Bugsy (1991)

Director:

Barry Levinson

Writers (WGA):

Dean Jennings (book) (research source)
James Toback (written by)

Release Date:

20 December 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Glamour Was The Disguise.

Plot:

The story of how Bugsy Siegel started Las Vegas.

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Las Vegas Nevada | Birthday Party | Film In Film | Jealousy

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Warren Beatty	...	Bugsy Siegel
Annette Bening	...	Virginia Hill
Harvey Keitel	...	Mickey Cohen
Ben Kingsley	...	Meyer Lansky
Elliott Gould	...	Harry Greenberg
Joe Mantegna	...	George
Richard C. Sarafian	...	Jack Dragna (as Richard Sarafian)
Bebe Neuwirth	...	Countess di Frasso
Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi	...	Count di Frasso
Wendy Phillips	...	Esta Siegel
Stefanie Mason	...	Millicent Siegel
Kimberly McCullough	...	Barbara Siegel
Andy Romano	...	Del Webb
Robert Beltran	...	Alejandro
Bill Graham	...	Charlie Luciano
Lewis Van Bergen	...	Joey Adonis
Joseph Roman	...	Moe Sedway
James Toback	...	Gus Greenbaum
Don Carrara	...	Vito Genovese
Carmine Caridi	...	Frank Costello
Don Calfa	...	Louie Dragna
Robert Glaudini	...	Dominic
Bryan Smith	...	Chick Hill
Ray McKinnon	...	David Hinton
Eric Christmas	...	Ronald the Butler
Joe Baker	...	Lawrence Tibbett
John C. Moskoff	...	Sulka's Salesman
Ralph Tabakin	...	Elevator Operator
Debrah Farentino	...	Girl in Elevator
Anthony Russell	...	Jerry the Bookie
Wendie Malick	...	Woman on Train
DeVera Marcus	...	Fan at Train Station
Ksenia Prohaska	...	Marlene Dietrich
Peter Giuliano	...	'Manpower' Assistant Director
Austin Kelly	...	Manpower' Maitre D'
Michael Kenner	...	'Manpower' Clapper Boy
Bruce Ed Morrow	...	D.A. Atty. McWilde (as Bruce E. Morrow)
Clive Rosengren	...	Deputy D.A. Hartman
Gary McGurk	...	Tony the Waiter
Gerard Joseph McKenna	...	Ciro's Photographer
Paul Roache	...	Taxi Driver
Tommy Townsend	...	Federal Marshal
Steven Maines	...	Federal Marshal (as Steven D. Maines)
Traci Lind	...	Natalie St. Clair
David H. Hebble	...	Cadillac Driver
Michael Sollenberger	...	Bond Rally Speaker
Jamie Angell	...	Courthouse Guard
Julie Christensen	...	Ciro's Singer
Susan Rumor	...	Ciro's Singer
Lloyd Baskin	...	Ciro's Singer
Hal Melia	...	Ciro's Singer
Fred Lehto	...	Ciro's Singer
Kal David	...	Ciro's Singer
Albina Bocchicchio	...	Ciro's Singer
Cathleen Crone	...	Ciro's Singer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Beecher	...	'Manpower' Director (uncredited)
Kathy Brolly	...	Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Anne Gaybis	...	Mambo Dancer (uncredited)
Joel Rogers	...	Irish Mobster Gambler (uncredited)
Karen Russell	...	Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Barry Levinson

Writing credits (WGA)
Dean Jennings		(book "We Only Kill Each Other: The Life and Bad Times of Bugsy Siegel") (research source)
James Toback		(written by)

Produced by
Warren Beatty	....	producer
Mark Johnson	....	producer
Barry Levinson	....	producer
Charles Newirth	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Allen Daviau		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Christopher Holmes		(extended version)
Stu Linder

Casting by
Ellen Chenoweth

Production Design by
Dennis Gassner

Art Direction by
Leslie McDonald

Set Decoration by
Nancy Haigh

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
Rob Bottin	....	special makeup effects artist
Hallie D'Amore	....	key makeup artist
Kathryn Fenton	....	makeup artist (as Kathryn Miles Kelly)
Lynda Gurasich	....	special hair stylist
J. Roy Helland	....	key hair stylist
Shawn McKay	....	hair stylist
Cheri Minns	....	makeup artist: Warren Beatty
Matthew W. Mungle	....	makeup artist
Vincent Prentice	....	special makeup effects artist
Charles Blackman	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Allegra Clegg	....	post-production supervisor
Charles Newirth	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
George Bamber	....	second second assistant director
Kate Davey	....	second second assistant director
Peter Giuliano	....	first assistant director
Gabriela Vázquez	....	second assistant director (as Gabriela Vazquez)

