DVD Review: LADY IN CEMENT / Gordon Douglas (1968)

November 30th, 2008 by Scott Marks

Lady in Cement (1968)
Directed by Gordon Douglas
Written by Marvin H. Albert and Jack Guss based on Albert’s novel
Starring: Frank Sinatra, Raquel Welch, Dan Blocker, Martin Gabel, Pat Henry, Richard Conte, Lainie Kazan, Steve Peck, Richard Deacon, Christine Todd, Joe E. Lewis and B.S. Pulley
Running Time: 93 min.
Photographed by Joseph Biroc in and DeLuxe Color

Rating:

The third installment of the Gordon Douglas, Frank Sinatra so-called “Tony Rome” trilogy continues the series stellar display of fag bashing and obsessive depiction of women as props, or in this case shark bait.

Sinatra kicks off the proceedings by playing an underwater scene without once getting wet. His stunt double fends off a drugged, toothless shark before discovering a blond naked “broad” anchored in cement. He spends the rest of the picture traversing Miami and dispensing verbal sexual slurs to every chickie baby he meets. Emerging from a pool, a sizzling Raquel Welch instantly sizes up the five-foot-seven crooner’s game: “Shall I scream rape now or wait and phone in a complaint?” Without the benefit of so much as a word, Ms. Welch had perfectly pegged Tony Rome’s idea of interpersonal relationships.

This is a Frank Sinatra picture for people who couldn’t afford to shell out the $5.95 (1960 price) plus airfare and accommodations, to attend a Rat Pack summit live at the Sands in Vegas. No, he doesn’t sing and Dino, Sammy, Joey and the excommunicated Peter Lawford didn’t make this scene. Prior to From Here to Eternity, “The Voice” appeared in a string of whimsical studio musicals. After the horses’ head gag and an Oscar, Mr. Sinatra was always careful to maintain a separate career as a serious dramatic movie star. When it came to directors, Frank gave what he got. With the exception of a certain Ferris wheel incident on the set of Some Came Running, he freely granted Liza’s dad Vincente all the time and demands the master filmmaker required. For John Frankenheimer and George Axelrod’s controversial The Manchurian Candidate, executive producer Frank raised the money (ask me no questions, I’ll tell you no lies), consented to rehearsals, met every 6 am call time and put in a full’s day’s work. In other words, he did what he was handsomely being paid to do.

For others less gifted, he took the dough, showed up at noon and walked off the set at four. Ever wonder why so many of the lesser Sinatra vehicles were filmed in resort towns? The scripts, and subsequently the films, were structured around his swingin’ lifestyle. While in Vegas, Frank would perform two shows nightly, party till dawn, knock off a few broads, catch some daylight shut eye and devote a couple hours to picture making.

Frank doesn’t phone in his performance in Lady In Cement, he uses a Telex machine. Director Gordon Douglas, who cut his teeth on Our Gang two-reelers and Carney & Brown filler pics, was always grateful for the one take Mr. Sinatra gave