poor depiction of somebody who is regarded as Hollywood royalty. At the end of the day, though, it is just a film and an entertaining one at that. It won't erase your memories of these pop-culture icons, but it will sure make you look at them from a different persepctive.

...Be Careful of Whom You Go to Bed With...

Once you get past the cringe inducing casting, there's a pretty decent story of Hollywood, Vegas, Chicago, Washington, the Mob, and other not so strange bed fellows. It all but verifies how the Gang put the politician in the office and who was hot to trot for whom. It insinuates why the golden girl actress dies, why the Camelot president is shot, and what happens to the Attorney General. Sammy D. does a show stopping rendition of "I've Gto You Under My Skin" to burning crosses and Men in Capes and Robes. The Marilyn does not however recreate the "happy birthday, Mr President..." performance. Dino sees the handwriting on the wall and tries to sell his share of the corporation, the Pack gets ahold to movie scripts which expands and exploits thier Vegas escapades...yeah, dig? It's a cool, hip way to kill a few hours watching, but, the best movie on the Rat Pack is yet to come....

Chris Dudley must be a famous movie maker, that's why he knows so much more about making films than the people who made this piece of terrific entertainment. Why, this film doesn't "focus" on how each one of them became famous. It spends too much time on Sinatra, when really we all wanted to see more of Peter Lawford. At least Dudley knows how to spell "non-sequitur" but either he doesn't understand it or doesn't get why the lyrics to the song "I'm Gonna Live" perfectly presage the extracts from the life of its singer, Frank Sinatra, we're about to see.

Dudley doesn't want a movie, he wanted a 10-hour mini-series.

What we got was fun and exciting, with several scenes you will remember forever (at least I will), not just because it's like you're watching the real history we never knew at the time, but because they are well played and paced. For example, the scene in a nightclub with Frank, Dean, Sammy, Peter, Marilyn Monroe, Joe Dimaggio, and Jack and Bobby Kennedy sitting at a big table, with Judy Campbell (later to become Exner) sitting at a small table off to the side, with mobsters Johnny Roselli and Mickey Cohen over there, is extraordinary. The "High Hopes" number was great, and yes it did happen. The meeting between Joe Kennedy and Sinatra where the Kennedy clan patriarch directs Sinatra to ditch the blacklisted writer he had hired and to get his mob pals to help "win" the West Virginia primary is all the more powerful for being so brief. Frank's passionate argument with Ava showed how much two people who really love each other can hurt the other. How much more can you reasonably ask from a 2 hour TV movie, or indeed from any movie?

I didn't see this until just the other day and I damn near stayed up all night just to watch it, and it takes something arresting to grab my attention and keep it that late at night when I really had no intention of seeing the sun come up.

As with most HBO productions, this movie is excellent. The story covers the lives of Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, and John F. Kennedy through the late 50's and early 60's. Although the focus is on these main characters,we also get the likes of Joey Bishop, Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, Ava Gardner, and Sam Giancana - all portrayed wonderfully by a very talented cast.

As for the acting:

-Ray Liotta is, as always, a fantastic actor who captured the character, if not the mannerisms, of Frank Sinatra. Liotta's speaking voice is too high-pitched to make a believable transition from the many musical numbers which are performed. But he does capture the essence of Frank's on-screen persona.
-Don Cheadle is dead-on as Sammy Davis Jr. He got the moves, the speech, and the quirks all down to a science. He is clearly the most believable character.
-Joe Mantegna was, for me, the biggest disappointment of the movie. Don't get me wrong, he mastered the whole nonchalant, "not a care in the world" personality that made Dino famous. But his voice had too much of a "Barney Rubble" quality for my liking. I found it to be too distracting.
-Honorable mentions should also go out to Angus MacFadyen for his terrific portrayal of Peter Lawford, both in looks and demeanor, and also to William Petersen for his right-on imitation of JFK.

