The Masculine World of Ocean’s 11

The world of the film Ocean’s 11 (and no, not the George Clooney version) is one ripe with money, risk-taking, beautiful women on the fringes, male activities like cards and billiards, and strong male friendships and loyalty.

The entire movie is centered in male-dominated or masculine spaces. The first space we enter is a barbershop, following immediately by a bachelor pad, where Mr. Foster is being massaged by a woman who disappears and we never see her again. The decor of a number of the residences of the 11 are sleek and modern, in red and grey colors, with pianos and modern artwork, and – of course – bars. These could be pads taken directly from the imaginary ones described in playboy discourse.

Like in many of Sinatra’s other films, he (and his buddies) are returned war vets. But rather than being emotionally crippled or traumatized by the war experience, they decide to use their Army skills to their advantage to rob five Las Vegas casinos. This film does not portray men in the home life much (for what kind of domesticated, white collar guy would rob casinos?) Even when men are linked to wives and families, they are completely dysfunctional. First off is Sinatra’s character, Danny Ocean. He is married, but Mrs. Ocean has left him, because of his lifestyle, or as she refers to it, “a floating crap game.” Money schemes do not coincide with the happy, homey married lifestyle, because of the instability (and because men who partake in these schemes also seem to heavily partake in drinking and women). In fact, Danny has a mistress who tries to make things worse between him and his wife.

Tony (Richard Conte) is married with a son, but he is recently released from prison and his wife wants nothing to do with him. A released convict doesn’t make for an upstanding husband figure. His son is, however, the motivation for him joining Ocean’s 11 – to help put his son through college. It is fatherhood – not marriage – that is the motivating factor for Tony.

Jimmy Foster (Peter Lawford) is another character with some kind of home life: Mother. A rich mama’s boy who never grew up, Jimmy gets all of his income from his mother, and the only way to detach from her – to fully become a man – is to join Ocean and “make” money of his own.

Ultimately, what keeps these men together is their loyalty for each other; loyalty that blossomed during WWII. This film is a prime example of male bonding and brotherhood – the commitment men have to their male friends. All men can partake of this masculinity – the playboys, the failed husbands, the mama’s boys, white and black men, rich and working class men (think of the number of men who work in the casinos, in the service industry), convicts, performers. It is their loyalty that keeps them together, even when the scheme doesn’t work out.

The 11 demonstrating their loyalty (to the casino scheme and to each other)