Ocean's Eleven

"Why waste those cute little tricks that the Army taught us just because it's sort of peaceful now?" - Danny Ocean

release year: 1960
genre: drama
viewing setting: home DVD, 1/4/18

synopsis: A group of World War II veterans gets together to simultaneously rob five Las Vegas casinos.

impressions: Interesting. I'd never seen this one, but had watched the modern remake and its sequels. This original version really painted a picture of old-time Las Vegas, as well as the lifestyle back then (bear in mind that I'm writing this over half a century after the film was made.) The plotting, and the various problems that arise and must be overcome, are fairly entertaining. I really enjoyed seeing the Las Vegas of times past, which is undoubtedly gone now.

acting: Frank Sinatra is the master planner. Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop, and Henry Silva were some of the gang whose names/faces I recognized. Cesar Romero is a former gangster who complicates things. Angie Dickinson is Ocean's ex-wife who's still around.

final word: Good heist drama/comedy from the old days.

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