Sinatra Singing at His Best (2004) - Star of the month... Frank Sinatra

'Sinatra Singing at His Best' is a 2004 DVD release featuring some of Sinatra's best performances with a linking narration by Henry Stephens providing some context to the songs.

The release features the following songs:

• "I've Got the World on a String"
• "Stardust"
• "I've Got my Love to Keep Me Warm"
• "Ol' Man River" (footage from the film 'Till the Clouds Roll By')
• "Fly Me to the Moon" (with Count Basie)
• "Last Night When We Were Young"
• "I'll Never Smile Again" (with The High-Lows)
• "When You're Smiling the Whole World Smiles With You"
• "My Romance" (with June Hutton)
• "Hello, Young Lovers"
• "Oh, Look at me Now" (with Eileen Barton)
• "That Old Black Magic"
• "Talk To Me" (with Mitzi Gaynor)
• "It Had to be You" (featuring montage footage of Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Shirley MacLaine, Gina Lollobrigida, Kim Novak, Eleanor Parker & other screen sirens)
• "Luck Be A Lady" (with Count Basie)
• "High Hopes" (begins with a brief clip from the film 'A Hole in the Head', followed by a performance with a children's choir)
• "Angel Eyes"
• A montage of images from his many films to close

The Man with the Golden Arm (1955) - Star of the month... Frank Sinatra

'The Man with the Golden Arm' is a 1955 drama film directed by Otto Preminger and starring Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Kim Novak, Arnold Stang and Darren McGavin.

Based on the novel of the same name by Nelson Algren, the film tells of a heroin addict who becomes clean in prison, but then struggles with temptation after his release.

Former heroin addict Frankie Machine (played by Sinatra) is released from prison (where he has become clean) with a drum kit and a new lease on life. He returns to his wheelchair bound wife Zosh (played by Parker), and also runs into a former flame, Molly (played by Novak). Whilst out of jail, Frankie struggles to keep away from drugs, but later finds himself forced to deal in order to repay a debt.

Watch the trailer:

The title sequence

The film's controversial title sequence, designed by Saul Bass features the an animated paper cut out of a heroin addict's arms. The purpose of the cut out was to tap into the viewers emotions, and get them ready for the mood of the film.  Bass would later use a similar technique for Alfred Hitchcock films, 'Psycho' (1960), 'North by Northwest' (1959) and 'Vertigo' (1958).

Watch the title sequence:

Did you know...

• The Motion Picture Association of America refused to certify the film because it was about a heroin addict - the film was released without the seal of approval
• Marlon Brando was also considered for the role of Frankie Machine
• In preparation for the film, Frank Sinatra spent time at drug rehabilitation centres to observe heroin addicts
• According to Frank Sinatra Jr., the receiving hands of the second drug dealing belong to funny man Milton Berle

Award nominations

• Academy Award nomination for Best Actor (Frank Sinatra)
• Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration - Black & White
• Academy Award nomination for Best Music Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture
• BAFTA Award nomination for Best Film from any Source
• BAFTA Award nomination for Best Foreign Actor (Frank Sinatra)
• Satellite Award nomination for Outstanding Classic DVD (50th Anniversary Edition)

Closing remarks

'The Man with the Golden Gun' features one of Frank Sinatra's best dramatic roles. Otto Preminger broke ground by focusing on a taboo theme, such as heroin addiction, and persisting to release the film, even after it was refused classification. It helped shape censorship laws as a year later, films were permitted to depict drug use, kidnapping, prostitution and abortion.

The Mirror Crack'd (1980) - Star of the month... Angela Lansbury

"Out flew the web and floated wide - the mirror crack'd from side to side; 'The curse is come upon me', cried the Lady of Shalott." - Angela Lansbury (as Miss Marple in 'The Mirror Crack'd')

'The Mirror Crack'd' is a 1980 Agatha Christie murder mystery directed by Guy Hamilton and starring Angela Lansbury as Miss Marple, with Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, Kim Novak, Geraldine Chaplin, Edward Fox and Charles Gray.

The film is based on the Agatha Christie novel "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side". 

