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Ocean's Eleven (1960)

Directed by Lewis Milestone, the original Ocean's Eleven (1960) is the ultimate "Rat Pack" film, starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop. The plot follows Danny Ocean and a group of his World War II 82nd Airborne buddies who hatch a daring plan to rob five iconic Las Vegas casinos—the Sahara, the Riviera, the Desert Inn, the Sands, and the Flamingo—simultaneously on New Year's Eve.

The film is a quintessential time capsule of "Old Vegas," capturing the cool, mid-century aesthetic and the camaraderie of its legendary stars at the height of their fame.

Locations

The film was shot almost entirely on location in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the early months of 1960. The production famously worked around the Rat Pack's performance schedules, as the stars were performing at the Sands Hotel at night while filming during the day.

The Sands Hotel & Casino (Demolished)

The Sands Hotel served as the unofficial headquarters for both the film production and the Rat Pack themselves. While it was one of the five casinos robbed in the film, it was also the location of the famous "Copa Room" where the group performed. The Sands was demolished in 1996 to make way for The Venetian. Wikipedia

The Flamingo Las Vegas

The Flamingo is one of the few casinos from the original "robbery five" that still exists today, though it has been completely renovated and remodeled since 1960. In the film, it serves as one of the primary targets for the group's synchronized heist. Map Location

The Sahara, The Riviera, and The Desert Inn

The other three casinos—the Sahara, the Riviera, and the Desert Inn—were all real, functioning landmarks of the Strip during filming. The Sahara has since been rebranded as the Sahara Las Vegas after a period as SLS, while the Riviera and the Desert Inn have both been demolished (replaced by the Las Vegas Global Business District and the Wynn Las Vegas, respectively).

McCarran International Airport

The vintage 1960s terminal of McCarran International Airport (now Harry Reid International Airport) is seen in the film as the crew arrives in town. The footage provides a rare look at the original scale of the airport before Las Vegas exploded into a global tourism hub. Map Location

The Final Walk, Las Vegas Boulevard

The film's famous closing shot features the surviving members of the group walking past the marquee of the Sands Hotel, which displays the names of the stars. This walk took place along the sidewalk of Las Vegas Boulevard, showing the vast, open desert that once surrounded the now-dense Las Vegas Strip.

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Director

Lewis Milestone

Cast

Frank Sinatra

Dean Martin

Sammy Davis Jr.

Peter Lawford

Angie Dickinson

Richard Conte

Full Cast

IMDB

View the official IMDB page

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