As for the plot:

The movie spins a very controversial tale. Whether it is true or not, the following is clearly implied by the script:

-Frank Sinatra is tied very closely to the mob and, as a result, was treated like a King by his peers. He also wanted desparately to be liked by JFK.
-Peter Lawford was a sad, sniveling coward in front of Frank. He comes off as being afraid of his own shadow.
-Dean Martin was a loner who kept his distance from women, politics, and organized crime. But certainly not from booze.
-Sammy Davis was fighting his own inner battle over the racist jokes that were poked at him throughout the Rat Pack gigs.
-JFK was elected as a direct result of Frank's connections with the mob. He is portrayed as a fast living playboy who loved to sleep around.

How much of this is true? I really can't say. But, one thing is for sure: This movie delivers some pretty powerful messages through its story which, to some fans of the Rat Pack, may border on being "more than we needed to know".

In Conclusion:

This is a well-made movie with many subplots and many underlying implications. In some ways, this makes the movie a little hard to follow at times. Especially when you are expecting to see a movie about entertainers - not politicians. And in the end, that's what you get the most of - politics. So, in summary, the movie is very well acted and very well written, but may be a little heavy for the average Rat Pack fan.

I really enjoyed this film -- much better than your typical made-for-TV fare -- and as a dedicated Rat Pack fan I think it covers as much of the history and personalities involved, staying close to the truth on most points.

Liotta has the energy, but lacks either the mannerisms or the accent to pull off a truly believable Sinatra... he's not bad, he's just not anywhere near as good as the portrayals of both Martin and Davis, which are absolutely on-target; both Mantegna and Cheadle can be very proud of their roles.

However, now for the bad side: you're not going to like the portrayal of Marilyn Monroe as a truly idiotic bimbo, nor the idea of her making moves on JFK. (Both historians and those in the know who've written books on their affair will tell you that the active party doing the chasing was definitely Kennedy.) And don't expect to see anything revealing about Frank's relationship with Ava, which fills all of 3 or 4 minutes onscreen. Finally, Angus MacFadyen's Peter Lawford is just sad... a whimpering and ridiculous character. Sure, Lawford was uneasy around Frank, but it was never like this!

(Make sure you watch the bathroom sex scene carefully, so you'll see Lawford admiring himself in the mirror - and straightening his hair! - during the fun. I've got to admit, that had me cackling.)

With that said, this is a fine piece of historical fiction... and, as Frank says in the opening moments of the film, you're "really going to miss the boys."

This is the absolutely perfect film for enjoying a nice rocks glass of Jack Daniels with water on the rocks (Sinatra's favorite drink). Dig the first scene as the credits roll: the legend himself getting ready for a concert, going out into his retinue of flunkies, having one flunkie answer his command to "Match me" by failing to get his cigarette lighter going fast enough, only to have the hand that must belong to a beautiful woman come forth with a "Here you are, Mr. Sinatra." To which the only response has gotta be, as Frank says, "Thanks. doll."

As much as any actor can, Ray Liotta conveys the energy and total self-absorption and tremendous talent that was Frank Sinatra. The Kennedy connection is the thread upon which hangs this tale of cool at the dawn of a decade that definitely was not; and it is used to masterful effect to convey a fundamental insecurity that, for all of Sinatra's achievements, he could never quite shake. The cloying nature of his relationship with JFK is quite evident and, for all I have read about both men, pretty close to the historical record.

But who can say? This film is a great compilation of talent and makes some telling, though subtle, points: among which is the fact that, of the three superstars who were at the core of the Rat Pack, Sammy Davis, Jr. was by far the most multi-talented.

As Davis, Don Cheadle gives perhaps the best performance of a trio of very strong performances. By conveying Sam's dignity as well as his consistant refusal to give up in an era when that temptation must have been overwhelming, he helps to document a heroism that should be better known.

It must have been hard for Joe Mantegna to get at the core of Dean Martin -- I am sure he must have relied heavily on Nick Tosches's book, "Dino." Is this the real Dean? Ya got me, pallie. But it is well done.

