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

Shot over a period of 35 days.

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Goofs

The pianist in Pascal's restaurant is playing an electronic keyboard, the likes of which would not be invented for another twenty years or more.

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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 Zomergasten: Episode #20.5 (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Don't Take Your Love from Me"
Written by Henry Nemo
Performed by Keely Smith

User Reviews

A great "little" film

After having looked over my reviews on IMDb, I noticed that only one of them was enthusiastic. That should be rectified, since I consider myself a big fan of cinema, and I choose as my second enthusiastic recommendation Big Night. This is one of those films that doesn't have to show off. It's a slice of life sort of thing going on here, with an assortment of people with strengths and faults, but who all value life's simple pleasures, like good food. It's a story about the underdogs , and their hopes and dreams and struggles -- some within reach, some not. It's got a good cast too. They all make it look easy, but they have a charming script and careful direction. I think Billy Wilder would have approved. At turns funny and touching, and the last scene -- several minutes without a word of dialogue -- is pure gold.