Jack of All Trades: September

 I have already stated how challenging it has been to find opportunities where I am of need during this time. Everything is closed, or they have had to change how they do things in order to make events or daily duties happen. I am very thankful that this next opportunity fell into my lap. 

I volunteered with an organization called Keep Knoxville Beautiful. It's help to clean and improve the great outdoors of our fair city. One of the the projects that needed help was painting a new mural on the basketball court at Cal Johnson Park. I did not stay terribly long, I had something unexpected come up that prevented me from stay, but it was a great experience.

The group of people in charge were very helpful and very kind. They had the design already sketched out and we basically did the court like a giant paint by numbers. I hope that it's finished soon and I can go back and see the design. I felt terrible that I had to leave early but they were very kind that I did and were very happy that I came for any amount of time. I think that if they have another need I will go back and do a full shift. it's was a very easy project to be apart of and one that many people got to do. There was lots of space to work and people talking or doing their own thing. I was very impressed with how organized everyone was and how well equipped. 

If you would like more information about this organization, please see the link below.

www.keepknoxvillebeautiful.org

No Place Like Movies at Home: The Pride and the Passion

Every successful actor and actress also seems to have terrible movies under their belt. We have already seen some not so glamorous ones when we speak of Frank Sinatra. However, this the first time that I must say we have gotten a terrible movie from high. I mean a down right fink of a movie. The Pride and the Passion stars Carey Grant and Sophia Loren and none of them could have saved this film is they wanted to. 

Looks I am not even going to waste my time even writing a description. There is a large cannon, there is a war, there is trying to save the cannon, and it was all terrible. The worst part is that you didn't even have to watch the whole movie to know I was terrible. You think that it will be good because Mr. Grant is in the film but once you meet Mr. Sinatra in his character you find that you are already sunk. The first look at Mr. Sinatra's hairpiece makes you wince and then the accent he uses is so bad you wish you never started the movie. 

I ended up being rather distracted with other things and the movie just played in the background. Here's hoping the next one will be better...  

Jack of All Trades: August

Let me tell you, trying to keep these going has been trying in the last few weeks. Just as we start to open things but everything is still getting canceled. I don't even remember what I was supposed to be doing for the month of August originally, but what I ended up doing was great. 

I made a donation to the Tennessee Theatre. 

I know it sounds like a bit of a comp out.... and in a way it was. There was nothing available to volunteer for that didn't conflict with my work schedule. I knew that I would have to donate money somewhere. Then the Knoxville History Projected ended up hosting a tour of the Theatre as part of a donation. Now, you are speaking to one of the Tennessee's biggest fans and I had to go. So, really that was helping both KHP and the Tennessee. I think preserving history is a good cause. I think that places that movie palaces are great holder of the past, Knowing that they have lost 95% of their revenue by not holding performances, any amount of money can help. 

It also didn't help that I have not been allowed to enter into the Tennessee in 6 months. So, I jumped at the first chance I had to get back in.  

I did really enjoy my time in those walls and seeing other people go one their first tour. I can not wait to get the chance to go again!

If you would like to donate to the Tennessee Theatre please see the link below.

https://www.tennesseetheatre.com/support/individual-gifts/

No Place Like Movies at Home: 4 for Texas

 It feels like it's been forever and a day since I last caught up with the adventure of my movies. I am glad to say that I haven't watched ten a row and now have to catch up on that many. I am only one behind and I am about to watch another. This post will conclude the Rat Pack Collection. Now, it's not all of the rat back movies but it's all of the ones I have. 

Partnerships are formed in the strangest of places when money is involved. A showdown in the desert starts everything off with a bang with Sinatra and Martin fight each other for a big bag of money. Sinatra has plans to open a casino with the loot and Martin liked the idea enough he came down and open one of his own. They both thought that their plans were working until they find that Martin came to Sinatra's hometown and took his idea. However, both of them have to fight off a band of outlaws to make a profit. Will they end up with big money or dead?

I was very nervous about this movie. I love the other two Rat Pack movies so much that I didn't want this one to be a let down. I knew in the first 15 minutes of the movie that it was going to be great. I dialogue between Martin and Sinatra when they kept shooting each other and going back and forth with the money was gold. It was one of those moment where is seemed like in was improved rather than scripted. It was very natural and and funny. The whole movie had that feel to it. It was like they were pulling pranks on each other in western style garb rather than playing rivals in the movie. Yet again, Sinatra's performance was great but over shadowed by the charms of Mr. Martian. The whole movie was just funny and a great enjoyment to watch!

