It’s always amazing to watch movies and TV shows from prior eras and see how different the male-female relationships were. Or in other words, ain’t that a kick in the head?
In ‘Mad Men,’ Joan and Peggy probably have it pretty good as far as work is concerned. We think of them as go-getters in a time when women had to work not just twice as hard as men, but probably ten times as hard to get to a point where they’re running an office and doing “men’s work.”
In ‘Secretariat,’ it was all about how Penny Chenery was able to take her horse right to the top, despite the racing biz being a good old boys club. Diane Lane’s excellent portrayal had a lot to do with the believability of that story – and, well, the fact that it actually happened.
I just watched the original ‘Ocean’s 11 ’ – a 50th Anniversary edition was released on high-def blu-ray Nov. 9, 2010 – and it’s fascinating how much butt-slapping and “get me a drink, darling” took place in that movie. Any woman nowadays would have told Frank Sinatra where to get off.
But don’t let that dissuade you from checking out this classic movie, because Warner Home Video did a fantastic job transferring it to blu-ray. The quality is gorgeous!
The story takes place on New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas, where Danny Ocean (Frank Sinatra) and his ten partners in crime are planning to steal millions. Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, Joey Bishop and other members of the Rat Pack play army buddies who scheme to knock out power to the Vegas strip, electronically rig five big casino vaults and raid them all at the same instant.
Compared to the new version starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney, the original practically crawls along at a snail’s pace, but it’s still great entertainment and a must-see for classic film lovers.
Bonus Features:
- Commentary by Frank Sinatra, Jr. and Angie Dickinson
- Interactive ‘Las Vegas Then and Now’ map
- Casino Vignettes
- ‘The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson’ excerpt featuring guest host Frank Sinatra and guest Angie Dickinson
- Theatrical Trailer
Images: Warner Home Video
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