The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writers (WGA):

Michael Cristofer (screenplay)
Tom Wolfe (novel)

Release Date:

21 December 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Take one Wall Street tycoon, his Fifth Avenue mistress, a reporter hungry for fame, and make the wrong turn in The Bronx...then sit back and watch the sparks fly.

Plot:

Financial "Master of the Universe" Sherman McCoy sees his life unravel when his mistress Maria Ruskin hits a black boy with his car...

Plot Keywords:

Tabloid | Journalist | Mistress | Accident | Elevator

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

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	...	Det. Martin
Norman Parker	...	Det. 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
Andre Gregory	...	Aubrey Buffing
Mary Alice	...	Annie Lamb
Robert Stephens	...	Sir Gerald Moore
Marjorie Monaghan	...	Evelyn Moore
Rita Wilson	...	P.R. Woman
Kirsten Dunst	...	Campbell McCoy
Troy Winbush	...	Roland Auburn
Patrick Malone	...	Henry Lamb
Emmanuel Xuereb	...	Filippo Chirazzi
Scotty Bloch	...	Sally Rawthrote
Hansford Rowe	...	Leon Bavardage
Elizabeth Owens	...	Inez Bavardage
Malachy McCourt	...	Tony - Doorman
John Eric Bentley	...	Bill - Doorman (as John Bentley)
William Clark	...	Eddie - Doorman
Jeff Brooks	...	Bondsman
Brennan McKay	...	Bondsman (as T.J. Coan)
Don McManus	...	Bondsman
James Lally	...	Bondsman
Marcia Mitzman Gaven	...	Bondsman
William Woodson	...	Gene Lopwitz (voice)
Nelson Vasquez	...	Pimp
Fanni Green	...	Prostitute
Roy Milton Davis	...	Latino
Shiek Mahmud-Bey	...	Lockwood
Stewart J. Zully	...	Court Clerk
Helen Stenborg	...	Mrs. McCoy
Timothy Jenkins	...	Billy Cortez
Sam Jenkins	...	Fox's Assistant
Vito D'Ambrosio	...	Intercom Man
Paul Bates	...	Buck
Camryn Manheim	...	Poe Picketer
J.D. Wyatt	...	Poe Picketer
Eyde Byrde	...	Poe Picketer
David Lipman	...	Poe Picketer
George Merritt	...	Poe Picketer
Kirk Taylor	...	Aide
O. LaRon Clark	...	Cecil Hayden
Louis P. Lebherz	...	The Commandatori
Walker Joyce	...	Bobby Shalfet / 'Don Giovanni'
Anatoli Davydov	...	Boris Karlevskov
Nancy McDonald	...	Media Jackal
Ray Iannicelli	...	Media Jackals
Daniel Hagen	...	Media Jackals
Kimberleigh Aarn	...	Media Jackal
Walter Flanagan	...	Media Jackals
Mike Hodge	...	Media Jackals
Ernestine Jackson	...	Media Jackal
Nicholas Levitin	...	Media Jackals
Novella Nelson	...	Media Jackal
Noble Lee Lester	...	Media Jackals
Adina Winston	...	Female Guest
Richard Belzer	...	Television Producer
Cynthia Mason	...	Maid
Ermal Williamson	...	Butler
W.M. Hunt	...	Nunnally Voyd
Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi	...	Maitre D'
Jon Rashad Kamal	...	French Waiter
Channing Chase	...	Shocked Woman
Hal England	...	French Restaurant Patrons
Joy Claussen	...	French Restaurant Patrons
John Fink	...	French Restaurant Patrons
Judith Burke	...	French Restaurant Patrons
Barry Michlin	...	Funeral Director
Connie Sawyer	...	Ruskin Family Member
Johnny Crear	...	Manny Leerman
Sherri Paysinger	...	Anchorwoman
Staci Francis	...	Gospel Singers
Barbara Gooding	...	Gospel Singers
Kathleen Murphy Palmer	...	Gospel Singers
Lorraine Moore	...	Gospel Singers
Doris Leggett	...	Gospel Singers
Kathryn Danielle	...	P.R. Assistant
Oliver Dixon	...	Diplomat
Jennifer Bassey	...	Diplomat's Wife
Katrina Braque	...	Diplomat's Daughter
Richard Gilbert-Hill	...	Weiss' Aide
Marie Chambers	...	Weiss' Aide
Virginia Morris	...	Weiss' Aide
Barry Neikrug	...	Weiss' Aide
George Plimpton	...	Well Wisher
Susan Forristal	...	Well Wisher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
F. Murray Abraham	...	D.A. Abe Weiss (uncredited)
John Blyth Barrymore	...	Restaurant Manager (uncredited)
Debbie Lee Carrington	...	Crying midget (uncredited)
Sarah Essex	...	(uncredited)
Terry Farrell	...	Party Guest Listening to Aubrey Buffing (uncredited)
Gary Jones	...	Waiter in Elevator (uncredited)
Sharmagne Leland-St. John	...	Woman in Restaurant (uncredited)
Michael Merton	...	DMV Informant (uncredited)
Jack Mulcahy	...	Newspaper Reporter (uncredited)
Denise Nelan	...	Attorney (uncredited)
Kariim Ratcliff	...	Court Demonstrator (uncredited)
John Reidy	...	Broker (uncredited)
Geraldo Rivera	...	Robert Corso (uncredited)
Joey Sontz	...	Courtroom Extra (uncredited)
Daisy Alexandra Sylbert-Torres	...	Ruskin Family Member (uncredited)
Curt Truman	...	Head Waiter (uncredited)

