No, not the George Clooney one.
Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack pals star in the original 1960 version of Ocean's Eleven. Frank teams up with Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Peter Lawford for this film, shot on location in Las Vegas. The film portrays the exploits of a reunited army unit as they try to rob five casinos on the same night. It's truly a "Rat Pack era" film--much of the action takes place in and around the casinos, and booze, women and money are plentiful.
I'd like to take a closer look at one particular scene which gives a glimpse of the Rat Pack lifestyle. After all the vets arrive in Las Vegas, Frank (Danny Ocean) lays out the plan and clues his buddies in as to how much they can expect to net from the venture. Later on, the men sit around in a sort of gameroom/bar area and discuss what they plan to do with their shares of the take. Their conversations reveal their attitudes towards women, racial others and politics.
Dean Martin (Sam Harmon) makes some noise about repealing the 14th and 20th amendments, so he could "take the vote away from women and make slaves out of 'em." Misogynistic remarks like this carry on throughout the film, epitomizing the playboy attitude.
When asked what he plans to do with the money, Frank's remarks aren't much friendlier to females. He says, "I'd do somethin' for world peace. Buy out the Miss Universe pageant and take all the girls out. Sit down and talk to them individually, you know. Find out how things are in Sweden." He goes on to speak about bringing all of the Miss Universe contestants to New Orleans for a weekend, and his friends agree that Frank's idea is a good one.
Peter Lawford (Jimmy Foster) is primarily interested in going into politics and maybe buying some votes with his newfound cash to get there. Racking his brain for a high-ranking but low-profile position, he says, "You know how much money a man could steal if he were....uhh...Commissioner of Indian Affairs? That's what I'll be." It's interesting to note Lawford's character's supposed interest in politics here. Lawford married Patricia Kennedy in 1954, making him brother-in-law to John F. Kennedy. In 1960, the same year that Ocean's Eleven was released, Lawford became an American citizen so he could vote for his brother-in-law in the presidential election. Lawford and the rest of the Rat Pack actively campaigned for Kennedy.
Sammy Davis, Jr. (Josh Howard) suggests that perhaps Lawford could be an ambassador. Lawford replies, "Yeah, in a small country like Andorra," again seaching for a cushy, low-stress appointment. Here, Sammy pipes in, "Or Little Rock!" This, and the fact that the audience is introduced to Sammy as he sings the blues, continues to identify Sammy as a racial other, which, in the Rat Pack, he is. Although we know that Frank was a longtime crusader for civil rights, it seems odd that Sammy is set apart in such a distinct way in this film.
