Billy Bathgate (1991)

In the year 1935, a teen named Billy Bathgate finds first love while becoming the protégé of fledgling gangster Dutch Schultz.

Director:

Robert Benton

Writers:

E.L. Doctorow (book), Tom Stoppard (screenplay)

Stars:

Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman, Loren Dean

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dustin Hoffman	...	Dutch Schultz
Nicole Kidman	...	Drew Preston
Loren Dean	...	Billy Bathgate
Bruce Willis	...	Bo Weinberg
Steven Hill	...	Otto Berman
Steve Buscemi	...	Irving
Billy Jaye	...	Mickey
John Costelloe	...	Lulu
Timothy Jerome	...	Dixie Davis (as Tim Jerome)
Stanley Tucci	...	Lucky Luciano
Mike Starr	...	Julie Martin
Robert F. Colesberry	...	Jack Kelly
Stephen Joyce	...	Mr. Hines
Frances Conroy	...	Mary Behan
Moira Kelly	...	Becky

Storyline

Based loosely on the organized crime syndicates of the 20's and 30's, Billy Bathgate is the story of a young man's rise from gopher to right hand man in Dutch Schultz' gang. Having been impressed by the youth, Schultz takes him under his wing so to speak. Billy soon finds himself in a world where wealth and fortune live next door to danger and death.

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Plot Keywords:

dutch schultz | protégé | gang | gangster | death | 

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Taglines:

In 1935, a New York kid was looking for a hero. He found Dutch Schultz.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some gangster violence, and for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Billy Bathgate - A scuola di gangster

Filming Locations:

Durham, North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$45,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$15,965,919 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Touchwood Pacific Partners 1

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Then Disney head Jeffrey Katzenberg opted to produce this gangster epic instead of Warren Beatty's Bugsy as he figured Beatty's film was too expensive at $40 million. This movie ultimately came in at $50 million and grossed a mere $15 million on its American release.

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Goofs

When Drew Preston is walking with Billy Bathgate and takes his hand, the close-up shows her hand is on the front. In the next shot, her hand behind his and facing to the rear.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Bo Weinberg: [being tied up] What do you think, Irving? Makes this cheap dago move on me, Bo Weinberg. The man who took out @Vincent Coll. The man who held Jack Diamond's ears so he could put the gun in his mouth. Who found the rackets he was to *stupid* to find for himself, who made him something more than the lowdown fucking guy that he is! The schmuck, I should expect something else. He pulls me off the the street right in front of my girl, like he don't know no better. Schmuck!
Dutch Schultz: Don't talk to...
[...]

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Connections

References Top Hat (1935)

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Soundtracks

"Der Hirt Auf Dem Flesem, D. 965 (The Shepherd on the Rock)"
Written by Franz Schubert

User Reviews

A Romantic Gangster Movie? There Is Such a Thing

Watch this if...you really enjoy gangster movies, but don't mind a strong love story theme mixed in. Don't expect the quality of Goodfellas, Casino, etc.

Acting/Casting: 7* - Dustin Hoffman is great as Dutch Schultz and the film also has such co-stars as Nicole Kidman, Bruce Willis, and Steve Buscemi. I have trouble taking Loren Dean serious and feel he is a sub-par actor. Unfortunately, outside of Hoffman he is the main character.

Directing/Cinematography/Technical: 6* - Well directed and provides some graphic scenes that bring some minor realism to the film. I felt there were times when the movie dragged a little when it focused on the romantic angle. Overall the film is solid in this aspect.

Plot/Characters: 6* - I went into this movie expecting a gangster flick, which it does provide, but there is a very strong romantic theme thrown in. A little too much romance for me, but others may deem this desirable. It does manage to shed some light on the Dutch Schultz era.

Entertainment Value: 6* - Worth a watch and is entertaining. It does have it's slow parts and has a bit too much romance for me. There are several other gangster movies I would put above this on my list.

My Score: 7+6+6+6 = 25/4 = 6.25

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