Wise Guys (film)
Encyclopedia
Wise Guys is a 1986
feature film directed by Brian De Palma
and starring Danny DeVito
and Joe Piscopo
. A comedy revolving around two small-time mobsters
from Newark, New Jersey
, it also features Harvey Keitel
, Lou Albano
, Dan Hedaya
, and Frank Vincent
.
Harry Valentini and his Jewish friend and next-door neighbor Moe Dickstein occupy the bottom rung of Newark Mafia
boss Anthony Castelo's gang. Making a living by doing Castelo's lowest jobs (such as looking after his goldfish,testing out bullet-proof jackets, or checking the boss's car for bombs) the two men dream of opening the world's first Jewish-Italian delicatessen
. However, they get little to no respect from their boss or his subordinates, who frequently ridicule them.
They accompany Frank "The Fixer" Acavano, one of Castelo's top men and a violent, heavyset psychopath, to Meadowlands Racetrack
to place a bet on Castelo's behalf. Valentini changes horses at the last minute because his boss usually bets on the wrong one. However, this time Castelo had fixed the race, meaning that Harry and Moe now owe their boss thousands. After a night of torture, both are forced to agree to kill each other.
Unaware that each has made a deal and frightened following the murder of Harry's cousin Marco, they steal Acavano's Cadillac
and travel to Atlantic City to see Harry's uncle Mike, a retired mobster who started Castelo in the crime business. After using Acavano's credit cards to pay for a luxury stay in a hotel owned by their old friend Bobby DiLea, the two go to Uncle Mike's house to ask for help. They find only Uncle Mike's ashes, leading to Moe leaving in disgust. Grandma Valentini, however, is able to give Harry the money he owes.
Harry tries to get DiLea to sort things out with Castelo. As he and Moe leave the hotel, their limo is being driven by Acavano, after DiLea appears to double-cross the two. Harry luckily spies Castelo's hitmen and decides to stay behind and gamble the money. After a chase through the hotel casino
, Moe catches up to Harry and accidentally shoots him. Harry is pronounced dead and Moe flees.
Back in Newark, Moe hides out of sight at Harry's funeral. He is spotted by the huge Acavano (who is eating a sandwich during the burial service) and Castelo resolves to kill Moe after the service. Moe returns to his house and prepares to hang himself. Before doing so, sees a vision of Harry at the foot of the stairs. He quickly realizes that it is actually Harry, who arranged the whole thing with DiLea. Moe is thrilled, although he is so shocked that he is almost hanged anyway until Harry intervenes.
Harry provides a skeleton for Moe and they write a suicide note before turning on the gas and setting fire to the curtains. As the two leave Moe's house, however, the door slams shut and puts the fire out. Castelo and his men enter to find a bizarre scene. Castelo takes out a cigarette
, prompting his stooges to routinely spark their lighter
s for him. Acavano asks "Who farted?", prompting Castelo to realize the house is filled with gas just before the house explodes, with the crew inside it.
Harry and Moe return to Atlantic City, where Moe bemoans the fact that they didn't keep the money. Harry informs him that he did save the money, but has invested it. Moe seems perturbed, but the film ends with their dream realized as the two stand in their Jewish-Italian delicatessen.
As of October 2010, the film has a 33% "rotten" rating on RottenTomatoes.com.
1986 in film
-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
feature film directed by Brian De Palma
Brian De Palma
Brian Russell De Palma is an American film director and writer. In a career spanning over 40 years, he is probably best known for his suspense and crime thriller films, including such box office successes as the horror film Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission:...
and starring Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
and Joe Piscopo
Joe Piscopo
Joseph Charles John "Joe" Piscopo is an American comedian and actor best known for his work on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:...
. A comedy revolving around two small-time mobsters
Mobsters
Mobsters is a 1991 crime-drama film detailing the creation of the The Commission. Set in New York City, taking place from 1917 to 1931, it is a semi-fictitious account of the rise of Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello, and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel.-Plot:This highly dramatized...
from Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, it also features Harvey Keitel
Harvey Keitel
Harvey Keitel is an American actor. Some of his most notable starring roles were in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets and Taxi Driver, Ridley Scott's The Duellists and Thelma and Louise, Ettore Scola's That Night in Varennes, Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, Jane Campion's The...
, Lou Albano
Lou Albano
Louis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995....
, Dan Hedaya
Dan Hedaya
Daniel G. “Dan” Hedaya is an American character actor. He often plays sleazy villains or uptight, wisecracking individuals; three of his best-known roles are as Italian Mafia boss Tony Costello in Wise Guys, a cuckolded husband in the Coen brothers' crime thriller Blood Simple, and the scheming...
, and Frank Vincent
Frank Vincent
Frank Vincent is an American actor, musician, author and entrepreneur. He is a favorite performer of director Martin Scorsese, having played important roles in three of Scorsese's most acclaimed films: Raging Bull , Goodfellas and Casino . He often plays a gangster and works both in features and...
.
