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:

Stanley Tucci, Joseph Tropiano

Stars:

Tony Shalhoub, Stanley Tucci, Marc Anthony

9 wins & 17 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 (as Andrei Belgrader)
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 | italian | jazz | feast | italian restaurant | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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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:

Big Night - italialainen ilta

Filming Locations:

32 Broad Street, Keyport, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,100,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$185,942 (USA) (20 September 1996)

Gross:

$11,881,039 (USA) (21 February 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rysher Entertainment, Timpano Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stanley Tucci, who co-directed Big Night, and Tony Shalhoub have worked together several times including Tucci's followup film The Impostors (1998) and on Shalhoub's series Monk (2002).

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Goofs

Secondo's arm when talking to Phyllis in the car.

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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

Referenced in Scrubs: My Hero (2002)

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Soundtracks

Mo Ve'la Bella Mia Da La Muntagna
Written and Performed by Matteo Salvatore

User Reviews

Eat first!

This movie is fantastic. You feel like you are on the Jersey shore and can smell the sauce being cooked. Even Minnie Driver is great! Eat something first because the food consumed and prepared during the movie will have you drooling.