No Place Like Movies at Home: Robin and the 7 Hoods

Sometimes things come full circle in a weird way. The movie we are going to be talking about today is one that I have reviewed on here once before in a different capacity. That lovely movie is Robin and the 7 Hoods. The reason that this comes full circle for me at the moment is that the last time I spoke about this movie I was making my best friend, Alaina, watch it when I had a list of classic films that I was making her watch. Well, when we talked about it last that was the first time I felt her first kid move. She gave birth not that long after. Well, Alaina's second kid was just recently born and this movie shows up again. This movie has always been one of my favorite since the first time I watched it, but it just keeps getting closer to my heart as time goes on.

 The premise of the story is really rather simple.... It's a movie about a man named Robert who steals from the rich and gives to himself.... Ok, the more complicated way of saying it is Colombo, yes the detective, becomes the leader of all the gangs and orders everyone to pay protection money to the police. Rob, Sinatra, and his gang don't like that Colombo killed the leader, his friend, and then doesn't join Colombo's gang. So, Colombo, with the police help, try to put Rob out of business and ends up making it look like Rob is a Robin Hood figure and not really a gang member. Oh, and it's a musical.... yes you read that right it's a musical. 

Honestly, you think that is complicated you should watch the movie. Peter Falk, who plays the Colombo and the grandfather in The Princess Bride, is in this film and it's super weird to see! I mean really it strange seeing him in this role. Then you have the Rat Pack that is just doing whatever feels natural. I don't even think there was a script for this movie because of how wacky it is! Sammy Davis Jr., again, steals the show. It's a comedy, gangster, musical that you don't really know existed until you watch it. If you can handle just how screwy this movie is you will enjoy it. There are some great numbers in it that are performed by all of the cast. There is some singing done by Mr. Falk himself which is interesting to watch. Then you have a phenomenal number done by Sinatra, Martin and Bing Crosby that always puts a smile on your face!

If you are a Rat Pack fan I highly recommend this film.. if you love gangster movies..... be prepared because it's nothing like you think it's going to be.

No Place Liker Movies at Home: Ocean's 11

 One of the best parts about Frank Sinatra's career is working along side some of the most famous people in Hollywood. Actors, actresses, and all sorts of singers had the honor of withing when The Chairman of the Board. We have discussed some of them on here so far but we have yet to get to the his most well known posse, The Rat Pack.

If you are not familiar with who the Rat Pack are let me inform you. You have to start with the man himself, Mr. Frank Sinatra. It was actually created by him, although he did not give the group it's name. The origins of the Rat Pack actually start why back when Humphrey Bogart was alive and was married to Lauren Bacall. Mr. S and Mr Bogart were hanging out with several other people drinking and carrying on one night when Ms. Lauren Bacall walked in on them and said "Well don't you all look like a Rat Pack". Thus the name is born. Unfortunately, most people don't know Mr. Bogart as one of the original members or the group because he passed not terribly long after the group "formed". 

There are several members of the Rat Pack, but with every year that passed members were excommunicated, or were simply forgotten to history. The members that lasted until the very end are still being forgotten with every passing year. There were five main members of the group (after the death of Bogart). The three that are forever remembered are the already aforementioned Mr. Sinatra, the wonderful "drunk" Dean Martin, and the always cool Sammy Davis Jr. 

The excommunicated member was Peter Lawford. You might remember him from when we talked about It Happened in Brooklyn. He is the man who fell in love with Katherine Greyson. The long and short of why he was excommunicated is because of politics. Yes, politics is what broke up the Rat Pack. Like I said it's a long story but Lawford pissed off Sinatra during the JFK election and that was the end of it.

The "forgotten" member is Mr. Joey Bishop. I believe the reason he is forgotten is because he is not a singer. He was an actor but not really remembered for much. Which is crazy because in truth Mr. Bishop is the actual leader of the Rat Pack. He was the one that got things done, and moved things forward. He was also a brilliant leader because he made everyone think, including Sinatra, that Sinatra was the actual leader of the group. 

