BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES (1990)

MORGAN'S RATING

Financial Master of the Universe Sherman McCoy see his life unravel when his mistress Maria Ruskin hits a black boy with her car. When yellow journalist Peter Fallow enflames the public opinion with a series of distorted tabloid articles on the accident, the case is seized upon by opportunists like Reverend Bacon and mayoral candidate D.A. Abe Weiss.

Tom Hanks (Sherman McCoy), Bruce Willis (Peter Fallow), Melanie Griffith (Maria Ruskin), Kim Cattrall (Judy McCoy), Saul Rubinek (Jed Kramer), Morgan Freeman (Judge Leonard White), John Hancock (Reverend Bacon), Kevin Dunn (Tom Killian), Clifton James (Albert Fox), Louis Giambalvo (Ray Andruitti), Barton Heyman (Detective Martin), Norman Parker (Detective Goldberg), Donald Moffat (Mr. McCoy), Alan King (Arthur Ruskin), Beth Broderick (Caroline Heftshank), Kurt Fuller (Pollard Browning), Adam LeFevre (Rawlie Thorpe), Richard Libertini (Ed Rifkin), Rita Wilson (P.R. Woman), Kirsten Dunst (Campbell McCoy), Patrick Malone (Henry Lamb), F. Murray Abraham (D.A. Abe Weiss, uncredited), John Blyth Barrymore (Restaurant Manager, uncredited), Terry Farrell (Party Guest, uncredited), Geraldo Rivera (Robert Corso, uncredited).

AN OUTRAGEOUS STORY OF GREED, LUST AND VANITY IN AMERICA.

FACTS

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

RELEASE DATE: December 22nd, 1990 (USA) BOX OFFICE OPENING: $4.2 million (USA) BOX OFFICE RESULT: $15.6 million (USA) BUDGET: $47 million (USA) - The judge was to have been played by Alan Arkin and named Myron Kovitzky. Late in preproduction, mostly because of scheduling problems, Morgan Freeman replaced Arkin at a cost of over $2 million, and the character name became Leonard White. - F. Murray Abraham's contract for this movie stipulated that his name appear above the title in the advertising, or not at all. Since the producers already had Hanks, Willis, Griffith and Freeman above the title, Abraham chose not to be credited. - The making of this film was chronicled in Julie Salamon's best-selling book "The Devil's Candy." - Tom Killian is based upon Edward Hayes. - Actresses considered for the role eventually played by Melanie Griffith include Lena Olin, Lolita Davidovich, and Uma Thurman, (who tested for the part and actually came close to getting it.) - A sword fight between Sherman McCoy and Peter Fallow was shot for the end of the film, but was never used. - John Cleese was offered the role of Peter Farrow but turned it down (in the original novel, Fallow is English). - The opening time lapse photography shot was taken from the roof of the Chrysler Building in New York City. - Nominated for five 1991 Razzie Awards for Worst Actress, Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Picture.

DIRECTOR: Brian DePalma. WRITERS: Michael Cristofer and based on the novel by Tom Wolfe. PRODUCER: Brian DePalma. ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Monica Goldstein. CO-PRODUCER: Fred C. Caruso. EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Peter Guber and Jon Peters. ORIGINAL MUSIC: Dave Grusin. DISTRIBUTOR: Warner Bros.

QUOTES

Judge Leonard White: Racist? You dare call me a racist? Well I say unto you, what does it matter the color of a man's skin when witnesses perjure themselves and prosecutors enlist the perjury; when a district attorney throws a man to the mob for political gain and men of the cloth, men of God, take the prime cut? Is that justice? Let me tell you what justice is. Justice is the law. And the law is man's feeble attempt to lay down the principals of decency. Decency! And decency isn't a deal, it's not a contract or a hustle or an angle! Decency...decency is what your grandmother taught you. It's in your bones! You go home now. Go home and be decent people. Be decent!

Peter Fallow: Caroline, you devil. Caroline Heftshank: Peter, you pig!

CRITICAL COMMENTS

"Appalingly heavy-handed...with all the power--and nuance--what's left is a pointless charade, and a pitful waste of money and talent." -- Leonard Maltin