Robbo a.k.a. Robin (Frank Sinatra) is a 1920's era Chicago mob rival of Guy Gisborne (Peter Falk). They operate speakeasy casinos which serve booze via broads along with the little vice machines: slots, roulette, etc. Sinatra's mentor Big Jim (Edward G. Robinson, uncredited; we see his portrait in Robbo's office) has just been snatched from Chicago to go that big speakeasy in the sky thanks to a new sheriff in town. The film begins with a rather "entertaining" outdoor funeral/send off where Big Jim's fellas give him a last goodbye with some singing, throwing hats, and some pistol shots, Just like they used to do when Capone was pulling Chicago's underworld strings.Now that Big Jim is gone, Guy Gisborne wants his operation to join with Robbo's so they can clean up the town, i.e. monopolize the gambling and the booze. Guy even says it would be better to be "the best of friends rather than the worst enemies." Robbo replies "finish your drink", meaning he's declined the offer. A new pool hustler, Little John, has come into town and wants to help Robbo with his operation. Sammy Davis Jr, has a role as one of Robbo's lackeys but, like Martin, contributes little to the actual story.Turns out Guy is a sore loser and ransacks Robbo's speakeasy. Robbo then returns the favor. Okay, it's about a rivalry between two mob bosses. But then it gets cheesy. Interspersed with this mostly harmless but absolutely fantasized scenario of the 1920's gang wars are a lot of songs, mostly forgettable. "All for One and One for All" is sung by Falk and company at the funeral of Big Jim. "Any Man Who Loves His Mother" is sung by Dean Martin. Of course Davis has a song and dance routine where he shoots up booze bottles in "Bang Bang", and when Crosby enters the story, it's not long before he sings as well. A song which should be fast-forwarded is "Don't be a Do-Badder" in which he and the orphan boys don green Robin Hood hats and sing and dance. Then Frankie, I mean Robbo, meets a beautiful blonde, Marian Stevens (Barbara Rush) who wants to see Robbo in private. Turns out she doesn't want a night out with Frankie. She's the daughter of Big Jim, willing to pay good money to hit whoever offed her father. The hit is carried out, but Robbo claims he had no part of it but ends with $50 G's (that's $50,000). He wants to return the money, which ends up in a charitable organization helping disadvantaged orphans run by none other than Bing Crosby as Minister Alan A. Dale. Robbo becomes an instant celebrity and labeled as the "Robin Hood" of Chicago for his charitable contributions. It starts to ring of "Guys and Dolls" meets "Going My Way" and/or "The Bells of St. Mary's" (where Crosby played a catholic priest, Father O'Malley). "My Kind of Town", Sinatra's big solo, was nominated for "Best Song" but there's not a lot here to cheer about. The scenario didn't take itself seriously about midway.The real standout is Peter Falk as Guy Gisborne but his role as the rival mob boss seems to have been cut in favor of endless and seemingly pointless song and dance routines. At one point Sinatra, Martin and Crosby do a song and dance routine, replete with hats and canes, as if they've been rehearsing for the latest Vaudeville show.Not a bad premise wasted on an unbalanced if not occasionally annoying script. The musical idea essentially ruined the seriousness of the story. It still could have been a comedy-drama fantasy but adding the musical numbers clouded and crowded what could have been a decent story,

One of the more pleasant surprises I had watching movies was watching "Oceans Eleven" with the Rat Pack plus several others. I had just assumed it was a vanity project and nothing more. To my surprise, it was a heck of a good film with a heck of a good story. Because of this, I was much more inclined to watch a film by these folks in the future...and sadly, I saw "Robin and the 7 Hoods" next...a rather dull little film that seemed to go on and on and on!One of the big reasons I wasn't so taken by "Robin" was that it was a musical and never at all took itself seriously...very much unlike "Oceans Eleven". To me, "Oceans Eleven" was entertaining to the audience..."Robin and the 7 Hoods" was mostly entertaining to Robin and his 7 hoods! In other words, these old friends may have enjoyed getting back together but that alone isn't the reason to make a film.Perhaps some of my boredom with this movie is that I am not a huge Rat Pack fan. I don't have an overwhelming need to see Dean, Frank and Sammy...so to get my attention they need a film that would excite anyone, not just devoted fans. And, sadly, it's just for the devoted fans...period.While I must admit some of the songs were nice, the story just seemed very lightweight and skippable. And, many times the film seemed to come to a dramatic climax...yet it then continued. I call this poor writing and these actors deserved better.

Delightful musical with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and the other guys playing gangsters in the way that Robin Hood would have done so, of course, with a twist.The film begins with a rub-out of mob king Edward G. Robinson, in a scene very similar to the birthday party thrown for Spats Columbo (George Raft) in "Some Like it Hot."The big surprise in the film is Barbara Rush, who suddenly appears from nowhere and announces that she is Big Jim's (Robinson's) daughter. As he kept her away from the family business, she is well educated but soon resorts to rub-outs, shakedowns and all other types of criminal activity.Peter Falk steals the film with his typical gangster-like accent.Sinatra and Dean Martin but aren't dominant in their parts, as Sammy Davis, Jr., other than singing about how he likes shooting, is given little else to do in the film.The film disappoints in the end because from the Rush part, crime does pay. It is true that you can't fight the public.

After Chicago mob boss Big Jim is gunned down on his birthday, shifty Guy Gisborne takes control of operations. But Big Jim's favourite man, Robbo, is having none of it, and along with his loyal North Side Crew and a drifter known as Little John, set about stopping Gisbourne and his corrupt government pals in their tracks.Easily the best of the Rat Pack pictures, Robin And The 7 Hoods is a piece that is more befitting their respective talents. Containing great songs courtesy of Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn, and boasting big time stars seemingly enjoying their respective roles, it is however a picture that possibly should be far far better. Perhaps it buckles under the weight of expectation with the names on show? Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr and Peter Falk, now that is some roll call in star appeal, or maybe it called for a better director other than safe and steady, Gordon Douglas? But what we get is a mostly enjoyable experience that almost comes dangerously close to outstaying its welcome.Personally to me it's a film that I rate higher than it deserves because I get such a kick out of watching these great entertainers enjoy themselves so much, Crosby and Falk in particular are having the time of their lives, with Crosby walking in and stealing the film from under the other's noses. There is also something special to me in a sequence as the gang ham it up gospel style for "Mr Booze", check out the looks on some of the guys faces, priceless cinema, whilst watching Old Blue Eyes sing "My Kind Of Town" will forever be a cherishable moment to me. There is a fair bit of interesting trivia attached to the picture which is readily available on this and many other internet sites, so I'll just move on a quickly surmise that Robin And The 7 Hoods should have been a classic, but for me personally I'll settle for hugely enjoyable. 7/10