Directed by
Brian De Palma		(as Brian DePalma)

Writing credits (WGA)
Michael Cristofer		(screenplay)
Tom Wolfe		(novel)

Produced by
Fred C. Caruso	....	co-producer (as Fred Caruso)
Brian De Palma	....	producer (as Brian DePalma)
Monica Goldstein	....	associate producer
Peter Guber	....	executive producer
Jon Peters	....	executive producer
Christopher Francis Woods	....	producer: title sequence, R/Greenberg Associates (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dave Grusin

Cinematography by
Vilmos Zsigmond

Film Editing by
Beth Jochem Besterveld
Bill Pankow
David Ray

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Richard Sylbert

Art Direction by
Gregory Bolton		(as Greg Bolton)
Peter Landsdown Smith

Set Decoration by
Joe D. Mitchell
Justin Scoppa Jr.		(as Justin Scoppa)

Costume Design by
Ann Roth

Makeup Department
Kathryn Blondell	....	hair stylist (as Kathy Blondell)
Thomas R. Burman	....	special makeup effects
Bari Dreiband-Burman	....	special makeup effects
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup artist: Bruce Willis (as Scott Eddo)
Leonard Engelman	....	makeup artist
Coree Lear	....	makeup artist
Josée Normand	....	hair stylist: Bruce Willis
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup artist (as Dan Striepeke)
Kelvin R. Trahan	....	hair stylist (as Kelvin Trahan)

Production Management
Robert J. Anderson	....	unit production manager
Peter A. Runfolo	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Algric Leo Chaplin	....	dga trainee
Jeff Okabayashi	....	second second assistant director
Douglas S. Ornstein	....	second second assistant director
Richard Patrick	....	key second assistant director
Eric Schwab	....	second unit director
Chris Soldo	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Richard Berger	....	set designer
Roger Irvin	....	construction coordinator
Johnnie Jenkins	....	construction accountant
Gary F. Kieldrup	....	assistant property master
Sharmagne Leland-St. John	....	assistant: Richard Sylbert
Robert Maddy	....	set designer
Nick Navarro	....	set designer
Thomas Saccio	....	property master
Kenneth Weinberg	....	assistant property master (as Ken Weinberg)
John Zemansky	....	property master

Sound Department
Ken Beauchene	....	boom operator (as Ken Beauchane)
Stan Bochner	....	sound editor
Louis Cerborino	....	sound editor (as Lou Cerborino)
Richard P. Cirincione	....	sound editor
Laura Civiello	....	sound editor
Pam DeMetruis-Thomas	....	assistant sound editor (as Pam DeMetruis)
Kay Denmark	....	adr boom operator
Marjorie Deutsch	....	adr editor
Don Digirolamo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Harriet Fidlow	....	supervising adr editor (as Harriet Fidlow Winn)
Susan Sklar Friedman	....	assistant sound editor
Kenton Jakub	....	assistant adr editor
Bruce Kitzmeyer	....	foley editor
Les Lazarowitz	....	production sound mixer
Jane McCulley	....	adr editor
Eytan Mirsky	....	assistant sound editor
Linda Murphy	....	boom operator
James H. Nau	....	assistant sound editor
Andy Nelson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jay Nierenberg	....	assistant sound editor
Gary Parker	....	boom operator
Harry Peck Bolles	....	sound editor
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Rathaus	....	sound editor
Maurice Schell	....	supervising sound editor
Ahmad Shirazi	....	foley editor
Jeffrey Stern	....	adr editor
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer
James M. Tanenbaum	....	production sound mixer (as James Tanenbaum)
Leo Trombetta	....	assistant sound editor
Magdaline Volaitis	....	sound editor
Maurice Schell	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
William B. Doane	....	special effects
Edward Drohan	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Christopher Duddy	....	visual effects
Joseph Thomas	....	motion control crew

