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

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

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)

Also Known As:

Eine Nummer zu groß (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Un hombre sin suerte (Argentina) (Chile) [es]
Det tossede hotel (Denmark) [da]
Läpiä päässä (Finland) [fi]
Livet är härligt (Sweden) [sv]
Mia trypa sto kefali (Greece) [el]
Millonario de ilusiones (Spain) [es]
Un trou dans la tête (France) [fr]
Un uomo da vendere (Italy) [it]

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 "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Mole People (#9.3)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

SHIRL'S THEME

sophisticated black comedy from the Fifties

The 1950s had a number of strong films, and this is one of them. It's not what most people would call a black comedy, but I do. I agree with the previous poster who called this an under-rated gem.

First of all, I like Sinatra better as an actor than as a singer; he's also really strong in the original version of the Manchurian Candidate and in The Man With the Golden Arm.

This film reminds me a bit of the much more recent "Full Monty," with a middle-aged father who acts like a young adolescent who is essentially being parented by a pre-teen son who has had to grow up too fast. That's what I mean by black comedy; it's a situation that is so sad (and, alas, so common) that you have to laugh to keep from crying. (Another comparison, but not quite as apt, is to "A Thousand Clowns.") Sinatra's character is matched by that of his girlfriend, who says, without a trace of irony to the idea of having a baby, "I'm a baby myself."

It wasn't until I came here just now that I realized this was directed by Frank Capra; I should have been able to guess it.

Everyone mentions "High Hopes," and rightly so, as a terrific (and award-winning) song. But you gotta love any movie that has a tune about how "The monkeys have no tails in Zamboanga."