Movin' with Nancy is a 1967 television special featuring Nancy Sinatra in a series of musical vignettes featuring her and other artists. Produced by Sinatra's production company Boots Enterprises, Inc. and sponsored by Royal Crown Cola, the show was originally broadcast on the NBC television network on December 11, 1967.
Summary
The TV special was unlike most musical programs of its time, with the numbers lip-synced outdoors on locations instead of the usual stage-bound production filmed before a live audience. Sinatra sings while driving down the highway, strolling in the California countryside and aloft in a hot-air balloon. She performs duets with guest stars whom she encounters along the way, with no introductions or interstitial dialog. The general effect is that of a dream-like fantasy that flows from one location to the next, with segments resembling the later format of music videos.
The program includes a interracial kiss between Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. at the end of a song-and-dance number. Sinatra states in the commentary track on the DVD release that the seemingly spontaneous kiss was carefully planned and deliberately timed for the end of filming, when Davis had to leave for another job and could not shoot a retake.[1]
Production
Movin' with Nancy was produced and directed by Jack Haley Jr., who won his first of two Emmy Awards for directing, with Sinatra billed as executive producer and star. It features guest appearances by her father Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin (her "fairy goduncle" who performs a solo song and a duet with her), Lee Hazlewood (who wrote most of her hit songs), dancer David Winters (who was also nominated for a special Emmy for his choreography) and Sammy Davis Jr.
RC Cola sponsored the show and created five lavish commercials. In two of them, Sinatra danced and sang the RC jingle ("It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Cola!"). Art Linkletter served as the narrator for two of the commercials that opened and closed the program.
A companion soundtrack album was released by Reprise Records and features all of the program's songs except for "Sugar Town" and "Just Bummin' Around".[2]
The booklet for the soundtrack release on compact disc erroneously noted that the special had aired instead on CBS rather than on NBC.
Sequels
Two other Movin' with Nancy specials followed after the success of the original broadcast. Movin' with Nancy on Stage aired in 1971[3] and was presented by The Ed Sullivan Show. It features the Osmond Brothers among its guests. Movin' with Nancy Nice 'n' Easy was produced in 1973 (but unfinished) and featured the Muppets.
Home media
The special was released on DVD by Image Entertainment on May 2, 2000. It features a commentary track by director Jack Haley Jr. and Sinatra, who reflects on her wardrobe and regrets not including her signature song, "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'", as part of the production. She also mentions that the RC Cola commercials were designed to be an integral part of the show.[1]
