Big Night (1996)

A failing Italian restaurant run by two brothers gambles on one special night to try to save the business.

Directors:

Campbell Scott, Stanley Tucci

Writers:

Joseph Tropiano, Stanley Tucci

Stars:

Marc Anthony, Tony Shalhoub, Stanley Tucci

11 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marc Anthony	...	Cristiano
Tony Shalhoub	...	Primo
Stanley Tucci	...	Secondo
Larry Block	...	Man in Restaurant
Caroline Aaron	...	Woman in Restaurant
Andre Belgrader	...	Stash
Minnie Driver	...	Phyllis
Peter McRobbie	...	Loan Officer
Isabella Rossellini	...	Gabriella
Liev Schreiber	...	Leo
Pasquale Cajano	...	Alberto N. Pisani
Christine Tucci	...	Woman Singer
Gene Canfield	...	Charlie
Ian Holm	...	Pascal
Allison Janney	...	Ann

Storyline

Primo and Secondo are two brothers who have emigrated from Italy to open an Italian restaurant in America. Primo is the irascible and gifted chef, brilliant in his culinary genius, but determined not to squander his talent on making the routine dishes that customers expect. Secondo is the smooth front-man, trying to keep the restaurant financially afloat, despite few patrons other than a poor artist who pays with his paintings. The owner of the nearby Pascal's restaurant, enormously successful (despite its mediocre fare), offers a solution - he will call his friend, a big-time jazz musician, to play a special benefit at their restaurant. Primo begins to prepare his masterpiece, a feast of a lifetime, for the brothers' big night...

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Plot Keywords:

restaurant | brother | italian | feast | jazz | 

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Taglines:

In love and life, one big night can change everything.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

20 September 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Grande Inauguração

Filming Locations:

32 Broad Street, Keyport, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,100,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

ITL 143,875,000 (Italy) (7 March 1997)

Gross:

ITL 763,505,000 (Italy) (11 April 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rysher Entertainment, Timpano Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The woman singing in the competing restaurant is played by Christine Tucci, who is Stanley Tucci's sister.

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Goofs

When Bob is talking to Segundo in the Cadillac, his lollipop is alternately in/out of his mouth between shots.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Primo: [offers a taste asking opinion in Italian]
Secondo: What?
Primo: More Salt?
Secondo: No.
[continues chopping]
Primo: Not too fine, eh? Sometimes you cut it too fine, then all you taste is the garlic!

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince/(500) Days of Summer/Homecoming (2009)

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Soundtracks

"O Sole Mio"
Written by Eduardo Di Capua
Performed by Christine Tucci

User Reviews

A truly great "small" film...

I can't even begin to explain how much I love this film. First, it may be one of the great "food movies" of all time. Anyone who considers him/herself a lover of good food and doesn't drool over the "timpano" alone should check their pulse... And the performances are remarkably restrained, yet lively. Stanley Tucci is sublime, Tony Shalhoub is, as always, a marvel. Truly interesting camerawork that draws one in, yet doesn't detract (or distract) from the story or the characters. Because, at its heart, this is a character-driven piece -- about the love and mutual respect shared by two strong-willed siblings. Someday I will take part in a feast like that shared by the characters in this film, and on that day, I will be an extraordinarily happy man. Until then, I'll watch this movie again and again.