Synopses & Reviews
Hollywood legend, Academy Award--winning actor, and recipient of the Golden Globe Award for lifetime achievement in film, Frank Sinatra carved out one of the biggest careers in the history of Hollywood, yet paradoxically his screen legacy has been overshadowed by his extraordinary achievements as a singer and recording artist. Until now.
With the publication of Sinatra in Hollywood, an analytical yet deeply personal look at the screen legend of Frank Sinatra, Sinatras standing as a significant, indeed legendary, screen actor has now been placed in full perspective. Examining each of Sinatras seventy film appearances in depth, Tom Santopietro traces the arc of his astonishing six-decade run as a film actor, from his rise to stardom in “boy next door” musical films like Anchors Aweigh and On the Town, through his fall from grace with legendary flops like The Kissing Bandit, to the near-mythic comeback with his Oscar-winning performance in From Here to Eternity.
Laced throughout with Sinatras own observations on his film work, Sinatra in Hollywood deals head-on with his tumultuous marriages to Ava Gardner and Mia Farrow and directly addresses the rumors of Mob involvement in Sinatras Hollywood career. Ranging from the specifics of his controversial acting nickname of One Take Charlie to the iconic Rat Pack film Oceans Eleven, from the groundbreaking performance in The Manchurian Candidate to the moving and elegiac late-career roles as tough yet vulnerable detectives, the myths and personal foibles are stripped away, placing the focus squarely on the work.
Oftentimes brilliant, occasionally off-kilter, but always compelling, Frank Sinatra, the film icon who registered as nothing less than emblematic of “The American Century,” here receives his full due as the serious artist he was, the actor about whom director Billy Wilder emphatically stated, “Frank Sinatra is beyond talent.”
Review
The king of the saloon singers was a top-notch actor...when he cared to be.
So argues Santopietro (Considering Doris Day, 2007, etc.), who proves an ideal guide to Ol' Blue Eyes' spotty career as a screen actor. Combining a fan's ardor and enthusiasm with keen critical insight, he convincingly makes the case for Sinatra as a major acting talent while taking the famously mercurial entertainer to task for wasting his prodigious gifts on frivolous projects. In conversational prose, Santopietro covers Sinatra's family life, romances and recording career as they relate to his picture making, demonstrating an encyclopedic knowledge of every theatrical and television film's production details. The author analyzes each movie, often scene-by-scene, wittily explaining what works, what doesn't and why. Clunkers like The Kissing Bandit receive the same close attention as triumphs like On the Town and The Man with the Golden Arm, the better to fully explicate the evolution of Sinatra's craft and at Kirkus Reviews
Review
The king of the saloon singers was a top-notch actor…when he cared to be.
So argues Santopietro (Considering Doris Day, 2007, etc.), who proves an ideal guide to Ol Blue Eyes spotty career as a screen actor. Combining a fans ardor and enthusiasm with keen critical insight, he convincingly makes the case for Sinatra as a major acting talent while taking the famously mercurial entertainer to task for wasting his prodigious gifts on frivolous projects. In conversational prose, Santopietro covers Sinatras family life, romances and recording career as they relate to his picture making, demonstrating an encyclopedic knowledge of every theatrical and television films production details. The author analyzes each movie, often scene-by-scene, wittily explaining what works, what doesnt and why. Clunkers like The Kissing Bandit receive the same close attention as triumphs like On the Town and The Man with the Golden Arm, the better to fully explicate the evolution of Sinatras craft and attitude toward the medium. Santopietro is engagingly thoughtful about the sources of the Sinatra mystique. He draws intriguing parallels between the singers storied insistence on “one take” and his neurotic drive to banish boredom and loneliness. The author relates Sinatras distinctively snappy way with a line of dialogue to his masterly phrasing of lyrics as a singer. Readers less inclined to this sort of Actors Studio musing will content themselves with irresistible gossip about Sinatra and various Hollywood legends, plus an authoritative accounts of the glory days of the MGM musicals that cemented Sinatras screen stardom. Film buffs will find much to savor as well. The section on The Manchurian Candidate, for example, illuminates the greatness of that strange film and of Sinatras performance. The Rat Pack, the Mafia, the washouts and comebacks…every aspect of the legend is intelligently addressed, but Santopietros interest is in Sinatras work. In the final analysis, thats what fascinates.
A terrifically lucid and entertaining look at an undervalued area of Sinatras achievement.
