Tin Men (1987)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Barry Levinson

Writer:

Barry Levinson (written by)

Release Date:

6 March 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The Year - 1963. Selling the American Dream is a risky, funny business - you could wind up paying with your wife!

Plot:

A minor car accident drives two rival aluminum-siding salesmen to the ridiculous extremes of man versus man in 1963 Baltimore.

Plot Keywords:

1960s | Car Accident | Competing Businesses | Volkswagen Beetle | Seduction

Cast

Richard Dreyfuss	...	Bill 'BB' Babowsky
Danny DeVito	...	Ernest Tilley
Barbara Hershey	...	Nora Tilley
John Mahoney	...	Moe Adams
Jackie Gayle	...	Sam
Stanley Brock	...	Gil
Seymour Cassel	...	Cheese
Bruno Kirby	...	Mouse
J.T. Walsh	...	Wing
Richard Portnow	...	Carly
Matt Craven	...	Looney
Alan Blumenfeld	...	Stanley
Brad Sullivan	...	Masters
Michael Tucker	...	Bagel
Deirdre O'Connell	...	Nellie

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Bandai Films

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Barry Levinson]Ralph Tabakin (Mr. Hudson) has appeared in every Levinson picture from Diner (1982) to Liberty Heights (1999).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In this Baltimore-based story, during a scene in the bar, there is a Busch promotional light on the wall. The movie is set in the 1960s, but Busch beer was not licensed for sale in Maryland until the late 1970s.

Quotes:

Sam: You know when I saw 'Bonanza' the other day, something occurred to me.
Ernest Tilley: Eh?
Sam: Ya got these four guys living on the Ponderosa and ya never hear them say anything about wanting to get laid.
Ernest Tilley: Huh.
Sam: I mean ya never hear Hoss say to Little Joe, "I had such a hard-on when I woke up this morning."
Ernest Tilley: No, no, no...
Sam: They don't talk about broads - nothing. Ya never hear Little Joe say, "Hey, Hoss, I went to Virginia City and I saw a girl with the greatest ass I've ever seen in my life." They just walk around the Ponderosa: "Yes, Pa, where's Little Joe?" Nothin' about broads...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Screenwipe: (#2.1)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

The Girl From Ipanema

One of My Favorites

Tin Men is one of my favorite movies of all time. The thing that always strikes me whenever I watch this movie is that while the characters of Richard Dreyfuss and Danny DeVito are seemingly feuding non-stop throughout the movie, in reality they are actually kindred spirits. It's like they see themselves in the other but don't really like what they see. Barbara Hershey is great as the haggard housewife who looks for something more fulfilling in her life. All the supporting cast is excellent. I love the diner dialog which is reminiscent of Barry Levinson's previous film "Diner." The background scenes of Baltimore landscape add to the realistic atmosphere of the movie. Overall, I think this movie is vastly underrated. I'd love to see a sequel with Dreyfuss and DeVito as partners in a VW dealership.