Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music + Ella + Jobim (1967)

Simply A Masterpiece

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Third and final "A Man and His Music" television special from Frank Sinatra changed networks (from CBS to NBC) and also added a live audience in the third act: a series of wonderful duets between Ol' Blue Eyes and Ella Fitzgerald. Opening the special with 'music' from our daily lives, Frank segues easily into "Day In, Day Out", backed with Nelson Riddle and his orchestra against a blood-orange backdrop. The visual effect is stunning, however Sinatra makes some missteps in the musical program from here. "I'm Getting Married in the Morning" is fine on its own, but as the lead-in for a too-upbeat "What Now, My Love?" it gets lost. "Ol' Man River" is a good showcase for the dramatic Sinatra, yet the simple presentation here doesn't lend the song any punch. Ella then joins Frank for some 'impromptu' renditions of current songs (circa 1967) and one is keenly aware of Sinatra's condescension towards trendy pop (his contempt for "Downtown" in 1966's "A Man and His Music Part II" still reigns supreme, however). A quick trip through the bossa nova songbook accompanied by Antonio Carlos Jobim is extremely pleasant, leading to the finish with Fitzgerald which is truly stunning. Frank is ingratiating and chummy, as usual, but he really comes to life when there's an audience to sing for, which makes one wonder why so much of this program has canned laughter and applause (following in the footsteps of his two previous specials). At one point, Sinatra can't even be bothered with his prop microphone and sets it down. The camera-work and editing are not as sharp as one might hope (particularly in the piano-duet with Fitzgerald), however there's much to enjoy here. Sinatra remarks at the close how fast the hour went, and he is precisely right. It flies right by on a jazzy magic carpet filled with songs and love.

Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music + Ella + Jobim (1967) *** (out of 4)This is the third concert special the superstar did in three consecutive years. This time out he's joined by Ella Fitzgerald and Antonio Carlos Jobim and the overall show is really punched over over the previous two, although the second one is still my favorite. This time out the music has more of a Jazz sound to it and Sinatra plays it up loud and really fast. Jobim only plays on one song and I think this is the weakest part of the show as it appears this scene was just thrown in at the last second. The performance between the two isn't really bad but it does stop the show in its tracks. Sinatra performs "What Now My Love", "Old Man River", "Change Partners", "Quiet Nights" and a few more. Ella gets to sing a rousing version of "Body and Soul" and also joins Sinatra on duets of "They Can't Take That Away from Me" and "The Lady is a Tramp". The highlight actually isn't the music but the kidding between Sinatra and Ella in between the music. The way Sinatra is able to joke on himself and poke fun of a few of his films is very funny and charming.

FRANK SINATRA should dispense with the banter between him and guest stars like ELLA FITZGERALD and just concentrate on the music. When he does, the show is a pure pleasure to watch and listen to.His pure enjoyment of being a performer is reflected here, at his best when just doing his thing on standards like WHAT NOW MY LOVE and Kern's OLD MAN RIVER, or simply doing slow ballads to a Bossa Nova beat, like QUIET NIGHTS, CHANGE PARTNERS, I CONCENTRATE ON YOU and THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA accompanied by ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM on the guitar.ELLA FITZGERALD gets a lot of time to do her special brand of singing and is especially good on BODY AND SOUL, DON'T BE THAT WAY and STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY.The finale is a rousing duet by Sinatra and Fitzgerald on THE LADY IS A TRAMP backed by the wonderful Nelson Riddle Orchestra.Pure gold for Sinatra fans. Only drawback is the rather awkward staging, which has a partial audience visible throughout on platform seats behind the singers.

Sinatra is at his best. While the previous "Man and His Music" specials are masterful, this one is the best of them all. Nelson Riddle conducts the orchestra and the arrangements are by Riddle and Gordon Jenkins. Ella's "Body and Soul" is stunning. Jobim makes a rare US TV appearance and does some numbers from his album with Sinatra. Even though Sinatra and Ella's "Goin' Out of My Head" is a bit silly, they perform a wonderful medley towards the end of the show. Why didn't they record together? While Sinatra is the king of cool and a fine jazz singer, Ella sings circles around him. The only flaw in the show is a long dramatic scene with Sinatra singing to a Jenkins string laden arrangement.