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List Price: $9.98 | | Label: Hbo Home Video
Salesrank: 32988
Released: January 31, 2006 |
| Our Price: $3.73 |
| Used Price: $3.38 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Based on the true story of the life and times and love affair of mobster Sam Giancana and America's songbird, Phyllis McGuire. Their too public relationship and tense atmosphere of the times could put an end to her career - and his life!
Sugartime Reviews:
Entertaining but also insulting 
2008-11-11 - It's an excellently done film with a strong script, outstanding actors and acting, great cinematography and obviously a hefty budget. But though "based on a true story" it misses the mark on the McGuire Sisters by several country miles. Phyllis was never the sultry, conniving, sexpot portrayed here. She was, and is, very much in the All American mode. She happened to fall in love with a gangster. It's that simple. He wasn't handsome, he wasn't a great mind but had a charm and sincere love for her that captured her. To her credit she never denied knowing him or his being her friend even when it would have been easy to do just that. The film also portrays Christine and Dorothy as two dumbos when in real life the McGuires were smart, disciplined and extremely talented. They still are! They also were and are devoted to their families. In the film they are portrayed as if they hardly could hold a conversation. In real life they are warm, classy, charistmatic ladies. Just to set it all straight.
Sugartime DVD Review 
2008-09-03 - A very entertaining film with fine acting by Mary-Louise Parker and John Turturro. The widescreen DVD has very good picture and sound.
Underrated, Underapreciated, Under the Rador
2008-08-22 - Sugartime was one of the best mvoies that iv never heard of. HBO always produces a beautiful movie, and this one is no different.
Fans of mary parker (weeds) will love seeing their girl in a differant role, and a different look. She plays the part just right, and displays a nice range compared to earlier charactors shes played.
John Turturro, one of the best actors of our time, is excellent as Momo.
The good thing about this movie is it could be for a guy that is mob/gangster movie lover, or a ordinary girl into romantic movies. This movie has both angles without allienating either audience.
Light entertainment about the private life of Chicago underboos
2008-07-07 - SUGARTIME (1995) will attract Mafia-phile DVD viewers, who get a kick out of stories
touching upon what goes on behind the scenes, in the underworld, for example.
The script is well written, and the filming is fine, professional, almost in wide-screen
format; the strength of this picture is the timepiece it constitutes, in terms of
music, club acts, restaurants, cars from the 50's and 60's shown and the clothes people wore
back then, and some home decorations.
It puts into place some light Scorcese elements, namely the juxtaposition of calm and violence,
murder and gambling- taking bets on the rubout victim, the mixing of the joy of sports and baseball, with
using abat as a weapon to tkae out solidiers who were skimming on the side, out of line, unleashing their
own pet projects of theft without the caporegime's - pesonovante's authorization, causing
disruption in the deals made earlier with the bought authorities, bringing bad press in the mass media, and
a public outcry for a crackdown on anarchy.
The musical act of the McGuire sisters, apparently 2 identical twins and another sister, is
intriguing in its simplicity and mysterious as to who in a night club might be the intended
audience for those jingles.
The challenge of this work, was to make a 90 minute motion picture out of trivial life events
that happen millions of times every month ( romance between a man and a woman) with the only
difference that, the age-old allegations and rumors of Frank Sinatra being implicated in fronting
gambling operations in Nevada resurfaces and as well as those of JFK having been elected
with the assistance of the mob, namely, through Giancana, with various COngressmen
on the take in gratitude, as well as the secret service hiring the mob to take out Castro in Cuba, etc.
The unanswered questions, revolve around the accuracy of the story told, and how well rooted
it is in reality, since most of what is shown concerns the private - intimate and personal lives
of a showgirl with the mobster.
The acting seems optimal considering the story told, and the relaxed acting carried out by
Mary Louise Parker, playing the showgirl, and JOhn Turturro, playing the wiseguy.
The sizing up of that showgirl, is probably not far-fetched, when it has the girl rejecting
the proposal from Turturro, until the latter does some name dropping, making clear he could
advance the girl's career by bringing her talents to the attention of Sinatra (a long shot.) Other aspects,
such as extravagant building of hotels, the gifting of a Cadillac, jewelery and more, also seems realistic
considering the wealth of the gifter.
Perhaps the comical aspects of this work will fail to hit the mark among many in the audience,
but there are quirky moments such as "My husband was a louse. I miss the bast-rd", after admitting
she was a gold digger, much as the showgirl here seems to be, or a quip about the girl not being
appreciative of the millions spent in hotel developments with "I made a major investment in some
romantic sh-t here!" or a congressman is told to "Just find out who needs to be fed !"
so he can buy that person's testimony or favors, etc.
Obviously, some in the audience will frown with dismay at Turturro pushing a crew member out of a moving
car, on the passenger side, or the coarse language, etc, but it's all for authenticity's sake.
Overall, taken for what it's worth, this movie packs the sensual energy of Parker, with some
comedy and violence, and easy, imaginary, light entertainment.
Sugertime-jaw
2008-05-22 - A well done movie with good acting by ML Parker. I enjoyed it and found it interesting in its coverage of a period and a culture that I was not very familiar with. Not Academy Award material but a most enjoyable and interesting movie and well worth the price of admission.
