Barfly (film)
Encyclopedia
Barfly is a 1987 American film which is a semi-autobiography
of poet/author Charles Bukowski
during the time he spent drinking
heavily in Los Angeles
. The screenplay by Bukowski was commissioned by the French
film director Barbet Schroeder
– it was published, with illustrations by the author, in 1984 when film production was still pending. Barfly stars Mickey Rourke
and Faye Dunaway
, with direction by Schroeder, and was presented by Francis Ford Coppola
. The movie also features a silent cameo appearance
by Bukowski himself.
The Kino Flo
light, now a ubiquitous tool in the film industry, was specially created by Robby Muller's electrical crew for a scene in this film which would have been difficult to light using the conventional lampheads available at the time.
The film was entered into the 1987 Cannes Film Festival
.
. When asked by the title character how she is doing that day, the secretary at the alternative school replies, "I went to see that movie Barfly last night....that piece of shit was depressing." (Note: Precious takes place in 1987, the year that Barfly came out in theatres)
Several Barfly quotes are referenced in the NOFX
song, "Green Corn" (including the title itself), from their 1991 album Ribbed
.
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
of poet/author Charles Bukowski
Charles Bukowski
Henry Charles Bukowski was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural and economic ambience of his home city of Los Angeles...
during the time he spent drinking
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
heavily in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The screenplay by Bukowski was commissioned by the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
film director Barbet Schroeder
Barbet Schroeder
Barbet Schroeder is a Franco-Swiss movie director and producer who started his career in French cinema in the 1960s, working together with directors such as Jean-Luc Godard and Jacques Rivette.-Life and career:...
– it was published, with illustrations by the author, in 1984 when film production was still pending. Barfly stars Mickey Rourke
Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
and Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway
Faye Dunaway is an American actress.Dunaway won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Network after receiving previous nominations for the critically acclaimed films Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown...
, with direction by Schroeder, and was presented by Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
. The movie also features a silent cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
by Bukowski himself.
The Kino Flo
Kino Flo
Kino Flo is a manufacturer of lighting equipment for use in motion pictures, television and photography. Located in Burbank, California, Kino Flo is best known for its fluorescent tube-based systems that are optimized for the color temperature of film and digital video. These lights provide a...
light, now a ubiquitous tool in the film industry, was specially created by Robby Muller's electrical crew for a scene in this film which would have been difficult to light using the conventional lampheads available at the time.
The film was entered into the 1987 Cannes Film Festival
1987 Cannes Film Festival
- Jury :*Yves Montand*Danièle Heymann*Elem Klimov*Gérald Calderon*Jeremy Thomas*Jerzy Skolimowski*Nicola Piovani*Norman Mailer*Theo Angelopoulos-Feature film competition:...
.
Synopsis
During the day, Henry Chinaski (Mickey Rourke) writes poetry and short stories, which he submits to literary magazines. Drinking and fighting is how he spends his nights. He gets into several altercations with the bartender Eddie, whom he despises, and finds out that his girlfriend Wanda slept with Eddie. Despite this fact he stays with her and continues to drink his nights away. He is hunted down by a female book publisher, Tully Sorenson, who is interested in publishing his work; she pays him five hundred dollars and takes Henry back to her home where the two sleep together. At first Henry seems at peace making the big bucks, but soon finds out he is meant for the streets and cheap bars and hotels. He leaves Tully's house, telling her he feels that he "can't breathe in a high class" and that she is "trapped in a cage with golden bars." He returns to his usual bar, to the warm embrace of Wanda and all his bar friends. Tully finds him at the bar and a jealous Wanda tackles her and proceeds to give her a beating. Tully, realizing that Henry does not want any help from her, tells him, "I know you need this—good luck," ostensibly referring to his lifestyle. In the end of the film, Henry buys drinks for all of the people in the bar. Eddie suspects Henry has no money and says he owes over forty dollars for the drinks. Henry pays and leaves a tip for Eddie saying, "Buy a drink on me." The film closes with Henry buying more drinks for all the "Barflies." Henry raises his glass of scotch and says, "To all my friends," where he is given a round of applause. After finishing his drink he asks Wanda if he fights Eddie tonight and loses, will she go with Eddie? She says, "No," she is Henry's girl from here on out. The last shot is of Henry and Eddie looking at each other; Eddie seems to have a hint of respect for Henry. He takes off his jacket and heads to their old fighting ground in the back parking lot. Henry follows and the camera pans out to the front of the bar as the sound of punches and cheers are heard as the credits roll happily.Cast
- Mickey RourkeMickey RourkePhilip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
as Henry Chinaski - Faye DunawayFaye DunawayFaye Dunaway is an American actress.Dunaway won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Network after receiving previous nominations for the critically acclaimed films Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown...
