Joker and Sinatra

Joker was at the wedding of Angelo Bruno’s daughter's wedding when Sinatra walked in.  It had been a while since the Joker saw Frankie.  They chatted for a while then Bruno asked to speak to Frankie alone.  Joker walked out with Joe and Charles Facshetti, two brothers out of the Chicago Outfit.  Joker walked around and talked with a few people before sitting at his table.  Thirty minutes later Dino Carlucci came to bring him back into Don Bruno’s office.  Bruno asked for a favor which was something special when on the day of his daughter's wedding it's the Don who grants a favor, not ask for one. 

Frank was having issues getting out of his contract and went to Don Bruno of Philly and asked for a favor.  The boys in Chicago told him that would be his best option because he was known for having friends in the Chicago area and they didn’t want to attract that kind of attention when they were just getting into the entertainment rackets.  Bruno knew that Joker was involved in the Movie union rackets and had a few actors under contract and thought that the Joker would be best in this case.  Bruno wanted The Joker to get Frankie out of his current contract so that he could get into the movies.  there was a movie part that would make him a big star in show business.   

The second issue was Bruno wanted The Joker to lean on a studio producer to get Frankie a part in a movie called From Here To Eternity.  Joker looked at Bruno and said that was a huge ask then Bruno said that if that was so he would help the Joker lock down all the number rackets and gambling dens in Philly.  Joker was already the biggest bank in Philly but with that offer he could grow his business by twenty or thirty five percent.  Joker agreed to do it but he was a put off that Frankie didn’t talk to him, they had been friends before Frankie got into signing and it was the Joker that kept the bullies away from Frankie and instead of coming to his oldest friend he went around him to the Don.  

When the Joker sat with Frankie and told him he was going to fix everything, Frankie acted like he didn’t know what the Joker was talking about.  The Joker told him to relax and don't get fresh with him.  Frankie again acted like he didn’t know the score and that set the Joker over the top and caused the Joker to snatch Frankie up by his collar and tell him that he was a whiny little punk and that he needed to act like a man. Then the Joker released him and told him he should have come to him but never mind that now.  The shit will be straightened out and after that Frankie was to never darken his doorsteps again.  They would no longer be friends and his markers were to be paid up thirty days after the movie is released. If not he would break both his legs and no one will be able to prevent that from happening.  He also told him that he had no more upfront credit.  

The Joker went to see Tommy Dorsey to release Frank out of the contract.  Tommy said never, that he was going to let Frank make as much money as he could make because he would get forty percent of everything Frank made.  Joker laughed and said damn that was a great contract and he could understand why he didn’t want to release Frank from it.  Joker told him that he would get ten grand a year for two years and that would end the issue between them.  Tommy then laughed and said what happens should he say no.  The Joker smiled and said that Dorsey was on his third wife, she was a real peach and that he didn’t want the Joker to take a bite out of that peach.  Joker went on to say that one night he would walk into Dorsey's house and beat him to death, drive to his funeral in Dorsey’s new Cadillac with his new wife then take her home and consult her.  Then Dorsey’s brother would be next.  Dorsey agreed and the Joker said he would get the first ten thousand once the paperwork was signed and the following ten when the movie was released.  

Part two coming soon.

Now it was movie time Joker had a meeting with Alfred Zinnemann the director for the movie that Frank Sinatra wanted to be in to revive his career.   Alfred Zinnemann was an Austrian-American film director and producer.  However, he thought he was a powerful man and The Joker had to explain that Hollywood wasn’t a country or a state, he was barely a city.  Zinnemann wanted Montgomery Clift and hated Frank Sinatra.  He explained why Frank would never get that part. 

He wanted to end Frank’s career.  He said that he was grooming a young woman to become a star.  She took music lessons, dancing and acting lessons that he paid for then that ginny olive oil goomba walked in took her then ruined her.  All that money and time gone.  Zinnemann then told the Joker he could go fuck himself Sinatra will never be in this movie.    

Joker listened and then smiled and told Zinnemann that he would have some union issues coming up soon and he would make them go away, however if Sinatra doesn’t get that part then those union problems will delay his movie by a year or more.  Then Zinnemann said that he didn’t care no part for Frank.  Joker then said I notice from looking at all these pictures you have a love for horses.  Zinnemann said he does love them whats that got to do with a mother fucking thing. 

Joker said that it would be horrible to wake up with a horse's head in his bed.  That he was the type of guy that wouldn’t do something like that but the people that want Frank in that move in that part would push it to that point and beyond.  He could find all his loved one’s departed from this life and his career ending with depression and drummed out of the movie business.  

Joker said he once knew a man that was so determined to defy his boss that he didn’t realize that he killed himself until it was too late. His wife calls another man husband and his two young kids now call another man daddy.  Joker then lit a cigar and looked at Zinnemann and Zinnemann then understood that the Joker would actually do what he said might happen. 

Zinnemann then asked what he would get if Frank got the part.  Smirking Joker said that they would ensure his movie was made with no strikes, and no interruptions from anyone.  Zinnemann would also get an academy award for best director.  Zinnemann asked for best actor and actress and the Joker agreed. Joker then shook the man's hand and while shaking it he told Zinnemann that if he backs out it would mean his immediate death warrant.  Zinnemann smiled and said I know and you would be the man to pull that hat trick off.  Joker could only smile and then walk away.

Out of the 26 categories for the academy awards the movie was nominated for all 26 awards and won 19 of the 25. Frank even won best supporting actor.