Tony Rome (1967)

Tony Rome is the first in a trilogy of neo-noir detective films Frank Sinatra stared in during the late 1960's, followed by Lady in Cement (1968) in which he also played the detective Tony Rome, and The Detective (also 1968) in which he played a New York City cop named Joe Leland. Tony Rome is a Florida based beach bum P.I. who lives on a boat, as such he is much like the character of Travis McGee in the John D. MacDonald novels of the 1960's through 80's. Tony is hired by his ex partner, now the house detective at a local hotel, to make sure the inebriated daughter of a wealthy local (Sue Lyon of Lolita fame) makes it home safely after a binge, this proves his doorway into various shady goings on and the main plot. Plot however is not the central concern here, the movie is more then happy to take side trips and feature little vignette of eccentric local characters ala Dragnet. While not really challenging material Sinatra does seem to be giving it a decent effort and the movie is an enjoyable through back to the kind of film Humphrey Bogart excelled at. Nancy Sinatra sings the theme song. ***