Especially for generations who were introduced to Ol Blue Eyes via Cannonball Run II, its easy to forget Sinatra could act, and in Suddenly, he does that quite well as John Baron, an assassin for hire who takes over a nice familys home in the small town of the title in order to whack the president of the U.S. with a high-powered file as the elected official steps off the train. The Godfathers Sterling Hayden (who speaks like Phil Hartman) co-stars as Barons chief nemesis, the town sheriff.
Almost playing out in real time à la 24, TV director Lewis Allens picture builds suspense and slowly boils to a most clever ending. That much of the movie takes place in one room lends a great deal of tension to the proceedings.
A perennial public-domain DVD favorite, Suddenly looks positively splendid in Image Entertainments new Blu-ray. Its struck from an original print, and sure looks it. With two commentaries (one by Sinatras son) and a kaleidoscopic short film on New York that bears no discernible direct connection, the disc is the definitive edition it proclaims itself to be. Rod Lott
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