La Femme en ciment

LADY IN CEMENT (1968) ** Frank Sinatra, Raquel Welch, Dan Blocker, Richard Conte, Martin Gabel, Lainie Kazan, Christine Todd. Sinatra reprises his Tony Rome gumshoe character in this other-wise routine detective yarn as he comes across the titular character (Todd), an ehtereal beautiful blonde at the bottom of the sea, while scuba-diving off the coast of sunny Florida, where he finds himself embroiled with the mob, the cops, a love interest in the comely form of heiress Welch - at her most bodacious, and the formidable Blocker as his client Waldo Gronsky, who may or may not have killed her. The on-location vibes and the honeys -including the buxom (and svelte!) Kazan, as well as a few cameos (i.e. Richard Deacon - "DICK VAN DYKE SHOW"'s Mel Cooley - as a beatnik artist! and BS Pully - the original Big Jules from Broadway's GUYS & DOLLS - as a peep show attendee) liven things up in this stagnant slice of pulp fiction.(DIR: Gordon Douglas)

All the poor marks taken in to account......it's still fun to see Sinatra at his wisecracking best.....Tony Rome and Sinatra are gone and perhaps so are all those Runyonesque characters.In many ways like the music he left us.....even the below par efforts of his later years, there are a few similar films which kind of grow on you and certainly the Tony Rome films can be included. While its not "Some Came Running" or "Man with the Golden Arm" they do compare to the celebrated "Rat Pack" movies which seem to be getting a revival of sorts.Or perhaps it's just that absence makes the heart grow fonder....nice to remember there were guys like that around not too long ago.....like an older relative of mine recently said..."I sure miss those kind of guys".My guess is that as we get further and further away from the days of the rat pack we my become fonder and fonder of Tony Rome and Lady in Cement

It's unfortunate that the genre of Privae Eye/Caper films is dead. Comtempary flicks of this ilk are vapid and weak compared to this flick and the reason is that the new stuff lacks in "coolness". Sinatra is 'cool'. Dan Blocker, Raquel Welch and Lainie Kazan are real actors not tabloid/celebrates making movies between their appearances on awards shows and Saturday Night Live. The dialog is hip and snappy. Their is no political correctness to be found. There is only the hardcore, survival instincts of people living on the underside of society. The set designs are intense in its detail and the world that is created by this filmmaker is believable despite its garishness. The array of different personalities have not be seen since Gordon Parks' Shaft and the rest of the Black Exploitation films. The person that has come close in recent history has been David Mamet (Heist, House of Games) and the adaptation of James McElroy's novel.

Arguably more entertaining than predecessor TONY ROME...if only for the oddball casting (Raquel Welch, Richard Deacon, Lainie Kazan, Dan Blocker...as Waldo Gronsky!). After a pretty creepy opening scene, Frank Sinatra is hired to find some missing jewels and runs into mafioso Martin Gabel and his goons. Sinatra is dynamite and has a lot of chemistry with Welch. Gabel is certainly the most unlikely & shortest mafia don imaginable. Directed, with his usual lack of style, by Gordon Douglas but highlighted by a priceless Hugo Montenegro score. It's a lot of fun and does manage to capture Sinatra at his most swinging. He lives on a boat, drive a convertible, is afraid of no one and is very mouthy. Longtime Sinatra crony Richard Conte (taking things very seriously) returns as the crusty yet benign Miami cop who helps Rome out.

Frank Sinatra made two detective films in which he played the hip, Miami Beach private-eye Tony Rome. Lady in Cement was filmed in the mid 60s when Miami Beach still had that hip-cool reputation. The movie takes place in the now gone Jilly's Nightclub which belong to Frank's pal, Jilly Rizzo. Other neat spots are the old mansion (now gone) of Panama dictator General Trijullio, the Fontenbleau Hotel and houseboat row(also a memory). Dan Blocker steals the show as a 2nd rate hood named Bronski. Richard Conte gives his typical good performance, and Old Blue eyes shines in this type of hipster role. The biggest scene stealer is the ultra hot Raquel Welch. Raquel was in her prime and her swimming pool scene is steaming. The funny thing is that this bombshell could act. Look for South Florida "cult" legend Chris Robinson in a minor part as a gay funeral home director.....he's fantastic in his 3 minute part.

As far as a vintage detective thriller, "Lady in Cement" has enough wit and charm to make it memorable. It takes itself just seriously enough to get the job done. Sinatra's second turn as Rome doesn't quite have the bite of the first film but it's clear he's enjoying himself. The weary cynicism of Rome suits him well. The late Dan Blocker's delightful as Gronsky. The recent DVD reissue looks sharp and has plenty of trailers but is a bit light on extras. Director Gordon Douglas ("In Like Flint") keeps the action moving and Raquel Welch looks terrific. Her first appearance is emerging from a swimming pool. I was a bit surprised to see nudity in a mainstream Hollywood feature in 1968 but, well, this was the late 60's after all.