Review
The king of the saloon singers was a top-notch actor.when he cared to be. So argues Santopietro (Considering Doris Day, 2007, etc.), who proves an ideal guide to Ol' Blue Eyes' spotty career as a screen actor. Combining a fan's ardor and enthusiasm with keen critical insight, he convincingly makes the case for Sinatra as a major acting talent while taking the famously mercurial entertainer to task for wasting his prodigious gifts on frivolous projects. In conversational prose, Santopietro covers Sinatra's family life, romances and recording career as they relate to his picture making, demonstrating an encyclopedic knowledge of every theatrical and television film's production details. The author analyzes each movie, often scene-by-scene, wittily explaining what works, what doesn't and why. Clunkers like The Kissing Bandit receive the same close attention as triumphs like On the Town and The Man with the Golden Arm, the better to fully explicate the evolution of Sinatra's craft and attitude toward the medium. Santopietro is engagingly thoughtful about the sources of the Sinatra mystique. He draws intriguing parallels between the singer's storied insistence on "one take" and his neurotic drive to banish boredom and loneliness. The author relates Sinatra's distinctively snappy way with a line of dialogue to his masterly phrasing of lyrics as a singer. Readers less inclined to this sort of Actors Studio musing will content themselves with irresistible gossip about Sinatra and various Hollywood legends, plus an authoritative accounts of the glory days of the MGM musicals that cemented Sinatra's screen stardom. Film buffs will find much to savor as well. The section on The Manchurian Candidate, for example, illuminates the greatness of that strange film and of Sinatra's performance. The Rat Pack, the Mafia, the washouts and comebacks.every aspect of the legend is intelligently addressed, but Santopietro's interest is in Sinatra's work. In the final analysis, that's what fascinates. A terrifically lucid and entertaining look at an undervalued area of Sinatra's achievement.
Review
*Starred Review* Countless books have been written about Frank Sinatra, though they typically focus on his music or broad biography. Santopietro (Considering Doris Day) directs his attention to Sinatra's film career with great success. This work is both highly readable and extensively researched, providing an absorbing look at Sinatra's part-time career. Santopietro has crafted a straightforward appreciation of Sinatra's roles, his growth as an actor, and his personal and professional relationships with the men and women he worked on-screen with, thus producing a book that should guarantee a wide readership. This is the second book to be released this year about Sinatra's film work; Karen McNally's When Frankie Went to Hollywood more specifically counterpoints Sinatra's film roles with his influence on male identity in the 1940s and 1950s, and she presents a more academic approach both in content and in writing style. Taking a thorough interest in all of Sinatra's films, successful and Peter Thornell
Review
“Its high time someone wrote a serious book about Frank Sinatras significant movie career. With his knowledge of both movies and music, Santopietro has put one of the biggest careers in Hollywood film history in full perspective.” —Jeanine Basinger, author of The Star Machine “This work is both highly readable and extensively researched….Santopietro ably fills a long-standing gap in Sinatra biography.” -Library Journal (starred review) “A terrifically lucid and entertaining look at an undervalued area of Sinatras achievement.” -Kirkus Reviews "This mammoth movie compendium, filled with forgotten facts, fifty-three black-and-white photos, and a detailed filmography, is certain to satisfy Sinatra's legions of fans."--Publishers Weekly
Review
Advance Praise for Sinatra in Hollywood:
“Its high time someone wrote a serious book about Frank Sinatras significant movie career. With his knowledge of both movies and music, Tom Santopietro has put one of the biggest careers in Hollywood film history in full perspective. Sinatras acting talent should be discussed alongside his amazing achievements in music, and this book lays a solid foundation for that process.” ---Jeanine Basinger, author of The Star Machine
Praise for Considering Doris Day:
“This book offers serious insight into a relatively neglected life. The observations are apt---and often bold.” ---The Atlantic
“Santopietro proves himself a serious and insightful critic.” ---Library Journal
“Extremely acute in his critiques, Santopietro is also devastatingly witty.” ---The Globe and Mail
“This highly readable book follows her remarkable career and offers readers an intimate glimpse of this extraordinary woman.” ---Tucson Citizen
“A vibrant portrait of the artist and the woman.” --Publishers Weekly
“Santopietro concentrates on her multifaceted career. He is sympathetic to women and knowledgeable about his subject, and his respect for her is refreshing.” ---The New York Times Book Review (Editors Choice)
Synopsis
Santopietro offers an analytical yet deeply personal look at Frank Sinatra's screen career, ranging from his role in the iconic Rat Pack film "Ocean's Eleven" to his groundbreaking performance in "The Manchurian Candidate." B&w photos throughout.
Synopsis
Oscar-winning actor, acclaimed director, and recipient of the Golden Globe Award for lifetime achievement in film, Frank Sinatra carved out one of the biggest careers in the history of Hollywood, yet his screen legacy has been overshadowed by his achievements as a recording artist. Until now. Sinatra in Hollywood offers an analytical yet deeply personal look at his screen legend.
Examining each of Sinatras sixty-one feature films in depth, Santopietro traces the arc of his astonishing sixty-year run as a film actor, from his rise to stardom in “boy next door” musical films through his fall from grace to the near-mythic comeback with his Oscar-winning performance in From Here to Eternity. Santopietro deals head-on with the tumultuous marriages to Ava Gardner and Mia Farrow, and directly addresses the rumors of Mob involvement in Sinatras Hollywood career.
In Sinatra in Hollywood, the film icon receives his full due as the serious artist he was, the actor about whom director Billy Wilder emphatically stated, “Frank Sinatra is beyond talent.”
About the Author
Tom Santopietro has worked for the past twenty years in the New York theater as a manager of over two dozen Broadway shows. He is also the author of The Importance of Being Barbra and Considering Doris Day. He lives in New York.