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That's the judgment that Beatrice Ocean (Angie Dickinson) lashes at her ex-husband, Danny (Frank Sinatra), and shortly after, she more or less disappears from his life and from the story. Because much like with Danny, the focus of the story is not in any character-driven conflict, but ultimately in seeing the Rat Pack pull off a heist, and Ocean's Eleven delivers just that.
The film follows Ocean, a World War II veteran that recruits his former war buddies and friends to rob five casinos on the same night. Why? Well, because if there's one thing he loves is danger. There really isn't much on background, but not much as far as the heist preparation goes either. We see "preparations" going on, but there isn't the tension nor the cleverness you would expect from other heist films.
What the film does deliver are some cracking interactions between the members of the Rat Pack. The chemistry between Sinatra, and Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis, Jr. is evident. There is a certain laid-back and breezy approach to it that you kinda enjoy seeing them frolic around, essentially "playing" Sinatra, Martin, Lawford, and Davis. Jr.
But at the end of the day, I was expecting a bit more than that. The story and execution are lazy, the narrative is not fully there, and the direction lacks the chutzpah that you would expect from a project like this. I wouldn't call it a complete waste of time, but if you're not a Rat Pack fan or an original/remake completist, then I don't see why you should waste your time.
Grade:
OCEAN'S ELEVEN
(1960, Milestone)
A film with the number 11 (Eleven, Eleventh, etc.) in its title
(1960, Milestone)
A film with the number 11 (Eleven, Eleventh, etc.) in its title
"There's only one thing you love, Danny: that's danger. Cliffhanging. You could never love a woman like you love danger."
That's the judgment that Beatrice Ocean (Angie Dickinson) lashes at her ex-husband, Danny (Frank Sinatra), and shortly after, she more or less disappears from his life and from the story. Because much like with Danny, the focus of the story is not in any character-driven conflict, but ultimately in seeing the Rat Pack pull off a heist, and Ocean's Eleven delivers just that.
The film follows Ocean, a World War II veteran that recruits his former war buddies and friends to rob five casinos on the same night. Why? Well, because if there's one thing he loves is danger. There really isn't much on background, but not much as far as the heist preparation goes either. We see "preparations" going on, but there isn't the tension nor the cleverness you would expect from other heist films.
What the film does deliver are some cracking interactions between the members of the Rat Pack. The chemistry between Sinatra, and Dean Martin, Peter Lawford, and Sammy Davis, Jr. is evident. There is a certain laid-back and breezy approach to it that you kinda enjoy seeing them frolic around, essentially "playing" Sinatra, Martin, Lawford, and Davis. Jr.
But at the end of the day, I was expecting a bit more than that. The story and execution are lazy, the narrative is not fully there, and the direction lacks the chutzpah that you would expect from a project like this. I wouldn't call it a complete waste of time, but if you're not a Rat Pack fan or an original/remake completist, then I don't see why you should waste your time.
Grade: