Jack Bennett Danny Ocean calls on old buddies from his World War II unit to pull off a heist on five casinos in Las Vegas at the same time on New Year's Eve. As the crew attempt the perfect robbery, a series of events and the snooping of a former gangster threaten to thwart their carefully laid plan.It seems not everyone is even aware that the 2001 Ocean's 11 is a remake of a Rat Pack caper from before man lands on the moon. Indeed a line of dialogue really dates the film: when Danny Ocean (played by Frank Sinatra) is asked why no-one's done the heist before if it's so fool-proof, he responds with "Same reason nobody's gone to the moon yet - no equipment. But we're equipped." The suave dialogue between the huge cast pops with 1960s swing culture whether it's through a sassy one-liner, an obvious set-up leading to a rewarding pay-off, or a smarts-riddle back and forth between men in sharp suits and slicked hairstyles.Naturally for a film from this era, there are more than a couple of moments which should be taken with a hefty pinch of feminist salt. In one scene, two of the gang are receiving massages and it's heavily suggested the two women are open to the idea of impromptu prostitution. In another, Sinatra tempts his estranged wife to get back together with him by sliding his hotel room key down the front of her dress. Finally, Dean Martin distracts an incredibly drunk women from heist activities by making advances on her. So yeah, not exactly up to 2018 post-Weinstein standards.The plot lurches from one conversation to the next and never really feels like it's going anywhere until suddenly they're undercover in the casinos spraying doors with invisible glow in the dark paint and rigging fuse boxes in preparation for the big one. Before you realise it, the lights have gone out and they're stuffing bags with cash. The heist itself is over in a matter of moments and the rest of the film focuses on the gang's attempts to avoid suspicions of a retired gangster hired by the casino bosses to get their money back (played by Cesar Romero, the man who would go on to play the Joker in the Batman TV series). He unsurprisingly turns the screw on the gang by blackmailing them for half their loot in return for his silence.The 'shocking twist' ending you're promised on the back of the DVD case was so predictable that I even joked "what if this happens?" - little did I know that I'd unintentionally ruined the surprise. As good as this film is, the remake is superior; a better use of the cast, a better script and a better reveal all contribute to a more enjoyable cinematic experience. What you get here is a slice of classic cool (and it is cool) with some great moments but an unsatisfying ending.Best Quote: *picking up the hotel room phone* "Hello, this is a recording. You've dialled the right number - now hang up and don't do it again!"

HotToastyRag If you've already seen the remake, you'll probably fall asleep while watching the original 1960 Ocean's 11. Gone are the quick cuts, dizzying camera angles, and snappy incidental music. I didn't like the remake, despite the extras. The egos radiating off the screen were just too much for me. It was practically grotesque, how everyone seemed to say, "Look at me! I'm remaking Ocean's 11!" And considering the amount of ego present in the original, for the remake to top it is quite remarkable.The first fifty-five minutes of the film is one gigantic set-up. All the characters are introduced and developed, and it's made abundantly clear that everyone is waiting around for a big plan to be revealed. Frank Sinatra has trouble with his wife, Angie Dickinson, and his mistress, Patrice Wymore, Peter Lawford has to adjust to his new step-father Cesar Romero, Richard Conte has just gotten out of jail and wants to reconnect with his young son; the list continues. If the first half was merely character development, it wouldn't have been so boring, but the endless, "When are we going to talk about that thing?" got very old very fast. After fifty-five minutes, we learn that the big plan is to rob five Las Vegas casinos in one night.This is a Rat Pack classic, with the gang in their natural Las Vegas habitat. Shirley MacLaine makes a silly cameo, and it feels like she just happened to be in the neighborhood and wanted to hang out with the guys. If you want to sit through a slightly boring heist movie, go ahead. But I prefer a little more excitement out of my Frank Sinatra movies, like The Man with the Golden Arm or Suddenly.