Stunts
John Cenatiempo	....	stunts
Gene Harrison	....	stunts
Gary Hymes	....	stunt coordinator
Keii Johnston	....	stunts
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunts
John Patrick McLaughlin	....	stunts
Phil Neilson	....	stunt coordinator
Pee Wee Piemonte	....	stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunt performer
Gregg Smrz	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Malcolm Bryce	....	lighting technician
Colin J. Campbell	....	gaffer (as Colin Campbell)
John W. DeBlau	....	best boy electric (as John DeBlau)
Edwin Effrein	....	first assistant camera
Neil Fallon	....	video assist operator
Jon Fauer	....	director of photography: title sequence
Richie Ford	....	electrician
Antonio V. Garrido	....	dolly grip (as Anthony Garrido)
Louis Goldman	....	still photographer
Patrick James Grosswendt	....	rigging gaffer (as Patrick Grosswendt)
Emil Hampton	....	first assistant camera
David James	....	still photographer
Gábor Kövér	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Eric Leigh	....	electrician
Dave Lowry	....	dolly grip
Jeff Mart	....	Steadicam operator
Sal Martorano	....	electrician
Larry McConkey	....	Steadicam operator
Geary McLeod	....	first assistant camera
Daniel P. Moore	....	video assist operator
Gary Muller	....	first assistant camera
Hal Nelson	....	best boy grip
Randy Nolen	....	Steadicam operator
John Panuccio	....	best boy grip (as Jack Panuccio)
Jeffrey W. Petersen	....	best boy electric
Tom Prate	....	key grip
Douglas Ryan	....	camera operator (as Doug Ryan)
Charles Saldana	....	key grip
Roger West	....	best boy grip
Steve Wolfe	....	best boy electric
Larry Huston	....	Steadicam focus puller (uncredited)

Casting Department
Judie Fixler	....	extras casting
Jimmie Jub	....	extras casting
Jimmy Jue	....	extras casting
Michael Orloff	....	casting associate
Jeffery Passero	....	casting assistant: New York
Todd M. Thaler	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bruce Erikson	....	wardrobe: men
Sue Gandy	....	assistant costume designer
Gary Jones	....	assistant costume designer
Donna Maloney	....	wardrobe: women
Charles Mecuri	....	wardrobe: Bruce Willis

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Else Blangsted	....	editorial music consultant
Ray Hubley	....	first assistant editor
Cara Silverman	....	first assistant editor
Debra C. Victoroff	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Bunny Andrews	....	music editor
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Paul Howes	....	transportation coordinator
Edward Iacobelli	....	transportation coordinator
Richard Curry	....	driver: Mr. Willis (uncredited)

Other crew
Lyda Blank	....	location assistant
Brett Botula	....	location manager
Ruby Clark	....	location assistant
Thomas A. Davila	....	assistant production accountant
Liz Dykhouse	....	accounting assistant
Lynn Elliot	....	production assistant
Bruce Frye	....	location assistant
Rob Harris	....	unit publicist
Joel Heller	....	computer consultant
Nancy Hopton	....	script supervisor
Andrea Isaacs	....	craft service
Sharon Kahn	....	assistant unit publicist
Aimee Morris	....	production assistant: Brian DePalma
Elizabeth J. Nevin	....	production coordinator: New York
Liz Newman	....	assistant production office coordinator
Beth Patrick	....	location assistant
F. Stanley Pearse Jr.	....	location manager
Aaron Sadovsky	....	production assistant
Stanley Saffold	....	craft service
Maurice Schell	....	adr loop group
Richard Sirianni	....	production assistant
Edwin Stalter	....	craft service
Tim Tyler	....	location assistant
Eric Von Arx	....	location assistant
Matthew T. Weiner	....	production assistant
Darren Wiseman	....	location assistant
Nicholas Wolfert	....	production assistant
Marty Elfalan	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
David H. Kramer	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1991) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1991) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1991) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1991) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1996) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Atlantic Records  soundtrack
• Hansard  plate photography
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording
• R/Greenberg Associates  titles
• Revillion  fur coats

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Sweden:11 (video rating) | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

346 E 59th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

In the opening tracking shot, when Bruce Willis gets in the elevator, Brian De Palma can be seen, dressed up as a waiter. It was technically impossible for the camera crew and the director to stay off camera in that shot, so De Palma chose to do a cameo there. To be unrecognizable, he shaved off his trademark beard.

Goofs:

Continuity: While Reverend Bacon is accusing District Attorney Abe Weiss, the TV remote control that Weiss is using switches hands between shots.

Quotes:

Judge Leonard White: Racist? You dare call me racist? Well I say unto you, what does it matter the color of a man's skin if witnesses purjure themselves, if a prosecutor enlists the perjurers, when a district attorney throws a man to the mob for political gain, and men of the cloth...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Bonfire of the Manatees (#17.1)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Don Giovanni

What was wrong with this movie to get such bad reviews? I actually liked it.

Bonfire of the vanities. A movie that has the reputation of being awful. I didn't think so. I saw it a long time ago but liked it. I have heard so much about how bad this movie was and never understood why. It isn't the best movie definitely not but there are so many BAD movies-this movie had a message (a pretty sad one) and the story was Involving. My attention was captured. I wanted to see what would happen next.

This movie is so true to life. There ARE people out there whose actions would be worse then some in this movie. People whose lives are motivated by greed. (The worst bad movie out there that I've seen that tells the story of truly horrendous people motivated by greed and power is "in the company of men". Much more unpleasant then this movie.) This movie, I GUESS is controversial, not considered as good as the book and maybe it was ahead of its time. I think it's worth seeing though and would give it a 7.