A Hole in the Head is about an irresponsible father who shouldn't have the rights to raise his son. As the story goes on it is clear that director Frank Capra and writer Arnold Schulman want us to root for the protagonist to get the money he needs so he can hold onto his business and his son. Instead, I spent most of the film thinking it would be best for this kid to go live with his aunt and uncle who would provide a safer and more stable environment for him. The misadventures of the film didn't manage to make me laugh, and instead made me progressively more angry with Frank Sinatra's character. I've seen characters like this before in movies and TV, who live their lives bouncing from one get-rich-quick scheme to the next, but generally they are bad or tragic characters. I'm just not sure if Capra's style of film-making knows how to handle that kind of perpetual loser.
The biggest benefit of A Hole in the Head is the cast. Frank Sinatra is charming, and I wanted to get on his side even if the plot never got me there. Plus, they give him an opportunity to sing in the film, which is always a treat. I also love Edward G. Robinson and Thelma Ritter, because they have a good rapport as a married couple, and they had several humorous little moments between them. Their entire story was more engaging to me than anything we see between Sinatra and the women in his life. Speaking of those women, what a strange and oddly-presented pair of relationships. I did not know how to feel about either one. I don't even know if the filmmakers knew how they wanted the audience to feel. Are we supposed to be rooting for one of these women? One of them shows up at the end, does that mean she should be part of their lives? There's clearly something missing from A Hole in the Head, and I was craving more clarity or focus to make it all click for me. It's not a horrible film, but it's one that has some serious script issues.
The biggest benefit of A Hole in the Head is the cast. Frank Sinatra is charming, and I wanted to get on his side even if the plot never got me there. Plus, they give him an opportunity to sing in the film, which is always a treat. I also love Edward G. Robinson and Thelma Ritter, because they have a good rapport as a married couple, and they had several humorous little moments between them. Their entire story was more engaging to me than anything we see between Sinatra and the women in his life. Speaking of those women, what a strange and oddly-presented pair of relationships. I did not know how to feel about either one. I don't even know if the filmmakers knew how they wanted the audience to feel. Are we supposed to be rooting for one of these women? One of them shows up at the end, does that mean she should be part of their lives? There's clearly something missing from A Hole in the Head, and I was craving more clarity or focus to make it all click for me. It's not a horrible film, but it's one that has some serious script issues.