Review from 2 September 2012:
In the terribly overlooked Bullets Over Broadway Jim Broadbent is an actor who eats and eats to overcome his nerves. The only collaboration of Woody and Douglas McGrath is a hugely entertaining mix of nicely staged 20s gangster film and a 'putting on a show' plot (the original play is amusingly awful), in which Dianne Wiest steals the film as an over-the-top actress. John Cusack, Jennifer Tilly, Chazz Palminteri, Marie-Louise Parker (didn't recognise her), Jack Warden as the agent (didn't recognise him either), Rob Reiner, Tracey Ullman, and in an odd foreshadowing of The Sopranos, Eddie Falco and Tony Sirico.
Nice to see the occasional bigger budget Woody, Carlo di Palma's luscious photography of Santo Loquasto's amazing sets, such as pivotal scene where Chazz tells John what's wrong with his play and the background darkens perceptibly.
Today:
Lighting is frequently astonishing; takes are long like Sturges - e.g. staging of scene in which Cusack confronts Chazz over Tilly's murder. Many funny lines, great finale where Cusack challenges wife over affair with Rob Reiner. Wiest wasn't at all sure she could play the role, went on to win second Oscar for Woody ("Say nothing"). Broadbent always fabulous.
The song that opens "Hot ginger and dynamite" and had us in stitches is indeed a real one, 'Nagasaki' by Harry Warren and Mort Dixon:
Hot ginger and dynamite
There's nothing but that at night
Back in Nagasaki where the fellas chew tobaccy
And the women wicky-wacky-woo.
I keep thinking I know all the best Woodys and then one like this comes along to remind me I don't.
It's even got a sassy Hattie McDaniel type (Annie Joe Edwards) - "I didn't get no horses derves because I don't know what they are and neither do you".
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