Robin and the 7 Hoods is not a great film, but with a little trimming, it might have been: it's utterly hilarious in spots, rousing in others, and it creates a wonderfully comic world of warring gangsters. The Rat Pack was born for this kind of project. Three of them -- Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr. -- star here. Fans of crooners are in for a special treat, because Bing Crosby also stars. This movie contains the only filmed number I know of that Frank, Dean, and Bing did together.

As if that cast weren't great enough, throw in Peter Falk, who makes one of the best comic gangsters I've ever seen, and Edward G. Robinson in a cameo, just for fun, and you've got something to reckon with. Much of this film sparkles. There are some priceless lines of dialogue, and the fun the stars are having is tangible. Unfortunately, not all the scenes work; some drag, particularly in the last third. I still recommend it, however. It's rare to find a film this buoyant and fun-loving in conjunction with such great talent.