This is above all a movie to enjoy. In that sense, it is as true to the Rat Pack's legacy as anything. So grab a bottle of Jack Daniels for Frank, or J&B scotch for Dino, or whatever for Sam, and drink to the memory of a great trio of men who lightened our hearts and put some songs on our lips that will, just maybe, stay there forever.

This movie should be more appropriately titled, "Frank Sinatra (and Some Other Guys)." Really, it purports to be about the Rat Pack, but really doesn't focus very much on anyone else. A lot of time is mismanaged in the movie, and the pacing drags along poorly in many spots.

The whole movie takes place in the time frame between John Kennedy's presidential campaign, 1959, to about a year later. It doesn't focus on the beginnings of the careers of the various members of the Rat Pack, nor does it come to say how they got to know each other. It starts at one point in their association, wanders along, and then stops at what passes for a climactic down ending. It all seemed rather arbitrary.

I wouldn't say this movie was actually about the Rat Pack. It was more about Frank Sinatra's affair with the Kennedys, and his connection to organized crime. Frank campaigns for Jack. Frank meets with Joe Sr.. Frank controls the mob. As for the others, Dean Martin drinks and sulks, Sammy Davis Jr has trouble because he's black, Peter Lawford plays message boy between Joe and Frank, and oh yeah, Joey Bishop is in a few scenes, too. The movie doesn't focus on their rise to fame, since they're all famous by the beginning of the movie. And it's also not really about them working together, since although they do work together in the film, that's not really the focus. Then the movie just stops when Sinatra gets mad at Lawford because JFK can't stay with Frank in Palm Springs. That's the thrilling climax. Not a great movie.

It had some interesting historical headlines in it that give some info you might not know about. The beginning of the movie has an older Frank getting ready for a show, stuffing one pocket with cigarettes, the other with breath mints. Then he gets ready to go on stage, and for no reason, stops and looks unresponsive for a bit, until a stage hand calls his name twice, and he says, "I miss my guys." Then he walks on stage, and suddenly he's the young Frank, singing "I'm Gonna Live Til I Die" and the headlines scroll past while he sings. After this, it nonsequiturs into the story, such as it is. The movie never returns to the older Frank, so that whole beginning was kind of pointless. As an example of the mismanaged pacing of this movie, Frank's connection to the mob is reduced to a few lines between Frank and Momo Giancana, but we see the entire Sinatra/Davis/Martin/Lawford rendition of High Hopes performed at the 1960 Democratic convention. From the way this movie portrays it, not only does he singlehandedly get Kennedy elected, he also controls all the organized crime and labor unions in the US.

The performances are nothing special, but the actors look and act little like their historical counterparts. The script is tiresome, with long conversations that do little to further the plot or portray the characters. Several scenes had me wondering when this scene would end so they could get back to the story, until it occurred to me that these disjointed scenes were supposed to be the story.

I don't know how accurate the movie was as far as the details of all the events go, really. I just know I didn't like it.

I love the Rat Pack--the real Rat Pack. And I was excited to see that there was a movie about them. Imagine my dismay when I hated the movie. I give it two stars (rather than one or none) simply because I didn't turn the movie off. It was interesting to see how they were seen by others.

My biggest problem was with the actors. While they are all good actors I enjoy watching--usually--I had a hard time buying them in their roles. I know it must be hard to portray these men, even JFK. But no one even resembled who they were susposed to be. When I saw and heard Joe Mantegna, I saw him, not Dean Martin. (It is worth mentioning that Don Cheadle as Sammy Davis, Jr. is the closest.)

The script was lacking interest. The most uninteresting part of Frank Sinatra's life was chosen as the plot line. True, Davis' life at the time was quite different than what I had imagined. Other than that, I found the script boring. Martin ended up being a cardboard character to off-set Sinatra. Nothing worth noting was told about him.

I was curious about the movie. I should have known that it would be less than what I wanted when I learned it was an HBO production.

Having seen the film , the DVD , and the UK stage show I can recommend the DVD . Nothing is lost on the home viewer by watching it at home. Just make sure you switch up the sound. It is the fantastic vocal sequences which really capture the essence , of the period.