Art Department
Steve Arnold	....	assistant art director
Paige Augustine	....	set dresser
Craig B. Ayers Sr.	....	greensman
Thomas E. Brown	....	paint supervisor (as Thomas Brown)
Linda Cathey	....	swing gang
Michael Crowley	....	general foreman (as Michael Alan Crowley)
Robert E. Denne	....	stand-by painter (as Bob Denne)
Charles Faithorn	....	swing gang
Robert Fechtman	....	assistant art director
Justin Garcia	....	general foreman
Claire Gaul	....	set dresser
Robert Greenfield	....	leadman
Joe Griffith	....	production illustrator (as Joseph F. Griffith Jr.)
Rainer G. Gruetzmacher	....	general foreman
William G. Hall	....	general foreman
Lawrence A. Hubbs	....	set designer
Douglas Keith	....	general foreman
Martin Kohn	....	art department coordinator
Jim Landis	....	set dresser
Leslie 'Tinker' Linville	....	set dresser (as Tinker Linville)
Guy A. MacLaury	....	construction coordinator
Jerry Moss	....	property master
Deborah Newman	....	property assistant
Grant Osborn	....	paint foreman
James Passanante	....	paint foreman
Ken Peterson	....	assistant property master
Phil Read	....	construction coordinator
Paul M. Rohrbaugh III	....	paint foreman
Gerald Scaife	....	set estimator
Scott Schneider	....	model maker
Chris L. Spellman	....	swing gang (as Chris Spellman)
Mike Brooks	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Gina B. Cranham	....	set designer (uncredited)
Roger L. King	....	property maker (uncredited)
Greg Sanger	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Tim Worman	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
C.J. Appel	....	adr editor
Richard Beggs	....	sound designer
Richard Beggs	....	sound re-recording mixer
Laurie Bernard	....	assistant sound designer
Gloria S. Borders	....	supervising sound editor
Christopher Boyes	....	foley recordist
Willie D. Burton	....	sound mixer
Robert Deschaine	....	adr mixer (as Bob Deschaine)
Noreen Farrell	....	assistant sound editor
Stacey A. Foiles	....	dialogue editor (as Stacey Foiles)
Clare C. Freeman	....	foley editor
Scott Guitteau	....	assistant sound editor
Robert W. Harris	....	cable person
Tim Holland	....	sound effects editor
David Jobe	....	adr recordist
Tom Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hael Kobayashi	....	assistant sound editor
Marvin E. Lewis	....	boom operator
Robert Marty	....	assistant sound editor (as Bob Marty)
Marnie Moore	....	foley artist
Philip Olbrantz	....	assistant sound editor (as Phil Olbrantz)
Franco Patrignani	....	sound engineer: Forum Studio Rome
Claire Sanfilippo	....	assistant sound editor
Paige Sartorius	....	dialogue editor
Robert Shoup	....	sound effects editor (as Bob Shoup)
Dianna Stirpe	....	assistant sound editor
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist
Pam Uzzell	....	assistant sound editor
Ethan Van der Ryn	....	foley editor
Fabio Venturi	....	assistant sound engineer: Forum Studio Rome
Marian Wilde	....	supervising foley editor
John Rotondi	....	sound engineer: Y4 (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Henry Alvarez	....	production crew: Rob Bottin
Roland Blancaflor	....	special effects technician: Rob Bottin Productions
James Clark	....	production crew: Rob Bottin
Fernando Favila	....	production crew: Rob Bottin
Marvin Gardner	....	special effects
William D. Harrison	....	special effects foreman (as William Harrison)
Art Pimentel	....	production crew: Rob Bottin
Clay Pinney	....	special effects supervisor
Russell Shinkle	....	production crew: Rob Bottin (as Russ Shinkle)
Loren Soman	....	production crew: Rob Bottin
John S. Baker	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Bill Bennett	....	miniatures photographer (uncredited)
John Cassel	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Joshua Pinney	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Tom Griep	....	miniature effects model maker
Ian Hunter	....	miniature effects chief model maker
James D. McGeachy	....	miniature effects model maker (as James McGeachy)
Laurel Schneider	....	miniature effects production coordinator
Scott Schneider	....	miniature effects model maker
Robert Spurlock	....	miniature effects: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
Mark Stetson	....	miniature effects: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
Mark Sullivan	....	matte painter
Thomas Valentine	....	miniature effects designer (as Tom Valentine)
Jim Danforth	....	matte artist (uncredited)
Ted Rae	....	matte plate photography (uncredited)