Kim Novak, Rock Hudson & Elizabeth Taylor in the film

Set in 1953, American star Marina Rudd (played by Taylor) and her director husband Jason Rudd (played by Hudson) have visitied the town of St. Mary Meades to make a movie on 'Mary, Queen of Scots & Elizabeth I'. Co-starring with Marina is her rival Lola Brewster (played by Novak), who was cast due to her husband Marty Fenn (played by Curtis) producing the film.

Shortly after arriving, Marina meets a devoted fan, Heather Babcock (played by Maureen Bennett) who is poisoned shortly after meeting her. As Heather drank a cocktail which was made for Marina, it is presumed Marina was the intended murder victim and she becomes paranoid.

It is now up to Miss Marple (played by Lansbury) and her detective nephew Inspector Craddock to solve the mystery before Marina or anyone else is killed.

Watch some clips from the film

Did you know...

• The title of the film is taken from the poem "The Lady of Shalott" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
• Natalie Wood turned down the role of Marina Rudd due to disagreeing with cast billing and the way the character was being portrayed
• The last film appearances of Anthony Steel, Dinah Sheridan and Charles Lloyd Pack
• Angela Lansbury was only 54 when she portrayed the elderly Miss Marple 
• Stars Angela Lansbury, Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis were all born in the same year, 1925
• Keep your eye out for an early film appearance by Pierce Brosnan as James
• The movie was filmed at Twickenham Film Studios in Twickenham, London, and on location in Kent
• The poster for the pretend film within a film "Murder at Midnight", features the real actor's names appearing in the sequence
• After this film, Angela Lansbury was meant to star in a second Miss Marple film "Appointment with Murder", but it did not eventuate
• The third Agatha Christie movie in the Brabourne-Goodwin series, following 'Murder onthe Orient Express' (1974) and 'Death on the Nile' (1978)
• Production for this film was delayed as a year as Angela Lansbury was starring in the Broadway production of 'Sweeney Todd'

Award nomination....

• Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Film Saturn award nomination for Best Actress (Angela Lansbury)

Closing remarks

'The Mirror Crack'd' is an entertaining Agatha Christie mystery. Angela Lansbury was very game to take on the role as Miss Marple, especially after the brillant portryal of Miss Marple by the great Margaret Rutherford in four films. Although Lansbury's performance is not bad, I can't help comparing it to Rutherford's fantastic portrayal. That said, we finally see Elizabeth Taylor give one of her better performances of her late career.

Elizabeth Taylor and Kim Novak are both fantastic in their roles as the bickering rival film stars. This film would have been a perfect film for Bette Davis and Joan Crawford had it been made 15 years earlier.

The Mirror Crack'd (1980) - Star of the month... Elizabeth Taylor

"Out flew the web and floated wide - the mirror crack'd from side to side; 'The curse is come upon me', cried the Lady of Shalott." - Angela Lansbury (as Miss Marple in 'The Mirror Crack'd')


'The Mirror Crack'd' is a 1980 Agatha Christie murder mystery directed by Guy Hamilton and starring Angela Lansbury as Miss Marple, with Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, Kim Novak, Geraldine Chaplin, Edward Fox and Charles Gray.

The film is based on the Agatha Christie novel "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side". 

Kim Novak, Rock Hudson & Elizabeth Taylor in the film

Set in 1953, American star Marina Rudd (played by Taylor) and her director husband Jason Rudd (played by Hudson) have visitied the town of St. Mary Meades to make a movie on 'Mary, Queen of Scots & Elizabeth I'. Co-starring with Marina is her rival Lola Brewster (played by Novak), who was cast due to her husband Marty Fenn (played by Curtis) producing the film.

Shortly after arriving, Marina meets a devoted fan, Heather Babcock (played by Maureen Bennett) who is poisoned shortly after meeting her. As Heather drank a cocktail which was made for Marina, it is presumed Marina was the intended murder victim and she becomes paranoid.

It is now up to Miss Marple (played by Lansbury) and her detective nephew Inspector Craddock to solve the mystery before Marina or anyone else is killed.