The screen writer may have taken a few liberties with history: but are we really that sure? His account of how Sinatra and friends rose to fame is interesting , to say the least ,but will shock few ,who are already students of mid-twentieth century history.

The film was citicised because of its interpretation of the JFK assasination. But such an important event still needs to remain under public scrutiny. For I am sure we have yet to discover the truth . Director , Rob Cohen, makes sure it remains that way. The result is an entertaining , and possibly, informative film , that really does make the viewer question the Establishments explanation , of events , surrounding the deaths of some major cultural and political figures, at a time , when the fate of the World , was literally in the balance.

If you have surround sound then you have no real excuse for depriving yourself of such a treat. If you haven't buy the DVD anyway . It's great to watch with friends . Just be prepared to stay up late debating the films perspective of events.

Having seen the film , the DVD , and the UK stage show I can recommend the DVD . Nothing is lost on the home viewer by watching it at home. Just make sure you switch up the sound. It is the fantastic vocal sequences which really capture the essence , of the period.

The screen writer may have taken a few liberties with history: but are we really that sure? His account of how Sinatra and friends rose to fame is interesting , to say the least ,but will shock few ,who are already students of mid-twentieth century history.

The film was citicised because of its interpretation of the JFK assasination. But such an important event still needs to remain under public scrutiny. For I am sure we have yet to discover the truth . Director , Rob Cohen, makes sure it remains that way. The result is an entertaining , and possibly, informative film , that really does make the viewer question the Establishments explanation , of events , surrounding the deaths of some major cultural and political figures, at a time , when the fate of the World , was literally in the balance.

If you have surround sound then you have no real excuse for depriving yourself of such a treat. If you haven't buy the DVD anyway . It's great to watch with friends and may spark discussions for the rest of the night.

Probably a most accurate dramatization of the era that was "the Rat pack". Beneath the glamorous surface however, trouble emerges with bad press, internal conflicts between the members, involvement in both political and mob-related affairs and racial issues. The movie as a whole reflects in a superb manner the revolving times in which the events supposedly took place, but also underlines the admirable and honest friendship between the fine performers.

Liottas'Sinatra grows on you and this has to be one of his best performances to date. Overall the acting is competent and believable, and in my opinion the movie serves well as a nice memorabilia of "the Rat pack". As a big fan of both Sinatra and Martin, this "behind the scenes"-drama was very enjoyable for me earning it 5 stars. Fans expecting a musical fiest may however be disappointed.

This is excellent. A lot of people think Liotta was not a convincing Sinatra, but I think he's excellent - I mean Sinatra had TESTOSTERONE! Ray's a better Sinatra than any I've seen ('cept the Man Himself). Ray picks up on Sinatra's complexities - he was refreshingly childlike at times, highly volatile at times, not very educated but extremely intelligent, VERY much obsessed with Ava Gardner, his second wife, a loyal friend, an advocate of Civil Rights, all this with a desperate need to feel accepted and loved. The rest of the Pack are superb, especially Don Cheadle - I just wish Dino had more screen-time and more lines. Much of the script is based on FBI files, and is quite accurate for a film of this nature. This really happened: Sinatra got Kennedy elected to the Presidency in 1960. Some amazing historical facts that have only come to light in recent years. But most of all, this is entertaining - some GREAT lines, well-researched. It does not portray Sinatra in a all bad or all good light - just as a VERY PASSIONATE HUMAN BEING with endless energy and creativity and a need for adventure - especially in the Sands Hotel rooms...

I had a hard time putting Ray Liotta's face with the Chairman of the Board's voice. Joe Mantegna did a good job for Dean. The movie is there the same as all other movies, for entertaining purposes only, don't look at it as a fact of the matter. All in all it was entertaining and an average movie. Definately worth a rental at your local Blockbuster video.

