Frank Sinatra biopic
From the Winnipeg Sun: Scorsese to direct Frank Sinatra biopic By BRUCE KIRKLAND, SUN MEDIA Martin Scorsese will direct a major biopic about the life of Frank Sinatra, according to film producer Tina Sinatra, Sinatra's youngest daughter. But it will not be a Sinatra version of GoodFellas, Scorsese's gangster classic. Instead, the combative singer-actor, who did socialize with crime figures, will be shown as innocent of any true involvement with the Mafia or other gangsters. "Marty has always wanted to do this," Sinatra told Sun Media during a phone interview from Los Angeles. Sinatra, who also produced the 1992 mini-series, Sinatra, said Scorsese is in a reflective period and is willing to present the truth about her father, who died on May 14, 1998. That means dismissing scurrilous rumours that Sinatra was a stooge for the Mafia, Tina Sinatra said. Borrowing a metaphor from her father's own words, Sinatra said, "He never drove the getaway car." So, in the forthcoming Universal Pictures film, "I don't want him to be driving the getaway car. That would not be fair. But I trust him (Scorsese) implicitly." Sinatra admitted it is premature to officially announce Scorsese for the biopic. Initially, she referred to the director as "the most prominent Italian-American filmmaker" working today in Hollywood. When Sun Media guessed Francis Ford Coppola, she said: "We adore him but he didn't step up to it." When Scorsese's name followed, Sinatra offered this: "I can't tell you yet but you're warmer." Laughing, Sinatra later confirmed it was Scorsese. "You'll be reading about it very soon ... oh, go ahead and print it, I don't care!" Perhaps, they'll announce it on the tenth anniversary in a few days? Or at Cannes?

Thank you, Will. The TV miniseries is out on DVD this Tuesday. They've started talking about the Scorsese film at the Sinatra Family Forum (where Nancy Sinatra is the administrator). People there say that in this May 2nd interview with Tina, the interviewer is referring to a different Sinatra movie that Ratner is directing: one based on his valet's biography, not Tina's "official" one. BTW, Scorsese said the following after Sinatra's death: "There will never be another him. He was an idol to me as a great Italian-American actor and a great singer. I'm very, very upset." He also edited the Sinatra memorial at the 1999 Oscars. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/celebrity/la-et-sinatra11-2008may11,0,7358621.story Sitting in her sunny office on Olympic Boulevard, Tina Sinatra was plainly proud while discussing the grand plans that the Warner deal will set in motion, but there was also some apprehension in her voice. She was particularly enthused about discussions of a Sinatra film directed by Martin Scorsese -- "He's the really the only one to do it, isn't he?" The Sinatra family itself has some considerable divisions. Tina has feuded with her father's fourth and final wife, Barbara. Frank Sinatra left control of his estate's business to his children -- Nancy, Frank Jr. and Tina, all from his first marriage. The children are not completely on the same page, either. Nancy Sinatra, 67, is against a feature film, even if Oscar-winner Scorsese fulfills his longtime goal of directing it. She fears it would dwell on the negative and ugly moments of her father's complicated life. She prefers an eight- to 10-hour documentary which needs to be "very, very precise." Apparently, Nancy asked Scorsese to tackle the documentary about five years ago... 09-30-2003, 01:13 PM Nancy Administrator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Beautiful Southern California Posts: 24,986 Documentary Though I had asked Marty to do this, it is actually not his. We were to have done the film together but the money guys pulled out. I'm still working on it so don't give up!

Arnzilla, thanks for the extra interviews. People there say that in this May 2nd interview with Tina, the interviewer is referring to a different Sinatra movie that Ratner is directing: one based on his valet's biography, not Tina's "official" one. I think Tina S. meant Scorsese's, though. Otherwise, why would she say "Can you guess who the director is?"... Who would guess Ratner?

I think it's supposed to be a joke, because Tina loathes the book by the valet (supposedly to be played by Chris Tucker in the film).

Oh, okay. I read the posts over there and I see what you mean.

Thanks for the news... That will please my mother...