Sinatra's take on Dino's "Matt Helm" is "Tony Rome," with a rousing theme song sung by his daughter, Nancy Sinatra. It starts out flashy with Ol' Blue Eyes as a bachelor/private detective and loving it, with plenty of eye-candy like Jill St. John. Her presence makes it feel like Connery's Bond movie "Diamonds Are Forever." They do have great chemistry and their scenes together make for most of the film's charm. "Tony Rome" does have some recognizable faces and names for die-hard film buffs, including Gena Rowlands, Simon Oakland, Richard Conte, a fun role for Joan Shawlee (one of Billy Wilder's constant actors) as a "lady" Sinatra interrogates and who propositions him, and a rare 60s role for 1930/40s actor Jeffrey Lynn, who you'd miss, if you didn't know him. But, the film's major flaw is its length and its emphasis on characters introduced late in the film, which makes the viewer confused, having to deal with so many interested parties in "the case of the missing jewelry," and of whom the viewer has not invested any interest in. Therefore, the viewer is left wondering what happened and feeling rather unsatisfied. A movie similar in tone, but done much better is Paul Newman's "Harper." But, I give it a 5 for a good beginning and Jill St. John making the most of her role.
Review of Tony Rome
