Rating: 
Summary: See The Rat Pack "Hijack The Town" in "Ocean's 11"
Review: "Ocean's 11", produced in 1960, was the first of a series of films starring members of the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy David Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop at the time. Lawford and Bishop would kicked out by Sinatra later on) for Warner Brothers and this movie was far and away the most popular of the bunch. Many of the actors who hung out with Pack like Shirley McLaine would find themselves in various cameo roles in this film. Though Sinatra was looking for a film script that he and his pals could do together, it was Peter Lawford who found the book "Ocean's 11" and the rest is history.Although the DVD cover calls this movie a heist caper, the script must rank as the most easygoing heist even presented on screen. The title character, ex-paratrooper Danny Ocean, who is played by Sinatra, calls together ten members of his old unit to plan and execute a multi-million dollar robbery of five Las Vegas Strip casinos and much of the beginning of the film is spent gathering up the team, spending time with a few of them to see why they decide to join in and spending time watching Danny tangle with the women in his life and the boys tormenting their underworld backer. The planned heist appears to be foolproof and remarkably easy as long as everyone does his job. Naturally since this is 1960 and the bad guys still can't really win, a few twists in the plot are thrown in. Surprisely, Sinatra does not give a very good performance in the film, especially when compared to his earlier work. Of the rat packers, only Peter Lawford gives a solid performance throughout. Even Dean Martin, with his relaxed style of acting, slums it on occasion. It is the other actors like Akim Tamiroff, Patrice Wymore, George Raft, and Cesar Romero who give the best performances. In fact, Cesar Romero almost steals the show as the (almost) retired gangster Duke Santos who might just crash the boys' New Year's Eve party. It is surprising that some of the best scenes in the movie are ones without the nominal stars. The main problem with this edition of "Ocean's 11" is that it suffers from an identity crisis. You suspect it was intented to be a comedy, or a suspense, or maybe even a morality play but the script cannot make up mind through most of the film. It is perhaps best to describe it an excuse for a group of people to make a movie and have a good time doing it and hopefully the film audience will join in the fun. If you like your crime films to have lots of suspense, action and explosions, "Ocean's 11" is not the film to see. If you like to see a time capsule of a bygone era whose likes we will not see again, this film may work for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Frank Sinatra said to a couple of pals...
Review: "Hey, let's get together in Vegas and make a movie." Thus was "Ocean's Eleven" (and eventually the Rat Pack) called into being. Not anything to really be taken seriously, the film is still entertaining on a few levels, nonstalgia being among them. The two musical numbers (Sammy Davis Jr. singing "Ee-Oh-11" and Dean Martin singing "Ain't Love a Kick in the Head") seem kind of random, as if they started out to make a musical but then gave up on that idea along the way. I got that feeling a lot during this movie...that the guys were just wandering around Vegas, and happened to make a movie while they were there. "Ocean's Eleven" is still fun to watch, though, especially the scene at Bergdorf's funeral, when the boys realize what has happened, and they each turn to look at the guy next to him, going on down the row.
Rating: 
Summary: Classic Rat Pack
Review: Ah, for the days of the Rat Pack. How sad that nowadays, one has to state, when speaking of movies like this, that they are talking about the "real" "Ocean's Eleven", not the remake. Why they would even attempt to remake a Rat Pack classic is beyond me, but if you think the George Clooney version is good, you haven't seen anything yet! A classic movie, and a great DVD package (WB comes through as usual), with information on the old Vegas as well as the movie. A definite "must have".
Rating:
Summary: One of my top five favorite films.
Review: I have to say I love this movie. Even if you hate the Rat Pack, the scenes of Las Vegas in 1960 are worth the price. I was in high school when this movie came out and saw it at least five times when it played at the local drive-in. My dad had taken me to Vegas a few times and I will always remember how it looked in 50-60's era. This film captures that glamour. Great performances by all the gang and even a song or two. Sammy Davis singing E-O-Eleven still comes to mind when I visit Vegas today. Cameos by Shirley McLane and Red Skelton add to the good humor this film offers. Ingenous methods of breaking into the casino's, and the suspense of "will they succeed?" make for great entertainment. If you have'nt seen it and like movies made back when Hollywood made great films without heavy and bloody sex and violence, then this movie is for you. I only hope it comes out on dvd soon so I can have a copy to last my lifetime.
