Hilarious comedy where Florida hotel owner Frank Sinatra, a widower, with a precocious young son, (an adorable Eddie Hodges) can't seem to get a handle on life. A compulsive gambler, he is about to lose everything.

Edward G. Robinson steals the show as Sinatra's old brother, a clothing store owner in New York, who is forced to come to Florida to help his debt ridden brother out. Robinson's wife is played with genuine comedy ability by the wonderful Thelma Ritter. This was one of Robinson's few portrayals in comic pictures, and he succeeds beyond belief.

Carolyn Jones portrays the girl after Sinatra, a nasty woman who will do just about anything. Eleanor Parker is simply marvelous in a supporting role as Mrs. Rogers, a widow who is a friend of Ritter, and therefore a likely match for Sinatra.

The picture has everything going for it including the Oscar-winning song High Hopes sung by Sinatra and Hodges in a memorable scene.

There are laughs by the minute with Robinson also trying to get away from his adult son, Julius, the latter spending his days using a hula hoop. When Mrs. Rogers is introduced to Sinatra, Robinson says: "I understand that your husband died and left you a couple of bucks!"

A simply great family film affair memorably played by all. You'll feel good after seeing this one.

Before this movie even began, I marveled that any of the movie execs could have been crazy enough to cast Edward G. Robinson as Frank Sinatra's brother! They seemed as unlike as they could be. Perhaps with the big age difference between them Robinson (22 years) could have been cast as Sinatra's uncle or father...but his brother?! Plus, they looked nothing like brothers! Other than both being short, I can't see any reason for them to be cast together in the film other than they were available!

Frank plays a widower who has a young son. He owns a hotel that is just inches away from bankruptcy and he lives a carefree lifestyle--chasing women and being rather irresponsible. The only real good thing in his life is the boy--a nice kid who idolizes him. When the money finally runs out, he contacts his brother (Robinson) who will bail him out financially IF he marries and settles down with a "nice" lady. In fact, Robinson has picked out a widow (Eleanor Parker) for him. But, Sinatra can't bring himself to marry a woman he doesn't love--plus he's smitten with a crazy bohemian (Carolyn Jones). So, if he doesn't marry, he won't get the money--he'll lose his business and perhaps his son as well, as Robinson wants to take the boy away from this less than wholesome atmosphere.

Despite having the Oscar-winning song ("High Hopes") and some decent acting, it was hard to love this film. The reason is that despite trying to say that Sinatra loved his kid, he sure didn't act like it. He was just too selfish and too interested in having a good time--and it was darn hard to like the guy. His latest love interest (Jones) didn't like kids--and this didn't seem to bother him! What a cad! Instead, had they made him be a bit less selfish and more of a dreamer, it would have worked much better. As it was, he just seemed like a jerk who needed to grow up--fast. And unfortunately, the ending seemed very abrupt and impossible to believe--tying everything up too neatly and inexplicably. Too bad, as I really wanted to like the film.

Overall, a glossy time-passer but unfortunately not much more as the film is hopelessly flawed.

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 ****