Cadillac Man (1990)

Joey gets 2 days to sell 12 cars to keep his job and keep his girlfriends happy. It gets worse. He's juggling 3 buyers when a guy with a machine gun crashes into the car dealership and takes everybody hostage.

Director:

Roger Donaldson

Writer:

Ken Friedman

Stars:

Robin Williams, Tim Robbins, Pamela Reed

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robin Williams	...	Joey O'Brien
Tim Robbins	...	Larry
Pamela Reed	...	Tina
Fran Drescher	...	Joy Munchack
Zack Norman	...	Harry Munchack
Lori Petty	...	Lila
Annabella Sciorra	...	Donna
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Little Jack Turgeon
Bill Nelson	...	Big Jack Turgeon
Eddie Jones	...	Benny
Mimi Cecchini	...	Ma
Tristine Skyler	...	Lisa
Judith Hoag	...	Molly
Lauren Tom	...	Helen the Dim Sum Girl
Anthony Powers	...	Captain Mason

Storyline

Joe's a car salesman with a problem. He has two days to sell 12 cars or he loses his job. This would be a difficult task at the best of times but Joe has to contend with his girlfriends (he's two timing), a missing teenage daughter and an ex-wife. What more could go wrong ?.. a lot, enter a crazy jealous husband with a machine gun..

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Plot Keywords:

queens new york city | mistress | debt | car dealership | police | 

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Taglines:

Legend. Lover. Salesman. A way with words. A way with women. And way over his head.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The cemetery shown in the opening scenes is Mt. Zion Cemetery, in Maspeth, Queens, N.Y.

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Goofs

Later in the movie Captain Mason is arguing with an server in the Chinese restaurant about his share of the bill, arguing that he only had a shrimp boat. He had at least one item more, for which he asked only one of, and the server tried to sell him three. So he did order more than one item.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Funeral Director: [funeral procession of cars is halted and the engine of the hearse is smoking] I don't know what's wrong with it! I thought you guys were supposed to service this thing!
Hearse Driver: I don't know why he didn't service it.
Funeral Director: Yeah, yeah, "I don't know".

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the credits of the cast, it says: Oh... and Elaine Stritch as the widow

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Connections

References Mandingo (1975)

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Soundtracks

(OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS BUT ONCE) SNATCH AND GRAB IT
Written by Sharon Pease
Published by Criterion Music Corp.
Performed by Julia Lee
Courtesy of Capitol Records
By Arrangement with CEMA Special Markets

User Reviews

Too subtle for many

This movie is worth a watch, but only if you are willing to pay attention to the myriad subtle jokes in it.

Those who think it only occasionally funny just weren't paying attention to EVERY scene with the hostage negotiation team in the restaurant, and lots of subtle jokes in the dialog between Williams and Robbins, and the phone calls out of the car dealership.

This movie took a chance with 'intelligent humor'. Not that the humor is that intelligent, it just doesn't hit you over the head with obvious jokes. It is a take off on the 'real' 'cookie cutter' hostage dramas, and the fun it makes of them is subtle. (For example, the cops' reaction, after disbelieving that Larry has brought explosives taped to his bike, when it is 'revealed' to them that he obtained them in Jersey. There is no over the top joke, but it is VERY funny if you are paying attention and have enough common knowledge to get it).

Unfortunately, there probably just aren't enough 'intelligent viewers' out there for this film to get its due. There certainly weren't among the others leaving comments about it! LOL

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 May 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cadillac Man

Filming Locations:

54th Avenue, Maspeth, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,712,079, 20 May 1990

Gross USA:

$27,627,310

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$27,627,310

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1