BoomerDT I love time capsule movies. Something that takes you back to an actual place and time, that is shot on location, not a studio…so you actual feel your you are experiencing a certain time and place, with authentic clothing, hair styles and hearing the colloquialisms used at the time. "Oceans 11" does 2 things well. It takes you back in time to Las Vegas, 1960, that has little resemblance to today's Vegas of monumental skyscraper resorts, owned by multi-national corporations. 1960 Vegas was only about a decade after Bugsy Siegel had his vision of turning the Flamingo Hotel and consequently the LV strip into a vacation mecca for adults to drink, dine, catch top entertainment and above all legally gamble, in comparatively plush surroundings.O-11 also lets you in for a look at the dichotomy of Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack in 1960, when Sinatra was the king of cool and entertainment and the Pack, the Clan, whatever you want to call them, were at their pinnacle and Vegas was their playground, courtesy of the mob, who knew Frank, Dino and Sammy would bring in the high rollers. Less than a decade earlier Sinatra looked like he was washed up. He was having trouble with his voice, MGM dropped him and he had abandoned his wife and 3 kids for Ava Gardner. Sinatra's voice came back and he made some critically acclaimed albums, plus a number of excellent movie roles, displaying his versatility in musicals, comedy and drama. Dean Martin had gotten tired of being Jerry Lewis' straight man and had made a successful transition to a solo act, as had Sammy Davis who had left the Will Mastin Trio earlier in the decade. Peter Lawford had been a contract player at MGM, usually getting a lead in their college musicals. He was dumped by MGM in the early 50's and probably headed to career oblivion until he married into the Kennedy family in 1954. He was no pal of Sinatra's, having been one of Ava Gardner's many lovers. But "brother-in-Lawford" would allow Frank an access to hang out with JFK, who was about to go out on the biggest stage of all in 1960. Which in turn made Lawford a member in highest standing at the time and he may actually have the largest part in O-11.Sinatra is Danny Ocean, who was a Sergeant in the 82nd Airborne. As for the rest of his background, we know he likes to gamble and he likes danger, as we are reminded by Angie Dickinson, playing his estranged wife Bea, "There's only one thing you love, Danny: that's danger. Cliffhanging. You could never love a woman like you love danger." O-11 is loaded with plenty of terrible dialogue, similar to this. Lawford is playing a spoiled rich kid, who was an officer in their unit, although he is clearly subservient to Sinatra's Ocean. Dino is a Vegas lounge singer (he knocks out a great version of "Ain't That Kick In the Head") and Sammy is the world's most talented garbage man. As for the rest of the 11, with the exception of Richard Conte, playing an ex-con who just found out he's terminal with lung cancer ("look Doc, give it to me straight-is it the big casino?") their roles aren't really too important. Although Buddy Lester, playing Vince who is now an MC at a strip club does have an entertaining bit. After we see a rather fleshy stripper named Lolita dancing with a boa constrictor, Vince introduces his wife, another dancer named Honeyface. After Frank and Lawford let Vince in on their plan for the heist, he expresses some concern about the feasibility of it. "Think of me dead." To which Sinatra actually replies -"Oh stop talking like a kid." Indeed, even when Dino expresses concern about how sensible it would be to rob casinos run by the mob (in an era when pit bosses would routinely have card counters hands broken) this is ridiculed by Lawford, "some guys grow old without turning chicken." Of course, eventually everyone is all in on the heist. They pull it off without anyone getting hurt, except for Conte who falls over dead on the strip from a heart attack. And after Frank and Lawford witness this, Frank gives some orders to Lawford, telling him to do this, etc. Peter turns to Dino and says in another bit of unintended bad dialogue "He's taking it very hard." O-11 also has a good bit by Cesar Romero, as Duke Santos, a reformed mobster who is squiring Lawford's rich divorced mother. Duke gets hired by the casinos to recover their stolen loot. There are also cameos by George Raft (who was a close friend of Siegel) Red Skelton (playing a himself] and Shirley McClaine has a cute bit with Dino as a drunk on the town on NY Eve. As for the Rat Pack, who were also doing their act at night while filming in the daytime, they have one thoroughly unfunny scene standing around a pool table that sounds like a routine from their act. Made a famous photo though. In any case, if you can tolerate the silly dialogue, it is fun to revisit the Rat Pack at their peak an era when tobacco was considered a vegetable and a cocktail went with anything at any time.

Kate Black If there are any fans of this movie out there I'm sorry, but I didn't think this movie was very good. At all really. The plot was very hard to follow, the acting wasn't that good, and the soundtrack basically consisted of two songs. Ain't That a Kick in the Head by Dean Martin and Eee-O-11 by Sammy Davis Jr. , both of which were played over and over though out the film. By the end of the film, I was so sick of those songs I wanted to scream. And Frank Sinatra didn't sing at all which was kinda the main reason I watched the movie in the first place. To hear him sing. Big disappointment there. But Sinatra was the highlight of the film anyway. I always enjoy his performances, no matter how bad the film itself is. If I were a viewer, I would watch the remake of this film instead. It's made much better and the acting is better as well. I'm sad to say it but this film was kind of a flop.