Billy Bathgate (1991)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Robert Benton

Writers (WGA):

E.L. Doctorow (book)
Tom Stoppard (screenplay)

Release Date:

1 November 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

A seductive look at a notorious gangster's dazzling and decadent empire about to crumble.

Plot:

In the 1935, fifteen year old street hustler Billy Bathgate becomes the protege of fledgling gangster Dutch Schultz and begins a love affair with a flighty moll.

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Box Office Flop | Nudity | Red Pubic Hair | Erotica

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Dustin Hoffman	...	Dutch Schultz
Nicole Kidman	...	Drew Preston
Loren Dean	...	Billy Bathgate
Bruce Willis	...	Bo Weinberg
Steven Hill	...	Otto Berman
Steve Buscemi	...	Irving
Billy Jaye	...	Mickey
John Costelloe	...	Lulu
Timothy Jerome	...	Dixie Davis (as Tim Jerome)
Stanley Tucci	...	Lucky Luciano
Mike Starr	...	Julie Martin
Robert F. Colesberry	...	Jack Kelly
Stephen Joyce	...	Mr. Hines
Frances Conroy	...	Mary Behan
Moira Kelly	...	Becky

MPAA:

Rated R for some gangster violence, and for language.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:18A (Ontario) | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Durham, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

To date, remains one of the most accurate recreations of the Chophouse Massacre that took the life of Arthur "Dutch Schultz" Fleggenheimer and several of his men.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Drew Preston is walking with Billy Bathgate and takes his hand, the close-up shows her hand is on the front. In the next shot, her hand behind his and facing to the rear.

Quotes:

Drew Preston: I'm not his girl, he's my gangster.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Attack of the Giant Leeches (#5.6)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

Who

This Movie Deserves More Discussion

It's kind of shocking to see less than 20 reviews (as of March, 2006) for a movie that stars Dustin Hoffman and Nicole Kidman and also has Bruce Willis and Loren Dean.

This story of gangster "Dutch" Schultz is told, like the beginning of Goodfellas, through the eyes of a young guy (Dean) who breaks into the business, so to speak. Probably in this case, he was more attracted to Kidman than the business, and who could blame him?

Dean was a complete no-name at the time and is a fine actor. Hoffman plays the crude Schultz and Kidman is his immoral wife. For some people, this film is remembered for quick full frontal nudity shots of Kidman. The most interesting person in the film, I thought, was Schultz' lawyer/confident Otto Berman, played by Steven Hill. Willis also helps make up a good cast, but his role is short.

For a gangster/action flick, there wasn't a lot of violence in here and I liked the period detail. It looks nice, especially on DVD. One downfall on some of these modern-day films: there isn't one morally upright character in the story and the filmmakers make Dean and Kidman into sympathetic figures. Overall, however, a good crime movie.