The reason they are so well known is because of their comedy act they did in Vegas. It's not a scripted act, it's always kinda loose when they did it. Also, it's was almost always impromptu. When the Casino's had one of the members there on contract they got to a point where they had to put on the signs out front "Starring Sammy Davis Jr" and in slightly smaller letters "along with maybe Frank Sinatra, maybe Dean Martin and maybe Joey Bishop". Outside of the comedy they were able to get two movies with all 5 members of the Rat Pack together. Ocean's 11, from 1960, is the most popular one of all.

Danny Ocean and Jimmy Foster are a couple of men who want to make it big. However, they really don't want to work hard at doing that. They want to make money and fast. What's the best way to do it? Rob this 5 biggest Casino in Vegas that's how. They know they need to be cunning and clever in order to pull this off. They need precise military like tactics in order to pull off the heist. Fortunately, they have people who are very good with the military tactics, it's the other members of the 82nd Airborne. They call all of them to meet in California to convince them to do the job. After a little bit of reluctance, they job is underway. The question is will they really be able to get away with it?

Now, if you are one of those people who love the remake with George Clooney and say that you don't need to see this movie. Then you really need to get your act together and watch this movie. Yes, there is not as much action in the movie (no ninja men that pop out and avoid lasers to get the money sorry) but it's seems to be more realistic. Not to today's standards of security no, but from the time of the 60's and doing the research you need to do to get it done, and the racial issue of the day. This seems like it really was attempted at one point. I will also say that this has one of the best movie endings in movie history. It's not anything big like The Prestige but if you like unexpected endings you will like this movie. 

So, what is the other movie that the Main 5 star in? It's a movie called Sergeants 3. Unfortunately, I don't own that movie yet. It only came to DVD in 2008. It's not a very popular release but I do want to own it. The next movie does have 4 out of the 5 main members and a few wonderful actors that you might be surprised that star in the same movie. 

No Place Like Movies at Home: The Tender Trap

 If you haven't already figured out how much I am in love with movies then this is going to sound a little bit confusing. I had to trash this movie. I had 45 minutes left of my DVD and it totally stopped working. I was heartbroken to say the very least. However, the internet is, sometimes, a wonderful thing. I was able to buy another copy and was finally able to re-watch the movie and enjoy the wonderful ending that I remembered fondly. What is this movie that sent me on an unexpected emotional roller coaster? It's none other than Frank Sinatra starring in The Tender Trap.

Once again Frank Sinatra, named Charlie in this film, is a playboy who can make any girl swoon. He has scads of women or he can call at any time for a date, dinner, to clean his house, to kill some time with, but not to marry. He enjoys the single life too much. In between the women he is seeing he keeps up with his day job as a theatrical agent. He is trying to find the perfect gift for a new play coming up and that is how he meets Julie Gillis, played be the ever lovable Debbie Reynolds. She is perfect in ever way... except she refuses to do the show after a certain point because she is going to get married. When trying to discuss the contract, and trying to convince her to convince her fiance to keep doing the show, he finds that she is not engaged. She is not even dating anyone. She just knows when she is going to get married, and has her whole life planned out but doesn't know who the man in her life is yet. She claims that when she meets him she will know. One day she is late to rehearsal and Charlie tracks her down a a home show and, to appease Julie, sits in a chair and it hits her that Charlie is her man. Charlie being the playboy that he is, wines and dines her thinking he can get this girl to be a casual dater, and her thinking she can make him commit. Love is never easy cause it really is a Tender Trap.

This is one of my personal Frank Sinatra favorites. This is the movie that I realized that I really did love Frank Sinatra as a singer. When I saw this film for the first time was about the time I discovered my parents Capitol Records Frank Sinatra CD in their CD collection. The CD had the song "The Tender Trap" on it. I fell in love with the song from the first time I heard it and had to watch the movie that shared it's name. You add the fact that one of my favorite actresses from Singing in the Rain starred with him in this movie, I was hooked. This is your traditional romantic comedy story lines that you can't help but love. It's got some good lines, and all the feel good feelings you want. It's not Mr. Sinatra's best performance of his life but it's memorable to me. You never really forget when and where you fell in love with Frank Sinatra.