Every single film that Martin Scorsese has ever recommended
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Why Frank Sinatra’s estate refused a Martin Scorsese biopic
At any given moment Martin Scorsese is either making a movie, watching one, thinking about making one, or he’s asleep… dreaming of them. He’s so full of the joys of cinema that when I took it upon myself to compile a list of every film he has ever recommended at one point last year, it was the most tedious moment of my professional life to date, and that’s coming from a man who was once responsible for the pollen count.
His brimming creative outlook has meant that there are literally tens of stellar unrealised projects in the director’s little black book of ideas. Some of them are simply half-baked or have hit creative stumbling blocks, but there are others where frustratingly the hurdles are purely administrative—that is just about the case with his planned Frank Sinatra biopic.
You see, Scorsese loves Old Blue Eyes as much as the next person, in fact, he loves him way more than most. However, being the figure of integrity that he is, he isn’t just prepared to gloss over the interesting truth and offer up a dull love letter to the star that appeases his legacy. Sadly, that very legacy falls in the hands of his estate and they have blocked Scorsese’s project several times over because the script delves into the crooner’s apparent links to the mob.
Initially, Scorsese came up with a concept in 2000 as he planned to cast John Travolta as Frank Sinatra and Tom Hanks as Dean Martin. When that project was dashed, he later revised his plan and hoped to cast his new fateful frontman, Leonardo DiCaprio, as the lead.
Sadly, the project frequently runs aground apparently because Scorsese wishes to explore Sinatra’s apparent mob connections and the estate of the late star is keen to avoid the connotations. Thus, Goodfellas meets Nowhere Boy remains forever lingering in no man’s land.
You see, in 1950 during the great Kefauver Committee’s crackdown on rampant mob activity, Sinatra was just a struggling club singer. The clubs he sang in were frequently by mobsters. However, there was more than enough evidence to say that they weren’t just punters who admired his tones. Sinatra was, in fact, questioned to see whether he should be made to take the stand in the televised trials.
Ultimately, he was spared a subpoena because the Committee thought that the detriment it would cause to his career would outweigh anything they could attain. Nevertheless, it was established that he kept very close company with made men like Lucky Luciano, Bugsy Siegel, Willie Moretti and Al Capone’s cousins, The Fischetti Brothers.
It has long been speculated that Sinatra’s role was to be the legitimate face of the organisation as they pushed to embezzle in gambling rackets. He was also their in-point with the industry. None of this was formally proven, but loose lips in the subterranean world were enough for Scorsese to think that it would form a thrilling subplot to his story.
Naturally, Sinatra’s estate has always denied the claims and as a result, has shot down Scorsese’s movie. But you just never know, maybe we will get to see DiCaprio don the hat of the silken crooner yet if Scorsese makes the estate an offer they can’t refuse.
