Customer Reviews

First Deadly Sin [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Those who choose to review don't seem to "get" this film. Sinatra is able to portray the character of a realistically strong, dedicated, and loving man. He is one of the few actors who could pull it off. Sinatra is both believable and fascinating in his role as an exceptional police investigator with a palpable off-beat manliness who maintains his allegiance to his chosen duty while suffering the great tradgedy of his own personal life.

Disappointing adaptation of Lawrence Sanders' breakthrough bestseller squashes the story down to an under-two-hour format, leaching out the characterizations and offering only a few bare facts. The result is a flat, tepid thriller without much suspense.

In his final dramatic film role, Sinatra shows why he was so highly regarded as a screen performer. Despite a poor script and limp direction, his charisma is sufficient to make this watchable. He conveys genuine emotion and makes it possible for us to empathize with an underwritten character.

Faye Dunaway, unfortunately, is limited to a few scenes, all of which take place in a hospital bed, as she plays Sinatra's dying wife. In the novel, Mrs. Delaney's scenes served as a poignant counterpoint to his search for the killer. He discusses the case with her, sharing all the details, and Sanders paints a powerful portrait of a cop who defeats the killer, but it powerless against the disease that is killing his wife. In the movie this does not come off at all, and viewers not familiar with the book may wonder why these scenes were included.

The DVD is a bare bones, full-screen transfer, with no extras.

Sinatra fans may enjoy this film, but I'd recommend reading Sanders' novel instead if you're looking for a gripping hunt-for-the-killer mystery.

I loved this movie. I read the book first and it was wonderful. A friend of mine gave it to me and after that I read all of the books it this series.

I think this it the best movie Frank Sinatra ever made. It is an excellent movie. It is a good crime story and well done. If you like a good who done it movie you will like this one.

Warner Bros decided to reissue this film and it is still Pan/Scan! We still don't have a Widescreen version of this film! I guess this one is one for the bargin bins of Wal-Mart!

This is a great movie. I read the book by Lawrence Sanders and really liked it so I was a little skeptical that the movie would live up to the book. The movie did a great job of telling the story. Besides the fact that I always loved Frank Sinatra as a detective. I highly recommend this video.

I don't usually buy bargain priced (under $10) DVD's from my local Best Buy, buy I saw this on the shelf and recognized it as Sinatra's final film (let's all have the good grace to forget his cameo as himself in "The Cannonball Run II"). While it is tame by "Seven" standards, it features an engrossing cast. Although it was his first starring role in ten years, old blue eyes brings reality and assuredness to his detective role. His last scene is particularly impressive. He is aided by James Whitmore, who is a welcomed sight as a coroner who assists the investigation. Leonard Maltin is quite correct that Faye Dunaway is supremely wasted, but her storyline doesn't detract significantly from the main plot. While not the greatest serial killer mystery ever made, this is certainly a must-see for Sinatra fans. There's zip in the way of extra features (What do you expect for a $10 DVD), but be warned: the chapter listing on the inner case sleeve contains a SPOILER picture from the end of the film.

It appears that Frank Sinatra was never fond of acting and that's a shame -- especially after watching this terrific thriller. Sinatra is perfect as a world-weary cop ready to retire who decides that his last case is to pursue a serial killer. (This movie was made 17 years after the similar Seven). Sinatra exudes cool, vulnerability and the toughness of the cinema's best action stars. This always-exciting, very suspenseful and underrated crime drama was overlooked by virtually every critic who reviewed his filmography after Sinatra died. Instead, it belongs among his best. With his quiet dignity and sincerity, Sinatra delivers one of his -- and this genre's -- finest performances.

This one of the films that I like that is, in my opinion, underrated. Sinatra gives a very good performance. Brenda Vaccaro and George Coe provide good "low-key" support. Faye Dunaway was underused, but all the characters, including hers and the antagonist, are suporting characters. The film is a vehicle for Sinatra. The film moves slowly, but the pace matches the mood of the film and the plodding pace of the investigation. It is a type of film that I refer to as psychological.

Not even close to be as good as the book, which The Crown Crime Companion rates as the 52nd BEST mystery novel of all time.

Given that, the movie was pretty darned good. Sinatra was excellent, as was Faye Dunaway in a marvelously subdued role. The movies story, while substantially different than the book, still contained all of the elements from Lawrence Sanders excellent novel.

I can see where the script writers would have had a most difficult task making a movie tell the story as Sanders told it. Given that, the script writers did keep all of the suspense.

In my judgment, that and Sinatra's performance gives it 4 stars out of 5.

I thought Frank played his part in this movie well.
If you like crime dramas you will get into this.
Come on you can't turn ol' blue eyes down.
I rate this dvd a 5 of 5 stars!!