Ocean's Eleven

A group of ex-paratroopers (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Peter Lawford) set out to rob five Las Vegas casinos on New Years Eve.

Ocean’s Eleven is a genre of film unto itself. Though it’s structured like one, it’s not a heist film. Though Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. both sing songs, it’s not a musical. Though it’s got some laughs, it’s not a comedy. Though it’s got some thrills, it’s not a thriller. No, Ocean’s Eleven is none of these really, it’s simply a performance.

It’s Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. at their best, playing off each other and oozing an easy cool that makes it look effortless. It’s decades of performances on stage, on screen, and on record distilled into a two hour show. It’s the showpiece of the Rat Pack’s impact on the pop-culture lexicon. It’s a time capsule. It’s charisma personified.

Granted, if you’re not a fan of Sinatra and company, the film has little going for it. The story’s paper thin and more than a little outlandish. The plot moves a long at a breezy pace, and the ending could be considered something of a letdown. But again, this is a performance, and when viewed in this light, those negatives become positives that suit the group’s persona perfectly.

After this film’s success, the cast would go on to make several more films together, but it’s this film that comes to mind when you think of the Rat Pack, and for good reason.