Robin and the 7 Hoods
By Karen Morris (Published by The Dean Martin Association in 2024)
A tip of the feathered cap to the musical film, Robin and the 7 Hoods!
Released on June 24, 1964, and celebrating its 61st anniversary, the film enjoyed a respectable box office run back then, even though it was competing with the beginnings of Beatlemania, which was ever-so-popular in the mid-60s.
The feel-good flick, directed by Gordon Douglas (who previously directed Young at Heart), stars the affable Rat Pack clan of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr., with additional cast members Bing Crosby, Barbara Rush, and Peter Falk, all joining in for an easy-going frolicking time.
On a sentimental note, this was the last project The Rat Pack filmed together on the big screen, so a bit of history was made! (The previous films being Ocean's 11 and Sergeants 3.)
The movie plot offers a tongue-in-cheek spoof of the Robin Hood legend, a good-hearted fellow who takes from the rich and gives to the poor. This time around Robin isn't in Sherwood Forest, but instead transports to 1920s Prohibition Chicago!
Frank Sinatra takes the film lead as Robbo, a gangster with a moral code, whose faithful sidekicks, Dean Martin as Little John and Sammy Davis Jr. as Will, assist as he vows to keep a hold on his Northside gangster territory. Peter Falk as Guy Gisborne is his nemesis, who seeks revenge but delivers a comedic (almost Columbo style) touch. Rounding out the cast, do-gooder Bing Crosby (as Allen A. Dale ), and femme fatale, Barbara Rush (as Marian). Add in snappy music direction by Nelson Riddle, and you have a recipe for movie merrymaking.
Noteworthy insights about film director Gordon Douglas and Frank Sinatra are shared by Dana Polan, the Martin Scorsese Professor of Cinema Studies
at New York University:
Gordon Douglas was a dependable, competent director without visual style who filmed cleanly and fast, nothing to get in the way of storytelling. Far away from Frank Sinatra's daring work with Minnelli (Some Came Running) or John Frankenheimer (Manchurian Candidate).
Frank Sinatra always hovered between good boy and rebel, and that shows up here in the idea of a gangster who does things for charity. A number of FS films in the 60s were vanity projects to get him and other Rat Packers together and have a good time. The films were often excuses for times together to play around.
So true, and play around they did! The camaraderie between 'the boys' in the trilogy of Rat Pack movies, or on stage during their live concerts, was always a crowd-pleaser, leading up to their playful after-show mischievous antics.
Although sometimes we don't realize there were occasional less carefree moments on the set, as mentioned by respected colleague and Sinatra Scholar, Chuck Granata, a leading authority about Frank Sinatra, who touches on a note of seriousness and history:
The 'Rat Pack' films were all about fun and frivolity, which is why they were so spontaneously filmed. However, most people don't know the seriousness that pervaded the set on November 22, 1963: the day President Kennedy was shot. Although they'd had a famous falling out, Frank Sinatra was still devoted to JFK's ideals. When the news of the assassination reached the set of Robin & the 7 Hoods, Sinatra immediately called the cast and crew together and shut down production for the day. According to his family, he then went home and spent the next four days alone, in his bedroom, watching the constant coverage of the tragic event. It wasn't until after the President's funeral that Sinatra returned to the set; he continued to grieve for his friend for years to come.
But as the entertainment saying goes, the show must go on. Filmmaking continued, as did music.
Frank, Dean and Sammy always do what they do best, performing a variety of songs which are all part of the successful film soundtrack. Bing also chimed in to add his own musical style.
And, speaking of Style, that is one of my favorite songs in the film.
Frank, Dean and Bing, dashing, dancing and looking dapper, sing the song so well! A wonderful melodic scene with all three at their chic best.
Other song highlights: Frank introducing what has become a very popular song over the years, My Kind of Town; Dean crooning Any Man Who Loves His Mother; Sammy's rendition of Bang! Bang! with a choreographed slick dance routine that excites;
And Bing's smooth Mr. Booze as well as his
charming Don't be a Do-Badder. (Below is a pic of Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Nelson Riddle with his children, Christopher, Rosemary and Bettina at the recording session for Don't Be a Do-Badder.)
Nelson Riddle's son Christopher Riddle, the acclaimed Conductor/Musical
Director of the Nelson Riddle Orchestra since 1985, kindly shared a story
with me about attending the recording session for the song Don't Be a Do-
Badder. Chris also mentions the anecdote in the book "Nelson Riddle - Music
with a Heartbeat" by Geoffrey Littlefield:
Skip, Rosemary and I went along with our father (Nelson Riddle) to one of the recording sessions where Bing and Dean were performing. We were out there at Warner's for the recording of the music for Robin and the 7 Hoods. I went a number of times to observe the underscoring and used to hang out in the green room and go to lunch with them, and also helped out in Frank's office (he had an office at Warner Bros.). His production company at the time was Seven Arts. I was 13 years old." (*Adding Chris also told me their sister Bettina was at the recording session as well.*)
The Robin and the 7 Hoods musical score was developed by the creative trio of lyricist Sammy Cahn, and composer Jimmy Van Heusen along with lively arrangements by Nelson Riddle. The score was nominated for a 1964 Grammy Award for Best Original Score Written for A Motion Picture, as well as nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song (My Kind of Town) but lost as Mary Poppins won for film score and the song "Chim Chim Cher-ee".
An interesting side note by Sammy Cahn:
I understand I'm considered to be the songwriter to have put more words into Sinatra's mouth than any other man. Whenever Frank needs a lyric you can bet I'm there. I have been, ever since Anchors Aweigh..I do have one great disappointment with Frank Sinatra in my life. I wrote a song for the film Robin and the 7 Hoods called, 'I Like To Lead When I Dance.' Some songs Sinatra liked better than others and he had never not liked a song of mine. It was definitely the single best Sinatra song I'd ever written. Frank recorded the song for the soundtrack album but never got around to synching the song for a scene in the film. When I heard he would not be doing it in the film I wrote him a note that said, 'Please don't let this one get away. We're not up at bat that often and don't get that big fat pitch. If you don't do the song in the picture we'll all be punished.' A few days after I sent him the note, his son was kidnapped.
Brook Babcock, President of the Jimmy Van Heusen Music Corporation,
reveals interesting sideline facts about the staying power of the film's songs:
"What does Chicago Town Pizza, Apple TV (Presumed Innocent), Family Guy and Volkswagen have in common? They have all used songs that were originally created for the movie Robin and the 7 Hoods by the songwriting team of Jimmy Van Heusen (music) Sammy Cahn (lyrics) and Nelson Riddle (musical director). Chicago Town Pizza, and the Apple TV show, Presumed Innocent, both synced My Kind Of Town this past year. Family Guy used Mister Booze and Volkswagen used Style in the past. These songs over the years have staying power which still is in evidence today with the usage in various Advertisements and TV shows."
As a Rat Pack fan, I'll be watching Robin and the 7 Hoods many
more times through the years. And humming those film tunes forever,
as I believe you will be too!
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A special thanks to Billy Paul (nephew of actor Buddy Lester) who emailed me this: Another superb article! I especially love the private asides and anecdotes by the people involved in the production. This was the last Rat Pack movie as you have stated. Uncle Bud was in both Oceans 11 and Sergeants 3. Sergeants filmed in Knabe, Utah. After this movie, changing times, JFK's assassination, musical tastes changing, the pack wouldn't be together in any form until Cannonball Run II some 20 years later.As always, great work, my friend.