Stunts
William H. Burton	....	stunt coordinator (as Billy Burton)
William H. Burton	....	stunts (as Billy Burton)
Tom Lupo	....	stunts (as Thomas L. Lupo)
Dennis Scott	....	stunts (as Dennis R. Scott)
Mike Watson	....	stunts (as Michael Watson)

Camera and Electrical Department
Kevin Arnold	....	electrician (as Kevin S. Arnold)
Paul C. Babin	....	camera operator
Tom Bookout	....	best boy grip (as Thomas Bookout)
Joseph Cosko Jr.	....	second assistant camera
Elise Couvillion	....	film loader
Michael S. Endler	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Eric Engler	....	camera operator
Richard Jefferies	....	electrician
David Katz	....	video playback operator
Michael Kenner	....	key grip
Kim Kono	....	electrician (as Kim K. Kono)
William R. Mayberry	....	electrical best boy
John Morris	....	grip (as John P. Morris)
Reggie Newkirk	....	first assistant camera
Bruton Peterson	....	electrician
Russell Reilly	....	grip (as Russell J. Reilly)
Jim Shelton	....	dolly grip (as James R. Shelton)
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer
Bob Stradling	....	first assistant camera (as Robert Stradling)
Larry Wallace	....	chief lighting technician
Ted Chu	....	Steadicam assistant (uncredited)
Thomas Enright	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Christopher J. Lama	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Juel Bestrop	....	casting associate
Carol Larkin	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
James 'Mike' Balker	....	costumer: men (as Mike Balker)
Norman A. Burza	....	costumer: men (as Norman Arthur Burza)
Dennis Fill	....	costumer: men (as Dennis M. Fill)
Cynthia L. Hamilton	....	assistant costume designer (as Cynthia Hamilton)
Christopher Lawrence	....	costumer: women
George L. Little	....	costume supervisor: men
Jennifer Morrison	....	costumer: women
Carlane Passman	....	costume supervisor: women
Deborah Squires	....	costumer: women
Don Vargas	....	special costumer
Larry Velasco	....	costumer: men (as Lawrence Velasco)
Marsha Bozeman	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Danna Edwards	....	costumer (uncredited)
Heather Pollock	....	set costumer: second unit (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Blair Daily	....	assistant film editor
Mark Daily	....	editorial assistant
Phil Downey	....	color timer
James Flamberg	....	additional editor

Music Department
Enrico DeMelis	....	general music coordinator: Forum Studio, Rome (as Enrico De Melis)
James Flamberg	....	executive music producer
Rosario Giuliani	....	musician: alto sax
Allan Mason	....	music supervisor
Ennio Morricone	....	conductor
Ennio Morricone	....	orchestrator
Francesco Santucci	....	musician: flugelhorn
Paolo Zampini	....	musician: flute

Transportation Department
Randy Cantor	....	transportation captain
Dan Marrow	....	transportation captain (as Daniel C. Marrow)
Joel Marrow	....	transportation coordinator
Joseph Sullivan	....	driver
James E. Vargas	....	picture cars

Other crew
Allegra Clegg	....	production coordinator
Michael Davison	....	special assistant
Sara Dee	....	assistant: Mr. Johnson (as Sara Beth Dee)
Jennifer Erskine	....	assistant: Mr. Levinson
Kelley Finn	....	production secretary
Cindy Franke	....	assistant production coordinator
Jodi Fuchs	....	production assistant
Jay Gianukos	....	production assistant
Robbie Goldstein	....	location manager (as Robert Goldstein)
Michael R. Gurasich	....	production assistant
Larry Hand	....	production accountant
Christine Hebble	....	production assistant
Kelly Householder	....	production assistant
Rande Laiderman	....	special caterer
Carolyn Mock	....	assistant accountant
Gary Moglovkin	....	assistant accountant
Aimee Morris	....	production assistant (as Aimee A. Morris)
Amanda Nelligan	....	assistant: Mr. Johnson
Amy Ness	....	location manager
Jane Payne	....	special assistant
Julie Pitkanen	....	script supervisor
Willie Radcliff	....	craft service (as Willie L. Radcliff)
Dennon Rawles	....	choreographer
Sayhber Rawles	....	choreographer
Elena Santaballa	....	production assistant
Beth Siegel	....	production assistant
Robin Skelton	....	continuity assistant
Russ Tanaka	....	first aid
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Lisa A. Corbin	....	location construction accountant (uncredited)
Christopher Landry	....	extras coordinator (uncredited)
Richard S. Lederer	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jon Sperry	....	dialect coach: Harvey Keitel (uncredited)
Kayla Thames	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)

Thanks
Leroy R. Perry Jr.	....	special thanks (as Dr. Leroy Perry Jr.)

