by Frank Calvillo
If Frank Sinatra’s movie career could be categorized in one word, it would be unpredictable. There aren’t that many actors who could topline such dynamic projects, each as wildly diverse as the next, from the comedy caper stylings of Ocean’s Eleven to the political thrills of The Manchurian Candidate and the sweeping romance of From Here to Eternity. With each film, Sinatra excelled, proving that he wasn’t just an entertainer, but a dedicated and talented screen figure, capable of wowing movie lovers as well as concert goers.
Recently, Twilight Time decided to release a pair of Sinatra films which, although not two of the actor’s best known titles, show the Chairman of the Board in pure top form. What’s really surprising about the two films, 1958’s Kings Go Forth and 1968’s The Detective, was how they both featured such bold social issues for their times.
KINGS GO FORTH
In Kings Go Forth, Sinatra plays Sam Loggins, an Army Lieutenant stationed in France during WWII. When the over-confident Corporal Britt Harris (Tony Curtis) is thrust into his command, the two have a difficult time adjusting to one another’s differing styles, but eventually manage to become friends. On a weekend pass to the French Riviera, Sam encounters the beautiful Monique (Natalie Wood), an American-born girl living in France, with whom he finds himself smitten, despite her hesitance to let him in. When her mother (Leora Dana) reveals that Monique is mixed race (with a black father now deceased), Sam is silently shocked, but still finds himself taken with her. However, when Britt encounters Monique, Sam makes the questionable decision not to stand in the way the young Corporal’s advances.
A solid early character piece, somewhat rare for the Hollywood of the ’50s, Kings Go Forthsees the three leads doing stunning work, with Sinatra’s steely yet melancholic reserve, Curtis’s slight arrogance masking insecurity, and Wood’s soulful loveliness. Meanwhile, gorgeous shots of the French Riviera and countryside populate the film, giving off a real sense of place to the story.
I can only imagine how controversial of a prospect Kings Go Forth might have seemed to the studio, let alone to audiences in the conservative ’50s, in not only having a bi-racial main character, but even more so by having a high-profile actress play her. Equally controversial and telling is how the two male leads react to her. Sam’s refusal to stand in the way of Britt’s advances could be read as either his respect for Monique choosing who she wants be with or him succumbing to the deep-seeded prejudices lurking within him to which he doesn’t want to admit. In the end, however, Kings Go Forth’s handling of the issue of race is handled with grace and dignity, even if the era in which it was made would allow it to explore its subject only so far.
THE DETECTIVE
The Detective opens on Joe Leland (Sinatra), a New York City detective, arriving at the scene of the brutal murder of a well-known homosexual. As Joe trails the streets looking for the man’s killer, he must contend with volatile cops and his relationship with his estranged wife Karen (Lee Remick). Things get even more complicated for Joe when the wife (Jacqueline Bisset) of a recently deceased businessman convinces him to open up her late husband’s case, leading him to discover a conspiracy involving many of the city’s prominent officials.
While it may be a dark story of crime and corruption, The Detective looks and feels like a lush Hollywood production. There’s an amazing score from Jerry Goldsmith which evokes real force and power, while the rich colors provide a great contrast to the raw and brutal content.
It was interesting to watch the love story aspects of the film and note how they provided an alternate view of the otherwise typical “cop and his girl” motif. The collection of scenes brought on by Joe’s flashbacks, showing his and Karen’s relationship from its early beginning to its current state, is refreshing, and helps to avoid making her character a cliche. More than that though, the scenes give a respectful angle to BOTH characters and what they once shared. Watching Remick inhabit her role was a treat in the way she took a truly damaged individual with deep character flaws and made her understandable.
Joe’s comment on the state of New York and his prediction of the city’s transition into the hell hole it would spend the following decade plus in is certainly a telling comment. But its the subject of homosexuality which remains the main social issue throughout The Detective. It was more than a bit surprising how far the filmmakers were willing to venture with regards to the homosexual aspects, considering this is a Hollywood film starring Sinatra. Beyond the fact that a hate crime dominates the majority of the film, other elements regarding homosexuality are dealt with in decidedly surprising ways. A strong overuse of gay slurs used by Joe’s fellow detectives and the rounding up of a group of gay men engaged in late night activity are shocking to observe given the film was made in the late ’60s. Though the issue is strongly prevalent, it doesn’t overshadow The Detective, but rather works in tandem with the rest of the elements to create a compelling character portrait.
If there’s one reason why both films should be remembered by cinephiles today, its to serve as a reminder of how brave of an actor Sinatra actually was. For someone with as many devoted fans as him, it would have been easy to play it safe with regard to the content within each project he decided to associate himself with. However, Sinatra was an artist who never really seemed all that concerned about how others reacted to his films, but rather whether or not the character he was playing would help to challenge him as an actor. Kings Go Forthand The Detective remain irrefutable proof of that.
THE PACKAGE
While the disc for Kings Go Forth only contains the film’s trailer, the disc for The Detectivefeatures an interesting commentary from David Del Valle, Lem Dobbs, and Nick Redman which is part entertaining trivia and part gossip fest about what Sinatra was like to work with.
THE LOWDOWN
Fans of Sinatra, both devoted and casual, will surely lap up this pair of dynamite titles which feature some of ole blue eyes’ best.
