Watch Some Came Running For Free

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

An entertaining drama with great chemistry amongst the main characters--Sinatra, Martin, and Maclaine. Sinatra's character is by far the most interesting; stuck for the most part in a twilight zone between academic respectability and the carefree underworld. The movie shows how he deals with his dilemma, represented by two women; Hyer would be the respectable 'catch', but Maclaine's blowsy character actually wants him. He spends most of the movie fending off Maclaine while fruitlessly pursuing Martha Hyer. Nonetheless, he dips futher into Martin's gambling, boozing, devil-may-care lifestyle. Hyer, though obviously drawn to Sinatra, can't break out of her self-imposed reticence. Sinatra's persistence with his writing parallels his steady courting of Hyer. At least he's ultimately successful with his writing.His decision to marry Maclaine seems sudden. But this is his epiphany: he realizes that, poorly matched as they are outwardly, Maclaine's devotion will actually satisfy his insecurities. Hyer only seems to confuse and anger him. Admittedly, we're dealing with the misogynistic 40s (50s by the time of the movie), in which Sinatra expects Hyer to melt just because he professes love for her. On the other hand, Maclaine tries the same tactic with Sinatra, which ultimately works. The last scene, with its noir overtones of evil invading a wholesome carnival, with its tragic results, first excites, then ends poignantly with Maclaine's murder.In addition, mixing the climactic elements--the wedding with the niece's departure, adding Martin's rescue attempt from the gangster, all literally highlighted by the carnival atmosphere, casts a mythic sheen. Also interesting is Martin's character. One has the impression that he essentially played himself: a likeable hedonist. He manages friendship without emotion--unable to accept Sinatra's marriage, as it implies joining society, instead of operating on its margins as his 'code' necessitates.It's also possible to see Sinatra's giving in to Maclaine as an abnegation. After all, he remains blase towards her, easing up just a bit, as they wander innocently through the carnival. Maybe he didn't make the right choice. The movie casts just this sliver of doubt, leaving us wondering if there is a right choice.The psyschological complexity of the theme, the scaffolding of the plot, and the performances from three fine actors, gives Some Came Running a must-see (and see again) quality.

I found this film listed in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, the main cast was a good reason for me to watch, and I was interested to see if it was a deserved entry into the book, directed by Vincente Minnelli (Meet Me in St. Louis, An American in Paris, The Band Wagon). Basically Dave Hirsh (Frank Sinatra) is an alcoholic and bitter military veteran and former writer who winds up returning from Chicago to his hometown Parkman, Indiana after catching a bus while intoxicated. In his drunken state Dave also invited flamboyant, vulgar and easy woman Ginnie Moorehead (Oscar and Golden Globe nominated Shirley MacLaine), she has tagged along convinced he loves her, now sober Dave realises his mistake and gives her cash to return to Chicago. It is has been 16 years since Dave left Parkman and had a career in writing, publishing two books, he has also been out of touch with his older brother Frank (Oscar nominated Arthur Kennedy), he is still bitter about how Frank and their friend Agnes (Leora Dana) treated him when he was a child. Frank is now married to Agnes and has inherited a jewellery business from Agnes' father, their social status and reputation in town was already a concern, now Dave returning threatens this more. Frank tries to make amends with his brother, Agnes wants nothing to do with Dave, but Agnes's wealthy acquaintances Professor Robert Haven French (Larry Gates) and his daughter Gwen (Oscar nominated Martha Hyer), a schoolteacher, who admire his books want a meeting with Dave, she is forced to welcome him. Dave and Gwen spend some time together, he instantly falls in love with her, she is also attracted to him, but is afraid to express her passion, each time she rejects him, Dave ends up back with Ginny, who decided to stick around town, but her lack of intelligence frustrates him. When he arrived Dave met and befriended Bama Dillert (Dean Martin), a hard-partying but good-hearted gambler who never takes his hat off, they spend many occasions playing card games with other guys in town. Dave and Bama get into trouble when gangster and Ginny's ex- boyfriend Raymond Lanchak (Steve Peck) shows up, he starts stalking Ginny, and they are not prepared to stand back and let him get away with it. Frank is upset that Dave's lifestyle is causing him a bad reflection, but Dave is a good man despite his notorious reputation, he treats Ginny with kindness and is a father figure to his niece, Frank's daughter Dawn (Betty Lou Keim). Dave writes a new story that is published by The Atlantic magazine, and Gwen confesses his love to him on the telephone, while he is away on a gambling trip with Bama and Ginny. This phone causes the gamblers to think Dave is cheating, they stab Bama, worse comes when Ginny talks to Gwen, who is upset to find out Dave has been seeing her, Gwen cuts Dave off, and at the end of his rope Dave makes the drastic decision to marry Ginny, despite Bama's objections. While Ginny is not a social or intellectual match for Dave, she does show great passion for him that he has not had from anyone else, but soon after their wedding, Ray shows up again with a gun, Davbe is injured, and Ginny is shot dead protecting Dave, it ends with Dave, Bama and Gwen attending the funeral for Ginny. Also starring Nancy Gates as Edith Barclay and Connie Gilchrist as Jane Barclay. Sinatra is good as being world-weary, Martin is great as the gambler and drinker buddy, MacLaine is lovably ditsy, and Hyer is good at being an icy schoolmarm, the film is highly stylised, the melodramatic material comes thick and fast, some good, some okay, it has great music by Elmer Bernstein, but it is a little too long, overall I think it is a reasonable classic drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Costume Design, Best Original Song for "To Love and Be Loved". Worth watching!

This movie is a sure cure for Insomnia, except for the most extreme cases.Sinatra and Dino play two guys that don't make a bit of sense, but we're supposed to think they do.In other words, they play the characters they always play in movies together.What they are talking about is not just outdated. It never existed. I was born in 1956, and nothing they do or say makes any sense to me.The movie makes no sense either. It is just a bunch of words strung together, apparently written by people on drugs.It's some sort of melodrama, but don't try to stay awake through it. It'll just make you hate the idiots in the movie even more.Some came running to watch the movie. All left sleeping.

I always considered the 50's as a very creative time for Hollywood. The Bad and the Beautiful, All That Heaven Allows, The Sweet Smell of Success and other masterpieces enchanted me. If Some Came Running is not quite up to the level of the pictures mentioned above, it still provides many moments of great satisfaction. Minnelli's passionate approach to filmmaking, combining romance and sometimes vulgarity (Bama can't resist calling Ginny a pig) works very well for me. Sinatra is a fine Dave Hirsh, sour and cynical as well as tender, Arthur Kennedy is very effective as the guilty brother who can't quite live up to his rich wife's expectations, Dean Martin sails through his part as the boozy gambler, and Martha Hyer impresses me as the starchy teacher who fends off the volcanic Sinatra. He is like Hemingway in his forcefulness, she's like Edith Wharton in her reserve. Sparks fly. I have little to say about Shirley MacLaine's Ginny; she never moves me, never makes me believe in her vulnerability.The period is evoked by cars of the period 1946-48, and we see a marquee for The Courage of Lassie (1946), but the clothes suggest the late 50's. The feeling of anachronism is hard to shake off. Martin's hat gimmick was referenced in Godard's Contempt.