The Joker is Wild (1957)
(Charles Vidor, US 1957, 126 min., 35mm)
In this little-seen biography, Sinatra plays entertainer Joe E. Lewis. A successful Chicago nightclub singer in the 1920s, Lewis angers his mobster boss when he signs with another club for higher pay and a recording contract. The gang retaliates by cutting Joe’s throat, permanently damaging his vocal chords. Years later, he is re-discovered by his friend and accompanist Austin Mack (Eddie Albert). In an attempt to rebuild his career, Austin gets Joe a gig at a Variety Club benefit. His singing falters, but Joe finds that he has a second career in stand-up. The only thing standing in his way is his own insecurities and his alcoholism. Sinatra had a long-term friendship with Lewis prior to playing him on screen.