Rating:
Summary: Rat Pack + Las Vegas+surprise ending = a classic caper film
Review: Sure I know everybody loves the new version of Oceans's 11. I do to, it was a great film. But I love the first one, in fact without this version there probably would not have been the newer one. In the original, Danny Ocean is played by the Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra and his army buddys which include Dean Martin,Sammy Davis Jr.,Joey Bishop, Peter Lawford, and Henry Silva, plan to knock off 5 casinos in Las Vegas on New Years Eve.The casinos which include the famous and now defunct Sand's where the Rat Pack played, get the plug pulled on them and the boys steal the lute. The story continues as the run into a couple snags including Ocean's ex played by Angie Dickinson and Lawford's future stepfather played by Caesar Romero(the Joker from Batman),it all leads up to an ending that no one sees coming. This film is great, it is very nostalgic because Frank, Dean, Peter, and Sammy are in heaven and it plays like a tribute to the gang who were not just great entertainers, but legends. Also considering Las Vegas has changed since the days of the Rat Pack. If you see Ocean's 11, see this one as well as the new one. Its great entertainment, EEE-O-11
Rating: 
Summary: Two stars is a gift
Review: The GOOD:
- Some nice historical shots of Las Vegas during its golden age
- Sammy's musical / dance number The BAD:
- Comes across as just a pure star ego project (which apparently it was)
- Silly dialog
- Lots of non-value added characters (remember this was a full employment project for Frank's buddies) BOTTOM LINE: The folks giving this movie 4-5 stars have definitely drunk the nostalgic Rat Pack cool aid. I honestly think they are reviewing the idea of this movie, rather than the film itself. If you not one of these fans, then I would recommend - Wait for the original to appear on late night TV
- Get the "remake" - much better
Rating:
Summary: Frank Sinatra said to a couple of pals...
Review: "Hey, let's get together in Vegas and make a movie." Thus was "Ocean's Eleven" (and eventually the Rat Pack) called into being. Not anything to really be taken seriously, the film is still entertaining on a few levels, nonstalgia being among them. The two musical numbers (Sammy Davis Jr. singing "Ee-Oh-11" and Dean Martin singing "Ain't Love a Kick in the Head") seem kind of random, as if they started out to make a musical but then gave up on that idea along the way. I got that feeling a lot during this movie...that the guys were just wandering around Vegas, and happened to make a movie while they were there. "Ocean's Eleven" is still fun to watch, though, especially the scene at Bergdorf's funeral, when the boys realize what has happened, and they each turn to look at the guy next to him, going on down the row.
Rating:
Summary: The Remake is Okay but the Original Is Better!
Review: Ocean's 11 was released to the movie theaters about five years before I was born and being a fan of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr I had wanted to see this movie for a long time and when I taped this movie when it was shown on TV I watched it and loved it and now I have it on DVD. The remake was okay but the original is better and more fun and I enjoy the cool late 50s early 60s vibe of it and I liked the plot and the twist ending is terrific and it is now one of my alltime favorite movies! I was fans of Frank, Dean and Sammy but this movie has also made me a fan of Peter Lawford and I liked the supporting cast too, Norman Fell, Richard Conti, Henry Silva, Angie Dickinson, etc and the cameo from Shirley Maclaine is great! I bought the DVD and it is pretty good, there are a couple of scenes that could have used some restoring because of scratches on the film but I have seen movies in much worse condition and the scratch marks aren't overly distracting and I still highly recommend this DVD! I have the remake on DVD too but I don't think I will watch it as much as the DVD for the original movie because the original is more fun to watch!
Rating:
Summary: Ocean of Nostalgia and Stars
Review: When shown on network television padded with commercials, OCEAN'S 11 seems to run on forever (approx 3 hrs) and the pacing is too slow. However, when shown on cable or on DVD/Tape without the interruptions, the movie flows much better. This is a pretty good caper film. Also, now that there has been a resurgence in interest in the swingin' early sixties concerning the "Rat Pack" the movie has become somewhat of a classic. No need to list the participants, the plot, or the great surprise ending. Overall, a fun movie to watch with a great cast and a nostalgic look at the early sixties before the advent the Kennedy assassination, the Vietnam War, the Beatles, and the whole sixties counterculture. It is too bad that the interest in the "Rat Pack" has not done anything to release another one of their movies on tape or DVD, and that is the film, SEARGENT'S 3 that is under some red tape because of its source material, GUNGA DIN.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Rat Pack
Review: Ah, for the days of the Rat Pack. How sad that nowadays, one has to state, when speaking of movies like this, that they are talking about the "real" "Ocean's Eleven", not the remake. Why they would even attempt to remake a Rat Pack classic is beyond me, but if you think the George Clooney version is good, you haven't seen anything yet! A classic movie, and a great DVD package (WB comes through as usual), with information on the old Vegas as well as the movie. A definite "must have".
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