This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Robbo a.k.a. Robin (Frank Sinatra) is a 1920's era Chicago mob rival of Guy Gisborne (Peter Falk). They operate speakeasy casinos which serve booze via broads along with the little vice machines: slots, roulette, etc. Sinatra's mentor Big Jim (Edward G. Robinson, uncredited; we see his portrait in Robbo's office) has just been snatched from Chicago to go that big speakeasy in the sky thanks to a new sheriff in town. The film begins with a rather "entertaining" outdoor funeral/send off where Big Jim's fellas give him a last goodbye with some singing, throwing hats, and some pistol shots, Just like they used to do when Capone was pulling Chicago's underworld strings.Now that Big Jim is gone, Guy Gisborne wants his operation to join with Robbo's so they can clean up the town, i.e. monopolize the gambling and the booze. Guy even says it would be better to be "the best of friends rather than the worst enemies." Robbo replies "finish your drink", meaning he's declined the offer. A new pool hustler, Little John, has come into town and wants to help Robbo with his operation. Sammy Davis Jr, has a role as one of Robbo's lackeys but, like Martin, contributes little to the actual story.Turns out Guy is a sore loser and ransacks Robbo's speakeasy. Robbo then returns the favor. Okay, it's about a rivalry between two mob bosses. But then it gets cheesy. Interspersed with this mostly harmless but absolutely fantasized scenario of the 1920's gang wars are a lot of songs, mostly forgettable. "All for One and One for All" is sung by Falk and company at the funeral of Big Jim. "Any Man Who Loves His Mother" is sung by Dean Martin. Of course Davis has a song and dance routine where he shoots up booze bottles in "Bang Bang", and when Crosby enters the story, it's not long before he sings as well. A song which should be fast-forwarded is "Don't be a Do-Badder" in which he and the orphan boys don green Robin Hood hats and sing and dance. Then Frankie, I mean Robbo, meets a beautiful blonde, Marian Stevens (Barbara Rush) who wants to see Robbo in private. Turns out she doesn't want a night out with Frankie. She's the daughter of Big Jim, willing to pay good money to hit whoever offed her father. The hit is carried out, but Robbo claims he had no part of it but ends with $50 G's (that's $50,000). He wants to return the money, which ends up in a charitable organization helping disadvantaged orphans run by none other than Bing Crosby as Minister Alan A. Dale. Robbo becomes an instant celebrity and labeled as the "Robin Hood" of Chicago for his charitable contributions. It starts to ring of "Guys and Dolls" meets "Going My Way" and/or "The Bells of St. Mary's" (where Crosby played a catholic priest, Father O'Malley). "My Kind of Town", Sinatra's big solo, was nominated for "Best Song" but there's not a lot here to cheer about. The scenario didn't take itself seriously about midway.The real standout is Peter Falk as Guy Gisborne but his role as the rival mob boss seems to have been cut in favor of endless and seemingly pointless song and dance routines. At one point Sinatra, Martin and Crosby do a song and dance routine, replete with hats and canes, as if they've been rehearsing for the latest Vaudeville show.Not a bad premise wasted on an unbalanced if not occasionally annoying script. The musical idea essentially ruined the seriousness of the story. It still could have been a comedy-drama fantasy but adding the musical numbers clouded and crowded what could have been a decent story,

I'll be honest in saying that I was really looking forward to seeing this one. I guess I was expecting another Ocean's 11 type of film and boy, I didn't get it. Basically U get half Ocean's 11 and half a musical. I think their train of thought on this one was to try 1 last time to bring back the musical into the 60's (w/ Bing singing and sammy and frank and deano) and it just wasn't very interesting. I though Peter Falk stole the whole show. If U want vintage Rat Pack stuff, see either Sergeants 3 or Ocean's 11 cause this one is from a bygone day of musical comedy/crime, and those just never worked. Let's just say it's 2 hours of my life I'll never get back...dammit.

My grandfather grew up in Chicago during the time period represented in this film. As a child, I remember him singing My Kind of Town(Chicago is). I saw it once as a teen and loved it, so when it came out on DVD I went out and bought it. I was wondering if it was as good as I remember. It was actually better.The fact it is a B-movie speaks of the quality of films back in the 60s, not the lack of quality of this film.I'm not a Rat Pack fan, but I love Robin and Seven Hoods. It has just the right touch of comedy, music, and great ending.I knocked it down one point for the lengthy Bang...Bang! but yet I always find myself singing along with Sammy Davis Jr.Just try to get this on DVD, as they often cut a couple of the better numbers on TV(such as Don't be a Do-Badder) that add to the plot.

Although Bing Crosby has an important role and is by far the best performer in the film, we're often forced to sit through some exceedingly dry stretches of tedious Falk-Sinatra-Martin-Rush (what a charmless lady!) dialogue between his welcome appearances. There are even long, weary passages between songs, then three or four will come at once.Basically, "Robin and the Seven Hoods" can aptly be described as a heavy-handed spoof, encompassing little in the way of wit or style in either writing or direction. And as for the players, only Crosby exudes just the right touch of seemingly effortless whimsy. Falk is especially elephantine, but the overbearingly pedestrian Barbara Rush just manages to pip Falk at the post for Bad Acting honors. The film would be greatly improved if both Falk and Rush were cut to the bone. 123 minutes is too long for this sort of derivative jest anyway. Still, it's nice to see some of our old favorites like Allen Jenkins and Jack La Rue.