Don Cheadle as Sammy Davis Jr - absolute perfection in the role! It really grabs you, and does not let go. Joe Mantegna does an excellent job as portraying Dean Martin as well. Ray Liotta does as good of a job as any one could have as Frank Sinatra. And he deserves credit for having the courage to even take on the role! It isn't a stellar performance on Ray Liotta's part, but when you bring Liotta, Cheadle and Mantegna together - you forget all about Liotta's shortcomings. And honestly, no one could have pulled off Frank, other than.. Frank. (Nothing near the catastrophe of Jennifer Love Hewitt as Audrey Hepburn!) I enjoyed the movie very much! Especially the performances in Vegas! I laughed so hard tears were rolling down my cheeks. It is too bad it was only 2 hours, these actors together could have pulled off a riveting series. I took away a star due to Barbara Niven's performance as Marilyn Monroe. Where she did catch Marilyn's dark and cynical side, she had none of Marilyn's softness or sensuality - to a distraction. Luckily she has a very small role in this film. Had her part been any larger, I might not have finished watching the film. Which would have been a huge discredit to the amazing performances of the other actors.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It was well thought-out, and moved at just the right pace: not so slow as to be boring, and not so fast as to be chaotic. All of the performances were excellent, though some may complain about a few of the portrayals not being dead-on. Regardless, with such solid acting all around, it's hard to pick a stand-out, but I'd say that the fellow who plays Peter Lawford certainly deserves some extra attention for his interesting and above average performance. All of the actors click in their roles.

It's a shame it's only a 2 hour film. I would love to see HBO do a sequel (or even better, a prequel to the events shown in the movie), with the same cast. I would certainly watch it, and I'm sure many others would too.

The viewer gets little idea of what the lives of Sinatra, Martin, Davis, Lawford and Bishop (he is barely seen in the two-hour film, though admittedly he was a minor member)were actually like. Yes, the movie is about the "Rat Pack," but this aspect of these performers' lives was only a small portion, while here the viewer is given the impression that these shenanigans are basically all they did during the early 1960s. (Frank, Dino and Sam all recorded extensively and Sinatra did found a little company called Reprise Records in 1960, making several fine albums.) The Kennedy connection is exaggerated to an unbelievable degree: although Sinatra was a friend and supporter of JFK, going so far as to honor Joe Kennedy's wish of asking golf pal Sam Giancana to muscle some West Virginia votes in Jack's direction, this subplot carries far too much of the film--but, of course, sensationalism is what draws many viewers in. Mantegna and Cheadle are superb as Martin and Davis (though Dino gets short shrift), but Liotta, though a fine actor, is NOT Sinatra by any stretch of the imagination. Admittedly, there probably is no actor capable of capturing even a glint of Frank's charisma, personality or talent--nevertheless, this fact detracts from any "realism" the movie many have. And the movie is stifled by the producer's inability to use any of the original music, killing any true atmosphere that could have been achieved. (Viewers unfamiliar with the original recordings may enjoy the movie to a higher degree than "Pack" fans and Frankophiles.) The earlier TV miniseries, SINATRA, starring Philip Casnoff, who was officially chosen by the Sinatra family, makes for better and more accurate viewing. (Too bad this movie doesn't have Mantegna and Cheadle.) --Scott Allen Nollen, author of the forthcoming SINATRA AT THE CINEMA (Midnight Marquee)

No matter how you slice it, "The Rat Pack" is a good movie. Great performances, a very well-written script that captured the subjects beautifully, a swinging soundtrack and stylish visuals all combine to make this a fantastic film..

A better Sinatra could have been found out there, surely. Ray Liotta is a great actor in his own right, but just wasn't the right choice for this part. However, Joe Mantegna as Dean Martin and Don Cheadle as Sammy Davis, Jr. (both were nominated for Emmys) were spot-on. Mantegna was wonderfully elusive as the deadpan, enigmatic, very sober Dino, and Cheadle stole the show as the immensely conflicted Sammy. I very much enjoyed Angus MacFadyen as long-suffering Peter Lawford and, even though he appeared only one or two times, Bobby Slayton as Joey Bishop. Good performances also came from William Petersen as JFK, Megan Dodds as May Britt, and Dan O'Herlihy as the scheming Joe Kennedy. And it doesn't hurt that the makeup (Emmy-nominated also) was great--take a look at the briefly-shown old Sinatra at the beginning!

