Learning from Movies: ROBIN AND THE 7 HOODS

In 1964, a subset of the Rat Pack (Frank, Dean, and Sammy) got together and made a bit of musical Technicolor fluff.

In this movie, Guy Gisborne (Peter Falk) and a corrupt Chicago sheriff bump off Big Jim, the crime boss of the city (Edward G. Robinson in an uncredited role). They consolidate all criminal activities in the city, except for those on the Northside.

Robbo (Frank Sinatra) controls the Northside, and Big Jim was a close, personal friend. Robbo believes that Guy and the sheriff killed his friend. As he tries to defend his criminal empire, he must deal not only with the law and the Guy’s hoods, but with Jim’s vengeful daughter Marian and a PR campaign waged by Allen A. Dale (Bing Crosby).

Life lessons and inspirations after the break.

• A man with no friends is poor, and he’s going to stay poor until he goes out and buys some
• When people back away from you at your birthday dinner, look out
• You can get less service, but you’re still paying 50%
• “Democratic” doesn’t mean open and free every time
• Whatever you got, the better our lot, right down the line
• You come over there like George Washington, I’ll send ya back like Abe Lincoln
• Don’t steal the hubcaps, steal the whole car
• That dame ain’t nobody’s brudder
• We’re either gonna be the best of friends or the worst of enemies, so why don’t we be the best of friends?
• Any man who loves his mother is man enough for me
• Sammy Davis Jr. really liked guns
• Where there’s a wire, there’s got to be a phone
• As long as I hate your guts, I know I’ve still got good taste
• Some gift horses need a kick in the teeth
• It’s very sentimental, like burying a garbage man in the dump
• I think there's somethin' wrong wit his troat
• Three dozen has to be enough. It's all we paid for.
• You either got, or you haven’t, got style
• Don' mess with Mr. Booze (except for purely medicinal purposes, of course)
• Stonecutters can be very dangerous people

Take it from me: Don't be a do-badder, just step aboard that step-ladder, and climb the other way.