A Hole in the Head (1959)

Director:

Frank Capra

Writer:

Arnold Schulman (play)

Release Date:

15 July 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The most wonderful entertainment in the whole wide wonderful world!

Plot:

An impractical widower tries to hang onto his Miami hotel and his 12-year-old son.

Plot Keywords:

Father Son Relationship | Greyhound Racing | Motel | Liar | Beautiful Woman

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Frank Sinatra	...	Tony Manetta
Edward G. Robinson	...	Mario Manetta
Eleanor Parker	...	Eloise Rogers
Carolyn Jones	...	Shirl
Thelma Ritter	...	Sophie Manetta
Keenan Wynn	...	Jerry Marks
Joi Lansing	...	Dorine
Connie Sawyer	...	Miss Wexler
James Komack	...	Julius Manetta (as Jimmy Komack)
Dub Taylor	...	Fred (the clerk)
George DeWitt	...	Mendy Yales
Benny Rubin	...	Abe Diamond
Ruby Dandridge	...	Sally
B.S. Pully	...	Hood
Joyce Nizzari	...	Alice (Jerry's secretary)

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

New Zealand:G | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Cardozo Hotel - 1300 Ocean Drive, South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida, USA

Company:

Sincap Productions

Trivia:

Nearly all of the characters' names were changed from the original play.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Ally is shown running back along the street calling for his father at the end, in the distance the taxi is seen making a U-turn while a large crowd of onlookers stand on the streets behind it, obviously watching the scene being filmed.

Quotes:

Fred: Life is just a bowl of cherries
Tony Manetta: Why
Fred: I don't know. I ain't a philosopher!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "What's My Line?: (1959-08-02)" (1959)

Soundtrack:

SHIRL'S THEME

Capra's Kiwi

Capra's "A Hole in the Head" tells the story of "kiwi" Tony Manetta and his son. Tony has potential but as "kiwi" he is unable to fly - which means he can't live his dreams and fails. Of course there is another thing that is more important after all...

It's not just subjective to say that Frank Capra is one of the most important Hollywood directors of all time. He is one essential brick for château Hollywood. While watching his "A Hole in the Head" what came to my mind was that probably every excellent director career has at least one movie which somehow doesn't work out even though they try hard to be good - think about Coppola's "Cotton Club", Hitchcock's "Under Capricorn", Huston's "Casino Royal" and in my point of view "A Hole in the Head" is another addition to the long list. For my taste this picture itself is some sort of "kiwi". It holds several great moments but it's never becoming a great whole. I think the plot fails to live a duality of comedy and drama and the end is abrupt and sudden as if the director suddenly lost interest...

So on the whole "A Hole in the Head" indeed has some good moments and it's no weak movie. Only it never achieves the certain greatness Capra is capable of...