Main Cast: Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson, Eleanor Parker, Carolyn Jones, Thelma Ritter
Release Year: 1959
Country: US
Run Time: 120 minutes
Plot
Although the main character, Tony Manetta (Frank Sinatra), in this light comedy tends to tip the scales towards being unbelievably unrealistic, the story is pulled off because everyone else is convincing. Tony is a widower in need of a financial bailout for himself and his son, so he asks for help from his brother Mario (Edward G. Robinson), a wealthy New Yorker. Tony owns a small hotel in Miami Beach but his impractical ways have made it a losing proposition. After Mario and his wife (Thelma Ritter) arrive in Miami, thinking of taking custody of Tony's son, they suddenly decide to try to match Tony up with the widowed Mrs. Rogers -- maybe that will teach him some responsibility. This was one of the last movies directed by Frank Capra. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
Review
A Hole in the Head has many of the elements that one associates with Frank Capra -- a belief in the innate goodness of people, a fondness for strong willed dreamers, a concern with the manner in which making a living keeps people from living a living -- but it lacks the spark associated with the master's better efforts. In Hole, it's almost as if Capra didn't really believe in the screenplay, which is understandable -- it treats these subjects in a very plastic, artificial manner. Even in his classic, Capra is manipulative, but one always feels the manipulation is in the service of a very good cause. Here, the material doesn't bring forth that commitment, so Capra's work seems halfhearted -- and that affects the rest of the film. It doesn't help that Frank Sinatra, cast in the lead role, comes across as somewhat self-conscious; he's playing at the role rather than living it. This is made all the clearer when he's contrasted with Edward G. Robinson, who turns in a beautifully realized performance as a crusty hard nose who's got a big soft spot. Thelma Ritter is also in fine form, and Eleanor Parker does fine with an indifferently written role. Hole isn't a difficult film to sit through (and those hungry for family-friendly films will certainly welcome it), but it's a bit of a disappointment. The film does feature one sequence that many will adore -- and some will find excruciating -- namely, the performance of the Oscar-winning "High Hopes." ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Eddie Imazu - Art Director, Edith Head - Costume Designer, Jack R. Berne - First Assistant Director, Arthur S. Black, Jr. - First Assistant Director, Frank Capra - Director, William W. Hornbeck - Editor, Nelson Riddle - Composer (Music Score), Jimmy Van Heusen - Composer (Music Score), Sammy Cahn - Songwriter, Jimmy Van Heusen - Songwriter, Bernard Ponedel - Makeup, William H. Daniels - Cinematographer, Frank Capra - Producer, Frank Sinatra - Producer, Fred MacLean - Set Designer, Fred Lau - Sound/Sound Designer, Arnold Schulman - Screenwriter, Arnold Schulman - Play Author
Hole in the Head, A (1977), a novel by Francis Stuart exploring the workings of the neurological system in an attempt to understand the source of creativity. The writer Barnaby Shane is under treatment for a nervous breakdown. His recovery is complete only when Emily Brontë, his muse, disappears from his hallucinations and he is able to distinguish a frontier between the inner and outer worlds.
The screenplay was adapted by playwright Arnold Schulman, whose father was the operator of a Miami, Florida hotel. The protagonist of A Hole in the Head is a Miami hotel operator of The Garden of Eden. The actual hotel used for the exterior shots was the Cardozo Hotel, located on Miami Beach's Ocean Drive. The hotel has been owned by Gloria and Emilio Estefan for many years.
The film was based on the Broadway play of the same name. It debuted at the Plymouth Theatre on Broadway on February 28, 1957 and featured actor Paul Douglas in the lead role. The play earned a Tony Award for Boris Aronson in 1958 for Best Scenic Design. on July 13, 1957 the show closed for a total of 156 performances.[2][3]
