Toys (1992)

User Rating:

4.6/10   

Director:

Barry Levinson

Writers (WGA):

Valerie Curtin (written by) &
Barry Levinson (written by)

Release Date:

18 December 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Comedy

Tagline:

Laughter is a state of mind.

Plot:

When a military general inherits a toy making company and begins making war toys, his employees band together to stop him before he ruins the name of Zevo Toys forever.

Plot Keywords:

Toy | Uncle | Brother | Business | Weapon

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 8 nominations

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Leslie Zevo
Michael Gambon	...	Lt. General Leland Zevo
Joan Cusack	...	Alsatia Zevo
Robin Wright Penn	...	Gwen Tyler (as Robin Wright)
LL Cool J	...	Captain Patrick Zevo
Donald O'Connor	...	Kenneth Zevo
Arthur Malet	...	Owen Owens
Jack Warden	...	Old General Zevo
Debi Mazar	...	Nurse Debbie
Wendy Melvoin	...	Choir Soloist
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Cortez
Jamie Foxx	...	Baker
Shelly Desai	...	Shimera
Blake Clark	...	Hagenstern
Art Metrano	...	Guard at Desk

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

118 min | 122 min (FMC Library Print) (dvd release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1994) | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:L (original rating) | South Korea:12 | Peru:PT | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12/9 | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Baltimore Pictures

Trivia:

A long-cherished project for Barry Levinson, this was originally set to be his directorial debut.

Goofs:

Continuity: After the little spy robot gets run over, Patrick Zevo is in the surveillance truck telling the other two guys about tomorrow's meeting with the military leaders. If you watch the red numbers over his right shoulder you'll see them counting upwards until they hit 59:20, then the camera goes to one of the other guys, then back to Patrick Zevo, you see the numbers back down to 59:14 and continue counting up.

Quotes:

General Leland Zevo: Put this place on red alert. They're as good as dead.
Hagenstern: That's your son, sir.
General Leland Zevo: War knows no relatives.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Multi-Facial (1999)

Soundtrack:

THE MIRROR SONG

Kubrick lives!

*** and a half/****

Toys comes very close to being perfect. First, it is the closest I have seen a director come to creating a Kubrick style of filmaking. However, the ending for this movie is terrible.

Toys is about a man named Leslie Zevo whose father's toy company is taken over by his uncle, General Leland Zevo. The General tries to change the toy line from wind-up toys and dolls to military equipment and is trying to create a toy army operated by little children on remote the control. The plot sounds far fetched but it works.

The beginning of this movie if flawless. The entire production design was definately Oscar worthy. Barry Levinson manages to create this incredible world. I actually did feel like I as watching a Stanley Kubrick film because of the camera and design. There's one chilling scene were Robin Williams is discussing some of the novelty items the company will produce and as he does it the walls of the room he is in slowly close in because the General needs more space to build his war toys. Out of all the films I've seen in the 90's this scene would rank as one of the most memorable amoung them.

The performances are good. Michael Gambon and Robin Williams are both strong (I think Robin Wright was mis-cast though). However, Joan Cusack gives one of the most incredible performances I've ever seen. She plays a very child like adult, almost retarded but doesn't quite cross the line. The risks she takes and her characterization are all brilliant. There is one momennt when she is at her father's funeral and she just talks about how the word "tinhorns" stays with her. It's so beautiful and pure.

Now, about the ending. There is a scene in the film where the General tries to kill a fly with a gun. The movie should have ended with him trying to shoot the fly, but then shooting himself. However, there is this whole cliche plotline about bad guys becoming good, there's a toy battle which goes against the thematic elements of the movie, and there's an unesecary love scene that ruins the Kubrickian mood. The ending actually reminded me of a movie called Baby Geniuses and anyone who has seen both movies (which I'm sure is unlikely) will agree with me.

Oh well, if you see Toys watch up to the scene with the General and the fly and then stop. If you do this, you will have one of the most enjoyable cinematic experiences of your life.