Year:  1967
Rating: 8.0

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"You have a pussy that smiles?". Tony Rome to an elderly unsuspecting lady. I am a big fan of the two Tony Rome films from the 1960's. They have everything I like in a film like this - intrigue, cynicism, beautiful women, Miami Beach, tough gritty locales, comedy, good casts but mainly they have Frank Sinatra, who is perfect for this role as a smart aleck, honorable, tough as nails private investigator who views rules and laws as guideposts but not much more. This feels so deliciously nostalgic for a time of tough guys, booze and steamy broads.


I just read two novels of the series called A Rat Pack Mystery by Robert Randisi. These feature the Rat Pack and particularly Sinatra as side characters in the early 60's in Vegas. I figured a re-visit to Tony Rome was due. Rome is nearly as cool as Sinatra. He lives on a boat and has a blue convertible that seems to go on forever. He also has a gambling habit and a weakness for an easy $200. He is offered that by a seedy hotel to take home a drunk young woman (Sue "Lolita" Lyons) to her rich daddy. Easy job. But a missing diamond pendant brings the house down on Rome and he has to solve it as bodies and complications pile up. Fortunately, he has the solace of a thrice divorced woman looking for fun played by Jill St. John in a total charm offensive. "Miami. 20 miles of beach looking for a city".


Lovely little cast of other actors - Gina Rowland, comedian Shecky Greene who said in real life "Frank Sinatra saved my life once. Four hoods were beating me up. Frank said, "That's enough, fellas.", boxing legend Rocky Graziano, Lloyd Bochner as a gay drug dealer, Richard Conte and in one of my favorite bits that I had forgotten about Joe E. Ross (Car 54) as a bartender sounding just like Officer Toody.

Lady in Cement
Director: Gordon Douglas

Year:  1968
Rating: 7.0

Tony Rome is back the following year again with Gordon Douglas directing and based on a book by Marvin Albert who wrote three Tony Rome novels. Sinatra is of course back as well. Jill St. John has moved on but his new flame isn't bad - Raquel Welch who we first meet in a bikini coming out of a pool. As Rome says "You would look good in a paper napkin". Most definitely. This one doesn't match up to the first Tony Rome - more Miami sleaze - but the story doesn't really make much sense. I never quite figured out why a few folks were killed.


Out diving, Rome discovers a blonde. A dead one. In cement about 40 feet under water surrounded by sharks. Not his problem as he hands it over to the cops but Rome always seems to get caught up in murder and dames. In a nod to Farewell My Lovely, a man as big and mean as a truck asks him to look for his missing girlfriend. He is played by Dan Blocker and at one point the theme to Bonanza plays on the TV. Looking for his girlfriend turns out to be deadly as Rome has to deal with a nasty gay club owner, the mob and Raquel as a wealthy widow who may be a killer. Good film but feels a bit rushed and more routine.