The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

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 | Punctuation In Title | 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) (1971) (USA) (theatrical)

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:

While Paramount brass dithered over whether to cast him as Michael Corleone, the role that would make him a star, a frustrated Al Pacino signed up for the role of Mario Trantino in this movie. When Paramount decided to offer him the role, they had to buy him out of his contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Ironically, the role went to Robert DeNiro, whom "The Godfather Part II" would make a star.

Movie Connections:

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

Robert De Niro makes this movie!

And by makes, I mean makes it good. Not only was he drop dead gorgeous but also hilariously funny and believable. The film was on at 1am here in Britain but I watched the whole thing simply because of De Niro's performance as Mario.

As a film, The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight was slightly odd, made in the style of a much earlier comedy farce. It was however quite funny and the much-repeated joke with the lion was a joke you rolled your eyes at, but couldn't help smiling about.

All in all, a film that doesn't go much above average. But the bouyant and very funny De Niro lifted the film an awful lot. Who would've thought that 5 years later he'd be playing Travis Bickle, the most contreversial character in American cinema.

I rate this film 7 out of 10 for good light-hearted entertainment.