Pretty Good

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Well I've not seen this since I was 10 or so--they showed it to us in grade school, all of us kids seated in the gym. Never remembered it's title-but certainly remember things like 'High Hopes', some cartoon lamb running through a calender(?), and the kid we were supposed to root for.My impression as I sat and watched it-I distinctly remember thinking that the lead looked kinda grumpy and wasn't nice. Never having heard of Sinatra back then-well you can imagine later on how accurate I think that was. Kids just call'em as they see'em.I'd be interested in seeing this again as an adult, just to see late-era Capra, w/ Edward G in a comedy etc. Am sure it's worthwhile, plus Thelma Ritter is good too.*** from wayyyy back there, old memories.

You forgot to include the name of the most important actor in the film, the boy Eddie Hodges (Ally). The whole film revolves around him, and he has the big moment when he sings with Frank Sinatra the academy award song HIGH HOPES/ Prior to this movie the boy was famous as the boy of the Music Man on Broadway. I wonder if he made any more films afterwards. He is extremely talented in this film. Also this film conrains two important songs by Sinatra "All my Tomorrows" the title song, in which you get to see spectacular views of 1959 Miami Beach. The Other song was High HOPES/ Both of these songs by Cahn and Van Heusen. Please update the information.

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."

Adaptation of Arnold Schulman's play about feckless Miami Beach widower with a young son who needs a fast loan to save his ramshackle hotel, considering the idea of marrying into money with a shy (but beautiful) young widow. Slick, but not very moving comedy-drama won an Oscar for the memorable tune "High Hopes", but--with Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson, and Eleanor Parker in the cast--it should have been much better. The youngster is played by sharp, yet Hollywood-smart Eddie Hodges, who is decent with the kind of lines concocted for him. Frank Capra directed, weakly. Some good scenes, but it runs too long and has too few jokes. **1/2 from ****