A Hole In The Head

“You’ve Got High Hopes!”??Everyone has someone in their lives who is just excruciatingly exhausting to deal with. Maybe they’re a best friend, a spouse, or a close relative - but no matter what they do, no matter how much trouble they get themselves into, you feel compelled to be the one to hand them the parachute and then meet them on the ground with the net. Now you know how Edward G. Robinson feels about his brother played by Frank Sinatra in one of Frank Capra’s last films, ‘A Hole In The Head.’

Our favorite crooner, Frank Sinatra plays Tony Manetta, a widower and someone who he would describe as a self made business man who owns a hotel and has big dreams to transform Miami Beach into the “Disneyland of Florida” and put himself on easy street. Trouble is, Tony is far from self made. Throughout his life he’s had to con, conive, and coerce cash from anyone and everyone he can, in particular his brother Mario (Robinson), just to keep his hotel's lights on. That doesn’t even include taking care of his loyal son Ally, played wonderfully by Eddie Hodges.

While Tony romps around with his bohemian tennant/girlfriend Shiri, played by the always great Carolyn Jones, poor Ally is left to fend for himself proving to be the “adult” of the family. When an eviction notice comes and threatens to close the hotel and give Tony and his son the boot unless they come up with $5,000, Tony does what he knows how to do best - call his brother and ask for a loan. Again. Only this time he tries to play it like Ally is in the hospital and needs an operation forcing Mario to fly down with his wife Sophie (Thelma Ritter).

Quickly Mario and Sophie become wise to Tony’s schemes and see that he hasn’t matured since the last time he asked for money - so they make him a fool’s bargain, get married and settle down and Mario will set him up with a store of his own in their hometown of Brooklyn. If he refuses, Mario and Sophie take Ally back to New York with them per the terms of a previous agreement. Of course Tony agrees, only so that he can attempt to fool Mario into giving him some “expenses” money and save his hotel, his way of life, and stay with his son. At least until he needs to ask for money again.

This is one of those movies that aims to tug at the heartstrings and pull hard, but misses. Throughout the movie, you want Sinatra’s Tony to wake up, face the consequences like a 42 year old man should, own some responsibility, and take command of his life for the first time. You want him to be the “man of the family” instead of his child. But, at every turn, Tony lets down his friends, family, and ultimately the audience.

It’s hard to deal with people who won’t pull their end of the rope in life. You can help them stay on their feet every once in awhile, even carry their burden for a time if needed, but that comes with the expectation and hope that they’ll turn it all around. Even if they keep trying and failing, you’ll be there for them because they’re at least  trying. Tony doesn’t even try - he just bounces from quick scheme to quick scheme, so it’s extremely hard to feel anything for him. You feel more for his kid, you feel for Mario who has to watch his brother tear his life apart, you feel for the poor wonderful, beautiful woman they fix him up with because she eventually learns his true intentions in Tony’s sole act of honesty.

This is one of those films that I wanted to enjoy, that I felt I should enjoy, but I just didn’t. It’s hard to hang your hat on a character who doesn’t have an arc to speak of, and that by the end of the movie, doesn’t really learn anything from his previous frivolous actions or face any real consequences. As a Frank Capra movie its even more disappointing because it feels like an imitation of a Capra film. ‘A Hole In The Head’ desperately tries to be ‘You Can’t Take It With You,’ ‘It’s A Wonderful Life,’ and ‘It Happened One Night’ all rolled into one - but misses the mark.

‘A Hole In The Head’ is certainly a nice film, one that features an incredible cast that also includes Eleanor Parker, Keenan Wynn, Ruby Dandridge, in addition to stars Frank Sinatra and Edward G. Robinson. It’s even nice for the couple Sinatra ballads “All My Tomorrows,” and “High Hopes,” but it doesn’t offer much more than a showcase of great talent in a mediocre movie. It’s a movie that perhaps would make fine rainy day entertainment, but it’s hardly a classic. At least not the classic I was hoping it would be given the pedigree involved.