Bert Rigby, You're a Fool (1989)

Bert Rigby lives in the small dying town Langmore, where most people depend on badly doing mining corporation. While his fellows are on strike once again, he decides to try his luck in ... See full summary »

Director:

Carl Reiner

Writer:

Carl Reiner

Stars:

Robert Lindsay, Robbie Coltrane, Cathryn Bradshaw

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Lindsay	...	Bert Rigby
Robbie Coltrane	...	Sid Trample
Cathryn Bradshaw	...	Laurel Pennington
Jackie Gayle	...	I.I. Perlestein
Bruno Kirby	...	Kyle DeForest
Corbin Bernsen	...	Jim Shirley
Anne Bancroft	...	Meredith Perlestein
Carmen Du Sautoy	...	Tess Trample
Liz Smith	...	Mrs. Rigby
Lila Kaye	...	Mrs. Pennington
Diana Weston	...	Young Mrs. Rigby
Santos Morales	...	Jesus
Mike Grady	...	Mick O'Grady
Fanny Carby	...	Aunt Aggie
George Wallace	...	Bartender

Storyline

Bert Rigby lives in the small dying town Langmore, where most people depend on badly doing mining corporation. While his fellows are on strike once again, he decides to try his luck in show-biz meanwhile. His first appearance on stage goes all wrong - but the audience loves him anyways. So he starts as a comedian in a traveling amateur show for $50 a night. One day he gets an offer from an ad director from Hollywood and flies to America, expecting a great career... and again leaving behind his pregnant young wife.

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Plot Keywords:

showbiz | character name in title

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Taglines:

He's a singer! He's a dancer! He's a coal-miner! And when Hollywood called, it was the answer to his dreams. So why is everyone saying...

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 February 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bert Rigby - Na Trilha da Fama

Filming Locations:

Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lorimar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There is a scene on a bus where Bert is "receiving unwanted attention" from a woman. Unable to take it any more he stands up and shouts, "Are we at Ilkeston yet?" This is a reference to Robert Lindsay's home town in Derbyshire in the United Kingdom. The role of Bert Rigby was written for him, and the character's background mirrored his own. Originally he wanted a portion of the movie to be filmed in Ilkeston, but the producers thought Ilkeston no longer looked "industrial enough" to match the character's background. So the bus scene is the only bit of Ilkeston that made it to the final product.

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Connections

References Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

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Soundtracks

"Puttin On The Ritz"
Music and lyrics By Irving Berlin
Performed by Robert Lindsay

User Reviews

A Showcase for Robert Lindsay

For those of us who saw Robert Lindsay on Broadway in "Me and My Girl," his dazzling turn in this film is no surprise. The only surprise is the failure to see his career as a song and dance man take off as it should have. Without Lindsay or with someone of lesser talents, "Bert Rigby" would be a rather thin piece of work, mildly amusing, pleasant, and forgettable. However, every moment that Lindsay is on the screen, which is fortunately most of the time, the film is captivating and is a loving tribute to classic Hollywood musicals. The star's highlight is a tour-de-force mini reprise of the film "Singin' in the Rain" with seltzer bottle and umbrella for the title tune. Lindsay's dancing and physical comedy throughout are outstanding and make this a must-see for his fans and for those who want to see a major musical comedy talent that somehow slipped away.