In Some Came Running, Frank Sinatra’s character—David Hirsch—represented the lonely soldier who had just returned exhausted and cynical from war, relying on alcohol as well as the company of gaudy females to provide companionship. The first scene featured David waking up on the bus as he had reached his hometown destination. It became immediately apparent that he had blacked out and smooth-talked Ginnie, a floozy of a woman, into following him to his hometown. No one came to welcome him in the small town and he set himself up in a rented room rather than contacting family or friends. Upon arriving, he focused more on getting another drink than having a quality conversation. Sinatra was completely alone, drinking anytime in the morning or night. Despite seeming like a deadbeat, David was warmly remembered by the former candy shop owner, thus the viewer gets the first glimpse of his heart. David Hirsch fluctuated between being a character seen as a loving or callous man throughout the film. With his niece, he adopted the proper mentoring role. With women generally, he was extremely forward to the point of being forceful; perhaps that force was due to his feeling of desperation in the face of deeper feelings. With his brother, he remained distant and bonded only over discussing his brother’s attractive secretary. Gambling and alcohol functioned as his escape mechanisms in the beginning of the film; but, as he fell in love with the school teacher who was his biggest fan, he decided to revisit writing as an outlet. Even though he was obstinate, David truly wanted to feel like he had a niche with his talents and he yearned for acceptance and love. His marriage to Ginnie cinched that he most wanted someone who desired him and would do anything for him.
Comparing Sinatra’s roles in to The Manchurian Candidate to Some Came Running, there were a few things in common but more differed. Both Major Bennett Marco and David Hirsch were coping with returning to normal life after wartime. However, Marco’s instability was due to his service commitment and Hirsch’s behavior seemed to stem more from his past—before his service commitment—and his personality. Both men attracted women even though the women caught glimpses of them at their worst. Major Bennett Marco was undergoing a mental breakdown when approached by an interested woman. David Hirsch repeatedly talked down to Ginnie and even hurled insults at her before proposing to her. The eagerness and force with which David pursued the schoolteacher and proclaimed his love for her would have been uncharacteristic of Major Marco. Also, the plotlines are very different because The Manchurian Candidate features Marco only in one situation and Some Came Running provides a more thorough glimpse of David in multiple contexts and with more people. The fact that David Hirsch had a family (even though slightly estranged) and friends allowed his character to seem more realistic than Major Bennett Marco.
In relation to the Playboy discourse, the model of masculinity represented by David Hirsch failed to meet the standards. He represented the playboy gone wrong. Fitting in with the playboy characteristics, David had his own apartment, could sweet talk women, enjoyed drinking, and held fast to the single life. Gambling was one of his interests and there was seldom a scene with David which did not involve alcohol. Even if he wasn’t drinking alcohol, it surrounded him. He also had the power to have some easier women, such as Ginnie, swoon and adore him. However, David failed as a playboy. He would drink alone and drank more than was attractive. A playboy is seen as being social, yet David had many anti-social tendencies. Perhaps the most staggering contrast is exemplified by how David pursues the schoolteacher. The first time David met her, he pulled her too close and kept trying to persuade her to spend more of the night with him. He seemed desperate. That desperation was even more apparent when he saw her for the second time and confessed his love for her. The degree to which David was infatuated with the schoolteacher exceeded how much a playboy should like any one girl exclusively. After being rejected after meeting up for a third time, David responded by proposing to a woman who he did not love but one who would love him unconditionally. David settled in order to have one person love him and sex was not the prime motivation, contrasting with the playboy ideal.
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