Hudson Hawk (1991)

A cat burglar is forced to steal Da Vinci works of art for a world domination plot.

Director:

Michael Lehmann

Writers:

Bruce Willis (story), Robert Kraft (story)

Stars:

Bruce Willis, Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell

3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bruce Willis	...	Hudson Hawk
Danny Aiello	...	Tommy Five-Tone
Andie MacDowell	...	Anna Baragli
James Coburn	...	George Kaplan
Richard E. Grant	...	Darwin Mayflower
Sandra Bernhard	...	Minerva Mayflower
Donald Burton	...	Alfred
Don Harvey	...	Snickers
David Caruso	...	Kit Kat
Andrew Bryniarski	...	Butterfinger
Lorraine Toussaint	...	Almond Joy
Burtt Harris	...	Gates
Frank Stallone	...	Cesar Mario
Carmine Zozzora	...	Antony Mario (as Carmine Zozorra)
Stefano Molinari	...	Leonardo da Vinci (as Stephano Molinari)

Storyline

Eddie Hawkins, called Hudson Hawk has just been released from ten years of prison and is planning to spend the rest of his life honestly. But then the crazy Mayflower couple blackmail him to steal some of the works of Leonardo da Vinci. If he refuses, they threaten to kill his friend Tommy.

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Plot Keywords:

time bomb | neo screwball comedy | worst picture razzie winner | character name as title | getting out of jail | 

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Taglines:

Watch your step. Hold your breath. Hang on for dear life. And catch...the hawk.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Kraft, the co-screenwriter of the film was a singer/songwriter and a personal friend of Bruce Willis. He co-produced and wrote a few tracks featured on the soundtrack album including "Hawk Swing". Kraft would eventually become the head of music department at Twentieth Century-Fox soon after in the mid to late 1990's holding that position for a good ten years or more.

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Goofs

When Hudson Hawk gets out of the crate, the packing peanuts stuck to his face move around and change shape. One of them is behind his ear when he looks out the window at the Coliseum. In the adjoining scene when the Butler says, "Welcome to Rome," Hawk turns around and the Styrofoam piece behind his ear isn't there.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: Long ago, the Duke of Milan commissioned a little known artist to erect a Mammoth statue of a horse. The time was 1481... The artist was Leonardo da Vinci... The guy on the donkey's just a guy on a donkey.

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Alternate Versions

The German VHS version contains several more lines of dialog, mostly from characters off-screen to make scenes funny in German. For example: When Hudson Hawk falls into the chair after he jumps from the roof of the auction house, the Butler says he collects Concorde tickets because once you get 100 "you get a stewardess for free" and Antony Mario adds that he would prefer the pilot.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Thelma & Louise/Hangin' with the Homeboys/Dice Rules/Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken (1991)

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Soundtracks

Hail to the Chief
From the motion picture soundtrack of In Like Flint (1967)
Music by James Sanderson
Arranged by Jerry Goldsmith
Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

User Reviews

This movie is a blast!

Hudson Hawk has cult movie written all over it. Bruce Willis and Danny Aiello have a blast making robberies while singing show tunes. It put me in the spirit of the movie and I enjoyed myself. Everybody in the cast overacts but that didn't bother me at all. This is the kind of movie that after years pass will be considered a cult classic. Check out Hudson Hawk if you want to have a good time. Because like all the best films, you have to suspend your belief in reality to make it work and this movie is fantasy on a whole new level.

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

24 May 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Adventures of Hudson Hawk

Filming Locations:

Hungary

Box Office

Budget:

$65,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,082,820, 27 May 1991

Gross USA:

$17,218,080

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$17,218,080

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures, Silver Pictures, Ace Bone

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

CDS (digital 35 mm prints) Dolby SR (analog 35 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1