My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Two New Yorkers are accused of murder in rural Alabama while on their way back to college, and one of their cousins--an inexperienced, loudmouth lawyer not accustomed to Southern rules and manners--comes in to defend them.

Director:

Jonathan Lynn

Writer:

Dale Launer

Stars:

Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei, Ralph Macchio

Won 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joe Pesci	...	Vinny Gambini
Ralph Macchio	...	Bill Gambini
Marisa Tomei	...	Mona Lisa Vito
Mitchell Whitfield	...	Stan Rothenstein
Fred Gwynne	...	Judge Chamberlain Haller
Lane Smith	...	Jim Trotter III
Austin Pendleton	...	John Gibbons
Bruce McGill	...	Sheriff Farley
Maury Chaykin	...	Sam Tipton
Paulene Myers	...	Constance Riley (as Pauline Meyers)
Raynor Scheine	...	Ernie Crane
James Rebhorn	...	George Wilbur
Chris Ellis	...	J.T.
Michael Simpson	...	Neckbrace
Lou Walker	...	Grits Cook

Storyline

Bill Gambini and Stanley Rothenstein are two friends from New York University who just received scholarships to UCLA. They decide to drive through the South. Once they arrive in Alabama, they stop at a local convenience store to pick up a few snacks. But, no sooner than they leave the store, they are arrested. They had thought that they were arrested for shoplifting, but they were arrested for murder and robbery. Worse, they are facing execution for this crime. Bill and Stan do not have enough money for a lawyer, so the good news is that Bill has a lawyer in his family, his cousin, Vincent Laguardia Gambini. The bad news is that Vinny is an inexperienced lawyer who has not been at a trial. So, Vinny has to defend his clients and battle an uncompromising judge, some tough locals, and even his fiancée, Mona Lisa Vito, who just does not know when to shut up, to prove his clients' innocence. But he will soon realize that he is going to need help.

---

Plot Keywords:

trial | lawyer | alabama | jail | pantyhose | 

---

Taglines:

There have been many courtroom dramas that have glorified The Great American Legal System. This is not one of them.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Crime

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 March 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

My Cousin Vinny

Filming Locations:

Monticello, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,416,751, 15 March 1992

Gross USA:

$52,929,168

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$64,088,552

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox, Peter V. Miller Investment Corp., Dale Launer Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the American Film Institute's 2000 list of the 500 movies nominated for the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.

---

Goofs

In the opening scenes, the trees in the park across from the courthouse are completely bare, not even a sign of buddings. Even if the trial takes 2 weeks, at the end of the film the trees are completely full of grown green leaves, unlikely for a short period of time.

---

Quotes

Vinny Gambini: Sheriff Farley, uh... what'd you find out?
Sheriff Dean Farley: On a hunch, I took it upon myself to check out if there was any information on a '63 Pontiac Tempest stolen or abandoned recently. This computer readout confirms that two boys, who fit the defendants' description, were arrested two days ago by Sheriff Tillman in Jasper County, Georgia, for driving a stolen metallic mint green 1963 Pontiac Tempest, with a white convertible top, Michelin Model XGV tires, size 75-R-14.
Vinny Gambini: Is that it?
Sheriff Dean Farley: No. A .357 Magnum ...
[...]

---

Alternate Versions

The Australian TV version cuts out several lines of dialogue and the scene "Imagine you're a deer...." to get a PG rating. The video and cable versions are unaltered.

---

Connections

Referenced in Mike & Mike: Episode dated 9 April 2015 (2015)

---

Soundtracks

Dixie
(uncredited)
Written by Daniel Decatur Emmett (as Daniel Emmett)
Whistled by Joe Pesci

User Reviews

Pesci, Tomei. Need I Say More.

Two dim-wits from New York (Ralph Macchio and Mitchell Whitfield) become the victims of circumstance in the deep south in this hilarious courtroom farce. Macchio knows that his one hope is the titled character (the priceless Joe Pesci) and his red hot girlfriend (Marisa Tomei in a well-deserved Oscar-winning turn). The two use street smarts to show the small-town folks that the case is not as cut-and-dried as it seems. 4 stars out of 5.