Paradise Alley (1978)

Three Italian-American brothers, living in the slums of 1940's New York, try to help each other with one's wrestling career using one brother's promotional skills and another brother's con-artist tactics to tho wart a sleazy manager.

Director:

Sylvester Stallone

Writer:

Sylvester Stallone

Stars:

Sylvester Stallone, Lee Canalito, Armand Assante

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sylvester Stallone	...	Cosmo Carboni
Lee Canalito	...	Victor Carboni
Armand Assante	...	Lenny Carboni
Frank McRae	...	Big Glory
Anne Archer	...	Annie
Kevin Conway	...	Stitch
Terry Funk	...	Frankie the Thumper
Joyce Ingalls	...	Bunchie
Joe Spinell	...	Burp
Aimée Eccles	...	Susan Chow
Tom Waits	...	Mumbles
Chick Casey	...	Doorman
James J. Casino	...	Paradise Bartender
Fredi O. Gordon	...	Paradise Alley Hooker
Lydia Goya	...	Bar Room Hooker #1

Storyline

It's 1946 in Hell's Kitchen in New York City. Cosmo Carboni, the eldest of the three Carboni brothers, is lamenting what he sees as them not living up to their potential. Big talking Cosmo hustles and panhandles for money. Brooding Lenny Carboni, an injured veteran whose sullen attitude stems from his time in the war, is an undertaker. And youngest Victor Carboni, the simple muscle-man who wouldn't hurt a fly unless he's annoyed, is an iceman. Victor looks to Lenny and his Chinese-American girlfriend Susan Chow as his voices of reason. After Victor holds his own against wrestler Frankie the Thumper in an arm wrestling match, Frankie who is seen as the strongest man in the neighborhood, and after seeing the lucrative wrestling matches - which are more like street fights without rules - at the underground nightclub called Paradise Alley, Cosmo gets it into his head that wrestling may be Victor's calling and a way for them all to get out of Hell's Kitchen for good. The brothers would act...

---

Plot Keywords:

wrestling | new york | italian american | iceman | con artist | 

---

Taglines:

Three brothers... One had the brains, one had the muscle and one had the suit. Together they had a million dollar dream.

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 September 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hell's Kitchen

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Image Ten

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie featured a number of appearances by professional wrestlers with most as cameos. They including Ted DiBiase, Uliuli Fifita, Dory Funk Jr., Terry Funk, Don Leo Jonathan, Don Kernodle, Gene Kiniski, Dick Murdoch, Bob Roop, Dennis Stamp, and Ray Stevens.

---

Goofs

When Cosmo talks with Annie for the first time on the street, a 1970s station wagon passes by in the background.

---

Quotes

Cosmo Carboni: Everybody needs something. And I think what YOU need is a whole lotta ME, wrapped around you on a cold winter night.

---

Crazy Credits

Opening credits use the 1940s Universal logo.

---

Connections

Referenced in Just Your Luck (1996)

---

Soundtracks

"TOO CLOSE TO PARADISE"
Lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, Bruce Roberts
Music by Bill Conti
Performed by Sylvester Stallone

User Reviews

if this were released today, it would be a huge hit

... and maybe pick up an award or two. This movie is very well-done on every level, and LOT of fun to watch. Stallone's characterization of a lazy goofball who wants everybody else to bust their butts to make his dreams come true for him is just brilliant, possibly his very best performance. Actually, there's not a single bad performance in this whole movie and that's saying a lot, considering that some of the major roles were filled by guys who were professional boxers or wrestlers. In addition, the sets/costumes/lighting give a very good sense of place and time -- only the hairdos on the female leads tip you off that this was made in the late '70s.