Production Companies

• TriStar Pictures (presents)
• Mulholland Productions
• Baltimore Pictures

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1992) (France) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1992) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (Argentina)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (Spain)
• Columbia TriStar (1999) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (1999) (Finland) (DVD)
• Falcon (Czech Republic)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1994) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1992) (Finland) (video)
• Oy Nordisk Film (1995) (Finland) (video)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2006) (Finland) (DVD) (extended version)

Special Effects

• Rob Bottin Productions
• Stetson Visual Services Inc.

Other Companies

• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services
• Andrea Jaffe  publicity
• Peggy Siegal Company  publicity (as The Peggy Siegal Company)
• The Casting Group  additional casting
• Tony's Food Service  catering
• Buena Vista Negative Cutting  negative cutting
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals (as Cinema Research Corporation)
• The International Sports Medicine Institute  special thanks: to Dr. Leroy Perry, Jr.
• MCA/Universal Pictures  courtesy of: "Scarface" footage (as MCA/Universal)
• Epic Soundtrax  soundtrack
• Unione Musicisti di Roma  orchestra
• Forum Studio  music recorded at (as Forum Studio-Rome)
• The Culver Studios  filmed in part at
• Technicolor  color by
• Panavision  lenses and Panaflex® Camera by
• Unique Movie Cars  picture cars (uncredited)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and sensuality.

Runtime:

136 min | USA:149 min (extended edition)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (1992) | Finland:K-18 (2006) (extended version) (self applied) | UK:15 (DVD rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Germany:16 (w) | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

810 Linden Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

TriStar Pictures

Trivia:

Harvey Keitel, who plays Mickey Cohen in this film, portrayed Siegel in the 1974 TV movie The Virginia Hill Story (1974) (TV).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the shrimp dinner at which Virginia throws the ashtray at him, Bugsy is reading a newspaper with a headline about Allied troops crossing the Rhine. Rhine was crossed in 1945, long after Mussolini was already deposed (July 1943), yet Bugsy continues to advance his plot to assassinate Mussolini.

Quotes:

Cab Driver: That's Bugsy Siegel's house.
Harry Greenberg: He doesn't like that name.
Cab Driver: Everybody calls him that.
Harry Greenberg: Not to his face, they don't.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Animaniacs: Video Review/When Mice Ruled the Earth (#1.47)" (????)

Soundtrack:

FOOLS RUSH IN (WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD)

It's a good movie but a bit too clean and friendly as well.

Well this movie just ain't no "Goodfellas", even though it was definitely inspired by it. It's a pretty good movie on its own right but it just remains a bit too much on the safe and clean side to really regard this as a true great and effective gangster-movie.

For a gangster movie it's just a too friendly one. This is like the light version of "Goodfellas". Supposedly Bugsy Siegel was a big gangster boss with connections but when watching this movie it makes you wonder why and how all. Guess they were just too afraid we would begin to dislike the character once we saw him do a lot of brutal things and killing- and giving orders to kill lots of people, even though this all of course was more closer to the truth as the character that is being portrayed in this movie. This not just goes for the main character but also does around him. It especially also goes for Virginia Hill. Guess director Barry Levinson just wasn't the right guy for a movie such as this. So as a biopic of the real life gangster Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel this just isn't a really good or insightful movie.

The movie still became an acclaimed success though, mainly because gangster movies were popular at that time, which also explains why the movie received no less than 10 Oscar nominations and taking home 2 of them. It was made at the same time as movies such as "The Godfather: Part III" and "Goodfellas" got released.

As a movie itself there isn't really much wrong with it. It's a good movie that follows a person that is following his dreams. Bugsy definitely seemed like a complicated and unpredictable character. He had some strange big ideas and really didn't knew how to handle money. It's a good movie and story on its own but as I said before, as a biopic or gangster movie it can't be really seen as a great one. The movie basically suffers from the same problems as "The Aviator"; it's too much in love with its main character and forgets to show the ugly but realistic things about his life.

Also seemed to me that Warren Beatty also didn't really knew how to handle the character. At times he's portraying him as a tough gangster, while at other moments it picks an even sort of like comical approach. Otherwise he plays well in the movie, just because he's such a darn fine actor, who has always starred in far to few pictures. His last movie already dates back again to 2001.

This is also known as the movie in which Warren Beatty and Annette Bening met and they got married 1 year later.

Besides Bening and Beatty the movie also stars acclaimed stars such as Harvey Keitel, Ben Kingsley and Elliott Gould, in variating sizes of roles. It's of course never a punishment to watch any of these actors in any movies.

It's a good movie, as long as you're not expecting a "Goodfellas" type of gangster-flick, even though it features basically the same style and narrative way of storytelling.

7/10