1964's enjoyable musical comedy ROBIN AND THE 7 HOODS features the Rat Pack as prohibition era Chicago gangsters stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.
What a cast! Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis are hilarious, shooting as many on target one-liners as they do bullets.
Peter Falk is funnier than I've ever seen him as rival gang leader Guy Gisborne, determined to take down Robbo (Sinatra), whatever it takes.
Falk's speeches to the other mob bosses are perfectly delivered. Gisborne doesn't leave any wiggle room when it comes to loyalty and Falk's delivery is perfect.
With dueling speakeasy casinos on opposite sides of Chicago, the film features plenty of great songs by Sammy Cahn & Jimmy Van Heusen. "Style" and "My Kind of Town" are highlights but my favorite is Sammy Davis Jr's song and dance number "Bang! Bang!" in which he methodically destroys Gisborne's casino during a great dance number. Sporting twin Tommy guns, Davis is the real deal.
Edward G. Robinson is a hoot as Godfather Big Jim, who gets the most dangerous 21 gun salute in history. Victor Buono delivers a ton of laughs as a cocoa sipping local sheriff and Bing Crosby (in his last film musical) turns what I thought was a cameo into an ongoing joke that pays off again and again.
Loaded with throwback Rat Pack fun, ROBIN AND THE 7 HOODS steals a pitch perfect B+.
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