The movie tries way too hard to cover several years in a couple of hours. It completely skips any backstory (including the Pack's formation), leaves out lots of things and people, and ends far too early, cutting out the many interesting developments in the years to come; also, many key players included are downscaled, like Bishop, Monroe, and mobster Sam Giancana. Also, incredible dramatic license is taken in places, ranging from the not-so-important (like the fact that the Pack always had their hotel rooms on the same floor, and "One For My Baby" was recorded years before the end) to the major (Peter informed Frank that Kennedy wasn't coming over the phone from D.C., and Dino and Sammy weren't there, either). But, somehow, it all still works.

Plot defects aside, there are some moments of sheer brilliance; the gang's music was used in striking ways to enhance what was onscreen. Sammy's first scene, with him singing, dnacing, and playing the drums AND the trumpet, really showed the immense body of talent he possessed (arguably more than any other Pack member) and the one-man showstopper he was. The group's carousing was caught nicely with the Summit re-enactment, and the after-parties in the great segment with "Ain't That A Kick in the Head" playing while the camera enters each member's hotel room. (Dean really would settle in with a comic book and a Western on TV!) The scene with Frank sailing with JFK at Hyannis Port, when Frankie was on top of the world, had "I've Got the World on a String" playing under it (it also played over the credits). Sammy singing "I've Got You Under My Skin" to the Ku Klux Klan; the juxtaposition of the lyrics and the situation--suddenly the words aren't about love anymore, but strong hate! This is a number that will leave you reeling. The final segment, with Frank singing "One For My Baby" as we see what becomes of the Pack and all their cohorts and remember their glory days, before Frank disappears in a cloud of smoke a la his "retirement" concert in '71, is as beautiful as it is stunning. I got chills when I saw the scene with Sammy, dressed in black satin pajamas, watching racist television reports about himself in an entirely white room. And Frank's introduction, singing "Live Till I Die," is beyond words. The lyrics sum up his life so well it's scary: "Those blues I lay low/I'll make them stay low/They'll never trail over my head/I'll be a devil till I'm an angel...Gonna dance gonna fly/I'll take my chance riding high/Before my numbers up I'm gonna fill my cup..."

It may miss here and there, but all in all, "The Rat Pack" is an motion picture experience that should not be missed.

An other film exploiting the popularity of original Rat Pack. Being familiar with original Rat Pack is both good and bad. That's good because you can understand the movie. For someone who never heard of it, it is not easy to understand and probably enjoy this movie as it starts when their (Rat Pack members) careers were at their peak. And if you are a Rat Pack fan, it is bad because you will miss the original one, although actors have done their best to play the Rat Pack members. But it is not an easy task to play these giant entertainers. However, Angus MacFedyen's humorous approach to Peter Lawford role is very interesting. The best one is Don Cheadle as Sammy Davis, Jr. He is the closest to the original one. By the way, the bad tempered side of Frank Sinatra dominates the film and this is wrong to show the bad side of a humanbeing all the time. Yes, maybe Sinatra was not an angel, but he deserves a much better portrait in this film.

As for the sound and picture quality, relatively speaking, this DVD is one of the best DVDs in terms of these qualifications. In anyway, it is nice to remember all these great stars once again by watching this DVD.

Aside from the already praised performances of the leads, I should add that the characterizations are all very good, with all the nuances of these men's relationships with each other well performed. The guy who played Peter Lawford deserves a mark, I think, for his portrayal of the simpering, not very talented friend who nonetheless had Kennedy connections. The mob sub-plot is kind of silly, given what we've seen before, but probably necessary for drama. The Kennedy stuff is fun, especially their scheming old man, although Marilyn Monroe is played like a zombie.

One complaint: Frank is basically "between women" here, and the lack of a strong female character shows. But all-in-all, well-written by Kario Salem, who played a hippyesque half-breed Marcel Pasquinel in the 70s mini-series "Centennial." And the music swings, baby...