Plot
Italian AmericanItalian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
Harry Valentini and his Jewish friend and next-door neighbor Moe Dickstein occupy the bottom rung of Newark Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
boss Anthony Castelo's gang. Making a living by doing Castelo's lowest jobs (such as looking after his goldfish,testing out bullet-proof jackets, or checking the boss's car for bombs) the two men dream of opening the world's first Jewish-Italian delicatessen
Delicatessen
Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods". The word entered English via German,with the old German spelling , plural of Delikatesse "delicacy", ultimately from Latin delicatus....
. However, they get little to no respect from their boss or his subordinates, who frequently ridicule them.
They accompany Frank "The Fixer" Acavano, one of Castelo's top men and a violent, heavyset psychopath, to Meadowlands Racetrack
Meadowlands Racetrack
The Meadowlands Racetrack is a horse racing track at the MetLife Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States.The track hosts both thoroughbred racing and harness racing...
to place a bet on Castelo's behalf. Valentini changes horses at the last minute because his boss usually bets on the wrong one. However, this time Castelo had fixed the race, meaning that Harry and Moe now owe their boss thousands. After a night of torture, both are forced to agree to kill each other.
Unaware that each has made a deal and frightened following the murder of Harry's cousin Marco, they steal Acavano's Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
and travel to Atlantic City to see Harry's uncle Mike, a retired mobster who started Castelo in the crime business. After using Acavano's credit cards to pay for a luxury stay in a hotel owned by their old friend Bobby DiLea, the two go to Uncle Mike's house to ask for help. They find only Uncle Mike's ashes, leading to Moe leaving in disgust. Grandma Valentini, however, is able to give Harry the money he owes.
Harry tries to get DiLea to sort things out with Castelo. As he and Moe leave the hotel, their limo is being driven by Acavano, after DiLea appears to double-cross the two. Harry luckily spies Castelo's hitmen and decides to stay behind and gamble the money. After a chase through the hotel casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
, Moe catches up to Harry and accidentally shoots him. Harry is pronounced dead and Moe flees.
Back in Newark, Moe hides out of sight at Harry's funeral. He is spotted by the huge Acavano (who is eating a sandwich during the burial service) and Castelo resolves to kill Moe after the service. Moe returns to his house and prepares to hang himself. Before doing so, sees a vision of Harry at the foot of the stairs. He quickly realizes that it is actually Harry, who arranged the whole thing with DiLea. Moe is thrilled, although he is so shocked that he is almost hanged anyway until Harry intervenes.
Harry provides a skeleton for Moe and they write a suicide note before turning on the gas and setting fire to the curtains. As the two leave Moe's house, however, the door slams shut and puts the fire out. Castelo and his men enter to find a bizarre scene. Castelo takes out a cigarette
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
, prompting his stooges to routinely spark their lighter
Lighter
A lighter is a portable device used to generate a flame. It consists of a metal or plastic container filled with a flammable fluid or pressurized liquid gas, a means of ignition, and some provision for extinguishing the flame.- History :...
s for him. Acavano asks "Who farted?", prompting Castelo to realize the house is filled with gas just before the house explodes, with the crew inside it.
Harry and Moe return to Atlantic City, where Moe bemoans the fact that they didn't keep the money. Harry informs him that he did save the money, but has invested it. Moe seems perturbed, but the film ends with their dream realized as the two stand in their Jewish-Italian delicatessen.
Reception
The film received a positive review in The New York Times, with Walter Goodman calling it amusing and fresh before concluding that "Everything works." Roger Ebert was similarly enthusiastic, writing "Wise Guys is an abundant movie, filled with ideas and gags and great characters. It never runs dry."As of October 2010, the film has a 33% "rotten" rating on RottenTomatoes.com.
Cast
- Danny DeVitoDanny DeVitoDaniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
as Harry Valentini - Joe PiscopoJoe PiscopoJoseph Charles John "Joe" Piscopo is an American comedian and actor best known for his work on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:...
as Moe Dickstein - Harvey KeitelHarvey KeitelHarvey Keitel is an American actor. Some of his most notable starring roles were in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets and Taxi Driver, Ridley Scott's The Duellists and Thelma and Louise, Ettore Scola's That Night in Varennes, Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, Jane Campion's The...
as Bobby DiLea - Ray SharkeyRay SharkeyRaymond "Ray" Sharkey, Jr. was an American actor best known for his role as Sonny Steelgrave in the television series Wiseguy.-Early life and career:...
as Marco - Dan HedayaDan HedayaDaniel G. “Dan” Hedaya is an American character actor. He often plays sleazy villains or uptight, wisecracking individuals; three of his best-known roles are as Italian Mafia boss Tony Costello in Wise Guys, a cuckolded husband in the Coen brothers' crime thriller Blood Simple, and the scheming...
as Anthony Castelo - Lou AlbanoLou AlbanoLouis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995....
as Frank Acavano - Julie BovassoJulie BovassoJulie Bovasso was an American actress of stage, screen and television. She was born in Brooklyn, New York to an Italian-American family.-Career:Bovasso appeared in many films, including Saturday Night Fever and...
