Frank Capra's' penultimate film is immensely enjoyable. Frank Sinatra is in top form as a Miami Beach hotel owner with serious money problems seeking help from judgy older brother Edward G. Robinson. Sinatra has his hands filled trying to keep his hotel, realize a Disney-like dream of opening a resort as well as attempting to raise his son as single father. There's a lot thrown at the hero, but as this is a Capra film, that's to be expected. It's so well handled that sappiness only occasionally seeps in. Sinatra has excellent chemisty with Robinson as well Eleanor Parker as a widow in search of a husband. The film belongs though to Sinatra and Eddie Hodges (the wunderkind entertainer seen here at his most appealing). Capra keeps things moving swiftly and the location filiming helps a lot. Featuring the now classic tune "High Hopes" performed by Sinatra and Hodges. The supporting cast includes the great Thelma Ritter, Keenan Wynn & the always unusual Carolyn Jones as a bongo banging beatnik smitten with Sinatra.
Review of A Hole in the Head
