The Funeral (1996)

New York City, the 1930s. A powerful crime family is caught in a lethal crossfire between union organizers and brutal corporate bosses. Against this turbulent backdrop, the family's three ... See full summary »

Director:

Abel Ferrara

Writer:

Nicholas St. John

Stars:

Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Annabella Sciorra

2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Walken	...	Ray
Chris Penn	...	Chez
Annabella Sciorra	...	Jean
Isabella Rossellini	...	Clara
Vincent Gallo	...	Johnny
Benicio Del Toro	...	Gaspare
Gretchen Mol	...	Helen
John Ventimiglia	...	Sali
Paul Hipp	...	Ghouly
Victor Argo	...	Julius
Gian DiDonna	...	Ray Sr. (as Gian Di Donna)
Dmitri Prachenko	...	Sentieri (as Dmitry Prachenko)
Paul Perri	...	Young Ray
Gregory Perrelli	...	Young Chez (as Gregory Pirelli)
Joey Hannon	...	Middle Chez

Storyline

New York City, the 1930s. A powerful crime family is caught in a lethal crossfire between union organizers and brutal corporate bosses. Against this turbulent backdrop, the family's three street-hardened brothers and the women they love are about to be plunged into a deadly confrontation with their enemies, with each other, and with their own dark heritage of violence, madness and murder.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | violence | 1930s | cruelty | flashback | 

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Taglines:

One family, one murder, too many lies.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong crude sex scenes, strong violence and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

1 November 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das Begräbnis

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$41,768 (USA) (1 November 1996)

Gross:

$1,227,324 (USA) (27 December 1996)

Company Credits

Production Co:

October Films, MDP Worldwide, C&P Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Johnny is the youngest of the three brothers, while Chez is the middle child. However, Chris Penn was in fact four years younger than Vincent Gallo.

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Goofs

When Johnny is dead in his coffin, his neat hair becomes messy between shots.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Humphrey Bogart: Just keep in mind that I and the boy are a candidate for hangin'. And the first time any one of ya makes a wrong move, I'm gonna kill the whole lot of ya.

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Connections

Features The Petrified Forest (1936)

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Soundtracks

"Tonight Will Be The Night"
Music and Lyrics by Joe Delia (Slymoon Publishing Co./BMI) and Abel Ferrara
Performed by Chris Penn

User Reviews

Communist mobsters? Now I've seen everything!

Though he was the director of that awful thriller, 'Fear City,' Abel Ferrer offers a movie about mobsters that distinguishes it from a decade of far too many mobster-themed movies in that it does not glorify mob life. Though slow in the introduction and sometimes confusing in structure, 'The Funeral' offers good acting and an intelligent plot.

Ray (Christopher Walken), Chez (Chris Penn), and Johnny (Vincent Gallo) are brothers and members of the same crime family. I suspect that of the small crime unit, the eldest, Ray, is the leader. The film is centered around the funeral of the youngest, Johnny, who was mysteriously shot to death. And the mobsters, especially his brothers, want revenge.

Johnny was an unusual part of such a violent family, too intelligent and often passive. He seemed to be drifting from his destined life of crime, handed down to him from his father to his brothers to him. It is not the role he seeks to fulfill, and it one he often questions, much to the resentment of his brothers, Ray and Chez.

Ray is a much different character than Johnny. As the oldest, he was the first to kill a man when his father offered him a gun to shoot someone he didn't even know. Ray also absconds from any responsibility for what he does, consistenly justifying his actions as something that God forces him to do. Jean (Annabella Sciorra), his wife, asks whether he thinks it is suitable to blame God for his actions. He apparently blinds himself to any reality, and basks in the idea that he is only carrying out someone else's plan. That this is what he has to do. Jean even remarks to Johnny's wife, Helen (Gretchen Mol), that Ray and Chez and everyone else involved just keep perpetrating this one-sided, illiterate way of life.

Chez is yet another counterweight caught in the middle. He is a very sadistic character and one who soon realizes what damage is being done. With Johnny dead and Ray eager for revenge, it is up to him to determine with the cycle continues.

The nature of these characters are particularly interesting in a story that points out the realities of mafia life (for both the mobsters and their wives) as violence begets violence, making for a very intriguing story. Director Abel Ferrer did a good job with this movie. Despite being slow and sometime scattered in focus, it is worth watching.