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A Hole in the Head (1959) 6.1
An impractical widower tries to hang onto his Miami hotel and his 12-year-old son. Director:Frank Capra |
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Title: A Hole in the Head (1959)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Frank Sinatra | ... | ||
| Edward G. Robinson | ... | ||
| Eleanor Parker | ... | ||
| Carolyn Jones | ... | ||
| Thelma Ritter | ... | ||
| Keenan Wynn | ... | ||
| Joi Lansing | ... | ||
| Connie Sawyer | ... | ||
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James Komack | ... |
Julius Manetta
(as Jimmy Komack)
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| Dub Taylor | ... |
Fred
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George DeWitt | ... |
Mendy Yales
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Benny Rubin | ... |
Abe Diamond
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Ruby Dandridge | ... |
Sally
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B.S. Pully | ... |
Hood
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Joyce Nizzari | ... |
Alice
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Tony Manetta runs an unsuccessful Miami hotel, on which he can't meet the payments. Another liability is his weakness for dames (Shirl, his sexy current flame, is even less responsible than Tony). But a solid asset is Ally, his sensible 12-year-old son. When Tony wants stolid brother Mario to bail him out again, Mario makes conditions: give up Ally, or at least get married to a "nice, quiet little woman" of his selection. Tony and Ally just play along to be diplomatic, but when the woman in question proves to look like Eleanor Parker... Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
Taglines:
The most wonderful entertainment in the whole wide wonderful world!Genres:
ComedyParents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
15 July 1959 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Eine Nummer zu groß See more »Filming Locations:
Cardozo Hotel - 1300 Ocean Drive, South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida, USA See more »Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Tony Manetta: Why
Fred: I don't know. I ain't a philosopher!
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(uncredited)
Traditional
Sung by all at the hotel
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Nearly all of the characters' names were changed from the original play. See more »Goofs
At night at the kennel club, the lights over the bleachers go dark before the dog race starts, yet the shots of Tony and Jerry talking are still brightly lit. See more »Quotes
Fred: Life is just a bowl of cherriesTony Manetta: Why
Fred: I don't know. I ain't a philosopher!
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Crazy Credits
The title and the names of Frank Capra and the leading actors appear as an aerial advertisement attached to the Goodyear blimp. See more »Soundtracks
"For He's a Jolly Good Fellow"(uncredited)
Traditional
Sung by all at the hotel
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The 1950s had a number of strong films, and this is one of them. It's not what most people would call a black comedy, but I do. I agree with the previous poster who called this an under-rated gem.
First of all, I like Sinatra better as an actor than as a singer; he's also really strong in the original version of the Manchurian Candidate and in The Man With the Golden Arm.
This film reminds me a bit of the much more recent "Full Monty," with a middle-aged father who acts like a young adolescent who is essentially being parented by a pre-teen son who has had to grow up too fast. That's what I mean by black comedy; it's a situation that is so sad (and, alas, so common) that you have to laugh to keep from crying. (Another comparison, but not quite as apt, is to "A Thousand Clowns.") Sinatra's character is matched by that of his girlfriend, who says, without a trace of irony to the idea of having a baby, "I'm a baby myself."
It wasn't until I came here just now that I realized this was directed by Frank Capra; I should have been able to guess it.
Everyone mentions "High Hopes," and rightly so, as a terrific (and award-winning) song. But you gotta love any movie that has a tune about how "The monkeys have no tails in Zamboanga."