as Wanda Wilcox - Alice KrigeAlice KrigeAlice Maud Krige is a South African actress. Her first feature film role was as the Gilbert and Sullivan singer Sybil Gordon in the 1981 Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire...
as Tully Sorenson - Jack NanceJack NanceMarvin John Nance , known professionally as Jack Nance and occasionally credited as John Nance, was an American actor of stage and screen, primarily starring in offbeat or avant-garde productions...
as Detective - J.C. Quinn as Jim
- Frank StalloneFrank StalloneFrank P. Stallone, Jr. is an American actor, singer/guitarist and Golden Globe and Grammy Award-nominated songwriter. He has appeared in many Hollywood films and television. He is the younger brother of Sylvester Stallone.-Early life:...
as Eddie - Sandy MartinSandy MartinSandy Martin is an actress who has over 60 film credits and has been an actress, producer, director and writer in professional theater productions....
as Janice - Roberta Bassin as Lilly
- Gloria LeRoyGloria LeRoyGloria LeRoy is an American character actress best remembered for having played voluptuous Mildred "Boom-Boom" Turner in classic 1970s sitcom All in the Family, as well as Bobbi Jo Loomis, wife of army-airforce buddy "Duke" Loomis in the earlier All in the Family episode "The Threat"...
as Grandma Moses - Joe UngerJoe UngerJoseph 'Joe' Unger is an American actor who has starred in many films and on television. He is best known for his role in the 1984 horror hit film A Nightmare on Elm Street as Sgt...
as Ben - Harry Cohn as Rick
- Pruitt Taylor VincePruitt Taylor VincePruitt Taylor Vince is an American award-winning character actor who has made many appearances in film and television.-Personal life:Vince was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
as Joe - Fritz FeldFritz FeldFritz Feld was a film character actor actor who appeared in over 140 films, both silent and sound. His trademark was to slap his mouth with the palm of his hand to create a pop sound.-Biography:...
as Bum - Donald L. Norden as Man in Alley
Production
- There is a scene where the camera tilts up over Faye DunawayFaye DunawayFaye Dunaway is an American actress.Dunaway won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Network after receiving previous nominations for the critically acclaimed films Bonnie and Clyde and Chinatown...
's legs. This glamour shot was done at her insistence and was not in the original screenplay.
- Charles Bukowski later dramatized his experiences surrounding the film in the book Hollywood.
Trivia
Barfly is referenced in the 2009 movie PreciousPrecious (film)
Precious , is a 2009 American drama film directed by Lee Daniels. Precious is an adaptation by Geoffrey S. Fletcher of the 1996 novel Push by Sapphire. The film stars Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, and Paula Patton...
. When asked by the title character how she is doing that day, the secretary at the alternative school replies, "I went to see that movie Barfly last night....that piece of shit was depressing." (Note: Precious takes place in 1987, the year that Barfly came out in theatres)
Several Barfly quotes are referenced in the NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
song, "Green Corn" (including the title itself), from their 1991 album Ribbed
Ribbed
Ribbed is the third studio album by the American punk rock band NOFX. It was released on March 26, 1991 through Epitaph Records. It was their last album to feature Steve Kidwiller on guitar, who was replaced by El Hefe...
.
External links
- On Set article by Roger EbertRoger EbertRoger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
- Charles Bukowski's Barfly: The Dignity and Depravity of Emotion by Jay Dougherty