Film festival mourns Sinatra’s death

Friday, May 15, 1998 | 9:46 a.m.

"There will never be another him," said director Martin Scorsese, president of this year's jury. "You know, he's the idol. He was the original."

"He was a great Italian-American, a great American" who will be remembered for both his performing and acting, Scorsese said.

He noted Sinatra's acting in films like "Some Came Running," "Man With the Golden Arm, and "From Here to Eternity."

Gilles Jacob, head of the festival, said Sinatra was "first a crooner, a charming crooner, an idol of all the young girls of the whole world during one period of his life. And then he became a solid actor ... he had character and force.

"Frank Sinatra was part of that golden age," Jacob said. "It was people who knew how to do everything: move, sing, speak, dance, sing, tap dance."

Actor Johnny Depp called Sinatra "a very, a great uncompromising figure. A great uncompromising hero.

"It's really sad," he said. "It's a huge loss. The chairman of the board."

Harvey Weinstein, co-chief of Miramax, said Sinatra "set the tone for America.

"He was one of the most romantic figures ever," Weinstein said. "Part of America died today."

And director Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame said it was "extraordinary, the range of things (Sinatra) did, from music to film to women. The man had no boundaries, that's what was impressive about him.

"He didn't seem to be particularly concerned about how people thought of him. He lived life as he chose to."

Festival organizers were expected to hold some kind of commemoration for Sinatra, but hadn't yet decided on the details.