as Lil Dickstein - Patti LuPonePatti LuPonePatti Ann LuPone is an American singer and actress, known for her Tony Award-winning performances as Eva Perón in the 1979 stage musical Evita and as Madame Rose in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy, and for her Olivier Award-winning performance as Fantine in the original London cast of Les...
as Wanda Valentini - Antonia ReyAntonia ReyAntonia Rey is a Cuban actress.Rey was born Antonia Francesch in Havana, Cuba, the daughter of Emilia , a nurse, and Antonio Francesch, a dentist. She married director Andres Castro in 1958....
as Aunt Sadie - Mimi Cecchini as Grandma Valentini
- Matthew KayeMatthew KayeMatthew Kaye is an American actor, wrestling commentator and semi-retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Matt Striker. He is signed to WWE, where he serves as the host of WWE NXT....
as Harry Valentini Jr. - Tony Munafo as Santo Ravallo
- Tony Rizzoli as Joey Siclione
- Frank VincentFrank VincentFrank Vincent is an American actor, musician, author and entrepreneur. He is a favorite performer of director Martin Scorsese, having played important roles in three of Scorsese's most acclaimed films: Raging Bull , Goodfellas and Casino . He often plays a gangster and works both in features and...
as Louie Fontucci - Rick Petrucelli as Al
- Anthony HollandAnthony HollandAnthony Holland is the Associate Professor of Music at Skidmore College, conductor of the Skidmore College Orchestra and Director of the electronic music program. He is well-known as a contemporary American composer and music technology professor. He has had several world premiere recordings of his...
as Karl - Marcelino Rivera as Bellhop
- Joseph Cipriano as Parking Valet
- Julius Cristinzio as Roulette Operator
- Dan ResinDan ResinDan Resin was an American actor.-Early life:Resin was born in South Bend, Indiana. He was three years old when his parents divorced. Resin met his future wife in the seventh grade. He graduated from Indiana University in 1954. While at Indiana University, Resin became a member of the Alpha Iota...
as Maitre D' - Alessandro Falcini as Priest
- Jill LarsonJill LarsonJill Larson is an American dramatic actress. She is most widely known for her portrayal of Opal Cortlandt on the popular daytime drama, All My Children, a role she has played for 22 years, garnering her 2 Emmy nominations...
as Mrs Fixer - Maria PitilloMaria PitilloMaria Pitillo is an American actress who has starred in several films; most notably as Audrey Timmonds in Godzilla—a role which garnered her a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress...
as Masseuse - Christine Poor as Masseuse
- Stephanie Quinn as Masseuse
- Cecilia I. Battaglini as Luggage Salesperson
- Frank D. Formica as Pit Boss
- Deborah Groen as Roulette Dealer
- Bradley Neilson as Clothing Salesman
- Maryellen Nugent as Jewellery Saleswoman
- Frank FerraraFrank FerraraFrank Ferrara, Jr. was an American football defensive end in the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Rhode Island....
as Thug - Gaetano Lisi as Hood
- Vince Pacimeo as Hood
- Henry StewartHenry StewartHenry Stewart was a professional footballer, who played for Huddersfield Town. He was born in Wigan.-References:*99 Years & Counting - Stats & Stories - Huddersfield Town History...
as Tailor - Carol CassCarol CassCarol Cass is a Canadian research scientist. She is internationally recognized as an expert on nucleosides, an important class of anti-cancer drugs...
as Birthday Guest - Mary Engel as Birthday Guest
- Bruce Katzman as Birthday Guest
- Dayna Lee as Birthday Guest
- LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
as Birthday Guest - Myles O'ConnorMyles O'ConnorMyles O'Connor is a retired ice hockey defenceman. O'Connor played in the National Hockey League for the New Jersey Devils and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and played 43 regular season games, scoring 3 goals and 4 assists for 7 points, collecting 69 penalty minutes...
as Birthday Guest - Don R. Richardson as Birthday Guest
- Johnny George Sarno as Birthday Guest
- Reuben Schafer as Birthday Guest
- Catherine ScorseseCatherine ScorseseCatherine Cappa Scorsese was an American actress, and also the mother of director Martin Scorsese.Born in New York City as Catherine Cappa of Italian descent, she began acting when her son Martin Scorsese cast her in his film It's Not Just You, Murray!...
as Birthday Guest - Charles ScorseseCharles ScorseseLuciano Charles Scorsese was an American film actor.Scorsese was born in New York City, the son of Teresa and Francesco Scorsese, Italian/Sicilian immigrants from Polizzi Generosa, a small town near Palermo. He married film actress Catherine Scorsese in 1933. He was the father of Academy Award...
as Birthday Guest - Gary Cookson as Race Track Bettor
- Kiya Ann Joyce as Race Track Bettor
- Willow Hale as Race Track Bettor
- Bob O'Connell as Race Track Bettor
- Joe Schmieg as Race Track Bettor
- Richardson Taylor as Race Track Bettor
- Larry Guardino as Race Track Bettor
- Kim Delgado as FBI Agent