Miami Blues (1990)

An ex-con's first act of freedom is moving to Miami where he restarts his old criminal ways with even more potency.

Director:

George Armitage

Writers:

Charles Willeford (novel), George Armitage (screenplay)

Stars:

Fred Ward, Alec Baldwin, Jennifer Jason Leigh

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alec Baldwin	...	Frederick J. Frenger Jr.
Cecilia Pérez-Cervera	...	Stewardess
Georgie Cranford	...	Little Boy at Miami Airprt
Edward Saxon	...	Krishna Ravindra at Miami Airport
José Pérez	...	Pablo
Obba Babatundé	...	Blink Willie, Informant
Fred Ward	...	Sgt. Hoke Moseley
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Susie Waggoner
Charles Napier	...	Sgt. Bill Henderson
Matt Ingersoll	...	Mourning Hare Krishna
Jack G. Spirtos	...	Pickpocket Victim
Raphael Rey Gomez	...	Pickpocket
Tony Paris	...	Pickpocket's Accomplice
Wendy Thorlakson	...	Toy Store Cashier
William Taylor Anderson Jr.	...	Crack Dealer

Storyline

When Fred Frenger gets out of prison, he decides to start over in Miami, Florida, where he starts a violent one-man crime wave. He soon meets up with amiable college student/prostitute Susie Waggoner. Opposing Frenger is Sgt Hoke Moseley, a cop who is getting a bit old for the job, especially since the job of cop in 1980's Miami is getting crazier all the time.

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Plot Keywords:

neo noir | impersonating a police officer | prostitute | hare krishna | girl stripped down to panties | 

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Taglines:

Real badge. Real gun. Fake cop.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 April 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le flic de Miami

Filming Locations:

Kendall, Florida, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,002,997, 22 April 1990, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$9,888,167

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tristes Tropiques

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was produced by Jonathan Demme and contains as part of cast and crew many individuals who worked in previous and future films directed by Demme. In the cast, actors Obba Babatundé, Charles Napier' who are regular cast members in several Demme films; producers Edward Saxon, Kenneth Utt and Gary Goetzman' - who also appear as actors in this movie; Martine Beswick was in Melvin and Howard (1980) and Alec Baldwin was in Married to the Mob (1988); the cinematography was provided by Tak Fujimoto; editing by Craig McKay; costumed designer Eugenie Bafaloukos worked as costume supervisor in Something Wild (1986) and casting director was Howard Feuer.

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Goofs

When they have to buzz you in through a locked coin shop door, they also have to buzz you out. But Frenger just goes through the door after shooting Pedro and the coin shop owner. No one buzzes him out, and the door would be locked.

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Quotes

Edna Damrosch: I nursed my husband for three years before he died. But you're not gonna die.
[Hands Junior a glass of gin]
Edna Damrosch: Here, drink this.
Susie Waggoner: It's gin, Junior.
Edna Damrosch: Drink it! Now you move and you're a blind man.
[Begins sewing up Junior's eyebrow]
Edna Damrosch: Scissors!
Susie Waggoner: [Feeling sick] You're doing real good, Junior. I think I'm gonna lie down a little bit.
Edna Damrosch: [after she finishes off] There you go!
Frederick J. Frenger Jr.: Your husband must've been glad to die...
[...]

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Connections

References Scarface (1983)

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Soundtracks

YOU AGAIN
Performed by The Forester Sisters
Written by Paul Overstreet
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records, Inc.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

A brilliant movie

This is one of those buried treasures of filmdom (like Prime Cut) that gets swept aside because it's a "genre" movie. But everything about is first-rate, beginning with the performances of the 3 main leads: Baldwin, Leigh, Ward. None has ever been better, each carves a unique unforgettable performance. The direction by Armitage (whose Grosse Pointe Blank is another great treasure) is outstanding. This movie MOVES, it zips & flips & turns on a dime, it's got the momentum that only really great movies have. The writing is terrific, I read the book before seeing the film & I recommend the book to anyone, it's great, Willeford was another great unsung.This movie has loads of little details that reveal themselves in viewing after viewing & then stay with you...forever! How about the fact that Baldwin's character appropriates the billfold & consequently the identity of a fellow airline passenger & goes around for much of the movie as Herman Gottlieb, Herman Gottlieb??!! Remember him? The famed opera impresario? No? Aw forget it...