The Bottom Shelf #98

I remember seeing this film when it was first released in the theaters. The DJs on the local radio station (ah, Pirate Radio… the only one locally that would play hard rock and heavy metal. Those were the days) complained about it on their Monday show, saying how it was a piece of crap. Me being the already overly opinionated 16 year old that I was decided to call in and defend the movie. The guys listened to me the entire time, thanked me for my rebuttal and then promptly said, “Don’t listen to that chick, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” when I hung up. I’ve defended this movie several more times since then, usually greeted with the same response.

Sylvester Stallone plays a gangster who is coerced into going clean by his father who beats the promise out of him on his death bed (a killer cameo by Kirk Douglas). On the day that he is to meet with the presidents of the local bank and become officially legit, all hell breaks loose at his house. His accountant comes to ask for a raise and then his daughter’s hand in marriage, he learns that he’s been swindled out of money, there are multiple mistaken identity situations and Tim Curry comes in to teach him a diction lesson. Hell, the character of Oscar doesn’t even make an appearance until the end of the film, things are that mixed up.

What the movie thrives on is a cast of actors who are fantastic character players, from Chazz Palminteri to Peter Riegert to Harry Shearer. What a lot of movie watchers aren’t going to be able to get into is the pace of the movie. While it’s fast, there is a feeling of cutting to the next scene which might not seem as if it’s one cohesive package. That’s because the movie is based on a play and most people aren’t familiar with how scenes will play out quickly and then stop and cut to another set of characters. The set-up is a long lost art that is lost on most people and suffers slightly from its transition onto the silver screen. But I maintain now as much as I did 16 years ago that this is a damn funny movie. It’s one of the few remaining films that I would solidly get behind recommending that the entire family watch, from little Midgets like my own 6 year old daughter to perhaps an older relative who might have actually been around during the ’30’s. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Favorite Scene:

When the Finucci Brothers are mistaken for being hit men.

Favorite Line:

“She seems to have such nicely rounded diphthongs!”
“That’s what got her into this jam!”

Trivia Tidbit:

One night, after filming wrapped, a fire destroyed destroyed several sets, many of the actors’ trailers (among them Tim Curry’s), and all of the costumes. Production was halted for two weeks while they were remaking all of the costumes. A Universal security guard later admitted to setting the fire.

See if you liked:

BULLETS OVER BROADWAY, CLUE, TRADING PLACES

WHAT ABOUT BOB?, MIDNIGHT RUN, STAKEOUT