This movie was highly entertaining. The only problem I have is that 1) It tried to cover too much in a short amount of time and, 2)the best performances had the least amount of screen time. I thought the Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr and, Peter Lawford roles were excellent. They each really seemed to capture their characters, while Ray Liotta seemed to be overwhelmed by his. Overall though the rest of the crew more than made up for it. Rent it, Buy it, steal it, whatever just make sure you see it.

Ray Liotta is a little too Ray Liotta to be completely convincing as Sinatra, Mantegna's Dean Martin is interesting, but Don Cheadle's performance as Sammy Davis, Jr. is absolutely amazing, and the "I've Got You Under My Skin" dream sequence is one of the best filmed scenes to hit a screen, big or small, in recent years.

I really felt that this was a top rate movie. Yes... maybe it was too much for the 2 hours, but it was flashy and damn fun! Don Cheatle was fantastic as Sammy. Well worth the watch, especially for those younger who do not know too much about these legends.

When I heard Ray Liotta was going to play Frank Sinatra I almost died laughing. After watching the film though, I thought, who could play Sinatra? I ended up forgeting about it anyway. This is quite an amazing film. Usually these made for cable movies do little to impress me. The whole Rat Pack history is way too long for a 2 hour film which leaves lots of details missing. It examines the Rat Pack as if it were a tabloid where all the mob ties, bad tempers, political influence, and sexual encounters of the Pack were explored. It also seems to end really abruptly out of nowhere. Liotta barely passes as Sinatra but Joe Mantenga and Don Cheadle are great as Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. The television screen is lit up with lights and style during some of the performance sequeces and the music also captures a wonderful essence of the Rat Pack even though it is not the original music. When I saw that it came out on video the other day I could not stop from buying it. It is worth the money to purchase this video or the time to rent it because it is a highly enjoyable film that examines the lives of the coolest entertainers of the millenium. Check it out.

The film is great. Rob Cohen did a tremendous job directing. The actors (Don Cheadle especially) were terrific. My only complaint is that the tech quality on my particular DVD was bad. The extra features didn't really run correctly, but the movie itself looks fine.

either way...BUY it! I love this film.

Of course, it would be stupid to summurize the life of a group of individuals into two hours but, for the few years of his actions that are told in this movie, The Rat Pack displays Frank Sinatra as the image that people loved him for. If you're from an island or don't know the legend of Sinatra, or don't listen to his songs, the appreciation for this film won't be what it is to the fan of the lifestyle of glamor and cocktails that this musical icon defined. The acting is nothing below par and the cinimatography is some of the best work I've seen in years. For a man who has raised so much hell where ever he went, this movie demands respect from even the dumbest of viewers who couldn't tell you what "plot" means.

This attempt was well done. I would have prefered hearing the original voices,(sound a likes were used) although I realize this would have limited the total soundtrack.

Liotta did a nice job playing Sinatra. Big ring a ding ding goes to Mantegna as Dean and Cheadle as Sammy.

Some of this story is based on many true stories told in many of the biographies that have been written, however for the casual fan it may be tough to sort out truth from fiction.

Only scene in the movie that gave me pause was Cheadle's song and dance to "Got me under your skin" This was done as a dream sequnce in front of a crowd protesting his inpending marriage to May Britt. It just didn't seem to fit.

Overall I enjoyed the movie thoughoughly. A nice addition to your Rat Pack Collection.

I had an opportunity to see a live show in Atlantic City at the Sands Hotel called "The Rat Pack". Realizing that the Sands Hotel in Vagas were where the originals members of The Rat Pack performed. I thought the presentation was great all the gags and songs sounded so wonderful. My wife and I walked away from that show and were happy for the experience. Having had seen the stage show I was anxious to see the HBO special. Well, I think it was as good as the stage show but so much more entertaining and informtive. I would recommend this movie to anyone who has any interest in the real performers. The actors in the HBO movie did a great job of impersonating the original people. The actor who played Sammy Davis Jr. was superb. If fact, I am going to buy the dvd version because I feel it is worth having in my movie library