The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971)

Director:

James Goldstone

Writers:

Jimmy Breslin (novel)
Waldo Salt (writer)

Release Date:

21 July 1972 (West Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Plot:

This is the funny story about two warring Mafia gangs in New York. The weaker gang use incredibly a lion to blackmail the opposite gang's "clients". The police succeeds to stop one of the gang, while the other remain without the Boss. |

Plot Keywords:

Mafia | Based On Novel

Cast

Jerry Orbach	...	Kid Sally
Leigh Taylor-Young	...	Angela
Jo Van Fleet	...	Big Momma
Lionel Stander	...	Baccala
Robert De Niro	...	Mario
Irving Selbst	...	Big Jelly
Hervé Villechaize	...	Beppo (as Herve Villechaize)
Joe Santos	...	Exmo
Carmine Caridi	...	Tony, the Indian
Frank Campanella	...	Water Buffalo
Harry Basch	...	DeLauria
Sander Vanocur	...	Television Commentator
Philip Bruns	...	Gallagher (as Phil Bruns)
Philip Sterling	...	District Attorney Goodman
Jack Kehoe	...	Bartender
Despo Diamantidou	...	Mourner (as Despo)
Sam Coppola	...	Julie (as Sam J. Coppola)
James Sloyan	...	Joey (as James J. Sloyan)
Paul Benedict	...	Shots O'Toole
Lou Criscuolo	...	Junior (as Louis Criscuolo)
George Loros	...	Jerry
Harry Davis	...	Dominic Laviano
Burt Young	...	Willie Quarequlo
Jackie Vernon	...	Herman
Ted Beniades	...	A Black Suit
Fat Thomas	...	A Black Suit (as Fat Thomas Rand)
Roy Shuman	...	The Mayor
Alice Hirson	...	The Mayor's Wife
Michael V. Gazzo	...	A Black Suit (as Michael Gazzo)
Robert Gerringer	...	Commissioner McGrady
Walter Flanagan	...	The Super
Dan Morgan	...	Muldoon
Dorothi Fox	...	Meter Maid
Robert Weil	...	Circus Supply Mgr.
Margo Winkler	...	Airline Clerk (as Margo Melson Winkler)
Leopold Badia	...	Old Waiter
Fran Stevens	...	Buccala's Wife
Florence Tarlow	...	Police Matron
Rita Karin	...	Mrs. Goldfarb
Tom Lacy	...	Religious Salesman
William H. Boesen	...	Jury Foreman
Gary Melkonian	...	Greek Racer
Gustave Johnson	...	Detective Jenkins
George Stefans	...	Greek Captain
Alisha Fontaine	...	Jelly's Girl
Lorrie Davis	...	Jelly's Other Girl
Frank Jourdano	...	TV Reporter
Elsa Raven	...	Mrs. Water Buffalo
Gloria LeRoy	...	Ida, the Waitress
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Burt Richards	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)

Directed by
James Goldstone

Writing credits
Jimmy Breslin		(novel "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight")
Waldo Salt		(writer)

Produced by
Robert Chartoff	....	producer
Irwin Winkler	....	producer

Original Music by
Dave Grusin

Cinematography by
Owen Roizman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Edward A. Biery

Art Direction by
Robert Gundlach

Set Decoration by
George DeTitta Sr.		(as George DiTitta)

Costume Design by
Joseph G. Aulisi		(as Joseph Garibaldi Aulisi)

Makeup Department
William A. Farley	....	hair stylist (as William Farley)
Robert Laden	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Hal Schaffel	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William C. Gerrity	....	assistant director (as William Gerrity)

Art Department
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	property master (as Joseph Caracciolo)
Sante Fiore	....	master scenic artist

Sound Department
Jack C. Jacobsen	....	sound (as Jack Jacobsen)
Harry W. Tetrick	....	sound
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Mahony	....	key grip
Morton Novak	....	gaffer

Music Department
William Saracino	....	music editor

Other crew
Kay Chapin	....	script supervisor (as Katherine Chapin)
Tom Miller	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• MGM-EMI (1972) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Other Companies

• Marion Dougherty Associates  casting

Also Known As:

The Gang That Couldn't Shoot (UK) (cable TV title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements including some violence, racial slurs, drug use and brief nudity.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:AA (original rating) | Norway:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (re-rating) (1996)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Herve Villechaize's voice is dubbed throughout this entire film, possibly by Paul Frees.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Sopranos: D-Girl (#2.7)" (2000)

A Comedy with a few laughs

Jerry Orbach does his best to act like an Italian-American from the streets, let alone, an Italian-American. At times, he is funny but not hilarious. The plot is made to be funny but fails along the way. The audience not only loses interest in laughing, but the characters as well. By the end of the movie, you hardly care who lives or dies and whether or not the movie ends. The title alone makes it hard for anyone to take this movie serious let alone enjoyable. For 1971, an unknown Robert De Niro is the highlight of the movie. The relationship between him and actress Leigh Taylor-Young becomes more of the story than the comical situation of trying to "bump off" the head of the local mob. Robert De Niro addition to the story is the only thing that keeps the movie watchable. Even for a spoof, this off beat, chuckles of a comedy lacks interest and any passion outside the side story of Young and De Niro.