Viewers get a much different Sinatra in The Tender Trap (1955) than in most of his films, including those after his 1950s comeback. The most staggering differences are with how adept Sinatra seems to be with women in the film and also how his image of the bachelor is dependent upon his financial independence and security. Sinatra’s role as Charlie Reader from the start positions himself as a wealthy and successful theater agent who is constantly surrounded by women who fawn over him and pursue relationships—mostly physical but emotional as well. Charlie’s relationship with Joe, his best friend from his school days, however, does mimic many of Sinatra’s films in which there is an ideal male character who is a friend to Sinatra and highlights the flaws or shortcomings of Sinatra--pushing Sinatra to grow.
Beginning with the first scene, Charlie is necking with a beautiful woman on his couch. This is very notable because it sets the tone for his interaction with women and establishes that he has the ability to get women and that he has an interest in them. In all of Sinatra’s early films--such as On the Town, Anchors Aweigh, and It Happened in Brooklyn, Sinatra either was awkward with women and could not speak adequately to those he desired or he seemed to be oblivious at first to women. Even in films after the shift of his image—such as The Manchurian Candidate and High Society, he didn’t seem to have a way with speaking to women with the hope of pursuing them. Also different from earlier or later films, it seems as though Charlie fills the void which could make him lonely with women. In other films, he has his friends surrounding him who are generally male and women tend to be used for fulfilling emotional and sexual needs. Women in The Tender Trap tend to be the primary visitors to his home and they keep him from being lonely even socially. This observation may be a bit skewed because many of his other films cast Sinatra as a serviceman and that would determine his surrounding comrades to be primarily male. Another similar movie to Tender Trap in this way would be High Society—but Sinatra is also isolated from his normal living situation so it doesn't fit as well. Also, in the film, when love is first mentioned with the romance between Charlie and Julie, it is Julie who initiates the discussion. Julie is the vulnerable one instead of Charlie.
Besides his relationships with women in The Tender Trap, another noticeable difference between Sinatra’s role in this film with other films is that he is very comfortable in regards to his finances. Although Charlie doesn’t appear to have a high class background, he is wealthy enough to support his social lifestyle, his clothing, and his spacious apartment by himself. Sinatra is generally financially secure in his films when he is in the military because he is supported by the military; however, that dependence upon the military does not allow him to be as free with spending it and using it to create a particular lifestyle and image. In other films, such as Guys and Dolls and The Joker Is Wild, Sinatra’s character is depending upon illegal practices to support himself and others. In those movies has a fear that he will be entirely without money or that he would run into a bind. Money is not an issue in The Tender Trap. This abundance of money actually attracts the women to him and enables him to financially support his numerous romances.
As the plot develops and Charlie’s flaws seem more apparent, there are more similarities to Sinatra’s roles in other films. Charlie definitely looks up to his friend Joe and greets him with a great deal of excitement. How he looks at Joe seems similar to how Sinatra’s characters looked to Gene Kelly in Anchors Aweigh and Marlon Brando in Guys and Dolls. Situated next to Joe who represents the ideal gentleman, Charlie seems like a weaker man who lacks consideration and is infinitely less attractive. Also, about mid-way through the film, the women start ignoring Charlie and the audience sees that it is not his personal qualities or knowledge of women that generates the harem around him, but rather it is that they have a lack of options for available and more respectable men. Charlie didn’t understand women after all. His bravado and smooth talking skills which he had used for almost the entire movie vanished in the last scene when he finally got the girl by making a legitimate marriage proposal to Julie—the woman he loves. Charlie fully gets the girl when he resorts to the meek and honest Sinatra of his earlier films.
In relation to his recording persona, The Tender Trap can be easily compared. There are many more similarities than differences. On the surface level, Charlie and Sinatra are both in the music or performance business and have been successful. They both have women attracted to them and must have a relationship—even though it may be shallow—as a form of validation. Being social is very related to drinking in Sinatra’s persona as well Charlie’s. The fear of being lonely is filled by being surrounded by others. Sinatra’s persona depends more upon his male counterparts whereas Charlie seems to have more females. There is a sense of hero worship which Charlie has for Joe and his lifestyle throughout the film, and that parallels Sinatra’s fascination with other male friends in his life. The ending of the film seems to contrast the most with Sinatra’s persona. Charlie ends up with the very traditional girl and will adopt her ideal lifestyle and take on the more emasculated role. Sinatra would have been more likely to be fascinated by a less traditional woman and he would not have given up his career to pursue that breadwinner ideal.
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