Watch some clips from the film

Did you know...

• The title of the film is taken from the poem "The Lady of Shalott" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
• Natalie Wood turned down the role of Marina Rudd due to disagreeing with cast billing and the way the character was being portrayed
• The last film appearances of Anthony Steel, Dinah Sheridan and Charles Lloyd Pack
• Angela Lansbury was only 54 when she portrayed the elderly Miss Marple 
• Stars Angela Lansbury, Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis were all born in the same year, 1925
• Keep your eye out for an early film appearance by Pierce Brosnan as James
• The movie was filmed at Twickenham Film Studios in Twickenham, London, and on location in Kent
• The poster for the pretend film within a film "Murder at Midnight", features the real actor's names appearing in the sequence
• After this film, Angela Lansbury was meant to star in a second Miss Marple film "Appointment with Murder", but it did not eventuate
• The third Agatha Christie movie in the Brabourne-Goodwin series, following 'Murder onthe Orient Express' (1974) and 'Death on the Nile' (1978)
• Production for this film was delayed as a year as Angela Lansbury was starring in the Broadway production of 'Sweeney Todd'

Award nomination....

• Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Film Saturn award nomination for Best Actress (Angela Lansbury)

Closing remarks

'The Mirror Crack'd' is an entertaining Agatha Christie mystery. Angela Lansbury was very game to take on the role as Miss Marple, especially after the brillant portryal of Miss Marple by the great Margaret Rutherford in four films. Although Lansbury's performance is not bad, I can't help comparing it to Rutherford's fantastic portrayal. That said, we finally see Elizabeth Taylor give one of her better performances of her late career.

Elizabeth Taylor and Kim Novak are both fantastic in their roles as the bickering rival film stars. This film would have been a perfect film for Bette Davis and Joan Crawford had it been made 15 years earlier.

The Man with the Golden Arm (1955) - Spotlight on... On the Edge!

'The Man with the Golden Arm' is a 1955 drama film directed by Otto Preminger and starring Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Kim Novak, Arnold Stang and Darren McGavin.


Based on the novel of the same name by Nelson Algren, the film tells of a heroin addict who becomes clean in prison, but then struggles with temptation after his release.

Former heroin addict Frankie Machine (played by Sinatra) is released from prison (where he has become clean) with a drum kit and a new lease on life. He returns to his wheelchair bound wife Zosh (played by Parker), and also runs into a former flame, Molly (played by Novak). Whilst out of jail, Frankie struggles to keep away from drugs, but later finds himself forced to deal in order to repay a debt.


Watch the trailer:

The title sequence

The film's controversial title sequence, designed by Saul Bass features the an animated paper cut out of a heroin addict's arms. The purpose of the cut out was to tap into the viewers emotions, and get them ready for the mood of the film.  Bass would later use a similar technique for Alfred Hitchcock films, 'Psycho' (1960), 'North by Northwest' (1959) and 'Vertigo' (1958).

Watch the title sequence:

Did you know...

• The Motion Picture Association of America refused to certify the film because it was about a heroin addict - the film was released without the seal of approval
• Marlon Brando was also considered for the role of Frankie Machine
• In preparation for the film, Frank Sinatra spent time at drug rehabilitation centres to observe heroin addicts
• According to Frank Sinatra Jr., the receiving hands of the second drug dealing belong to funny man Milton Berle

Award nominations

• Academy Award nomination for Best Actor (Frank Sinatra)
• Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration - Black & White
• Academy Award nomination for Best Music Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture
• BAFTA Award nomination for Best Film from any Source
• BAFTA Award nomination for Best Foreign Actor (Frank Sinatra)
• Satellite Award nomination for Outstanding Classic DVD (50th Anniversary Edition)

Closing remarks

'The Man with the Golden Gun' features one of Frank Sinatra's best dramatic roles. Otto Preminger broke ground by focusing on a taboo theme, such as heroin addiction, and persisting to release the film, even after it was refused classification. It helped shape censorship laws as a year later, films were permitted to depict drug use, kidnapping, prostitution and abortion.