Funny Bones (1995)

An unsuccessful comedian uncovers a family secret and learns the true price of letting inherent talent shine.

Director:

Peter Chelsom

Writers:

Peter Chelsom, Peter Flannery

Stars:

Jerry Lewis, Oliver Platt, Lee Evans

8 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Oliver Platt	...	Tommy Fawkes
Jerry Lewis	...	George Fawkes
Lee Evans	...	Jack Parker
Leslie Caron	...	Katie Parker
Richard Griffiths	...	Jim Minty
Sadie Corre	...	Poodle Woman
Oliver Reed	...	Dolly Hopkins
George Carl	...	Thomas Parker
Freddie Davies	...	Bruno Parker
Ian McNeice	...	Stanley Sharkey
Christopher Greet	...	Lawrence Berger
Peter Gunn	...	Nicky
Gavin Millar	...	Steve Campbell
William Hootkins	...	Al
Terence Rigby	...	Billy Man

Storyline

Tommy Fawkes wants to be a successful comedian but his Las Vegas debut is a failure. He goes back to Blackpool, UK, where his father, also a comedian started and where he spent the summers of his childhood. He starts to search for a partner, a comic relief, with whom he can be famous.

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Plot Keywords:

comedian | egg | half brother half brother relationship | brother brother relationship | violence | 

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Taglines:

Comedy. It's in the timing. It's in the material. But mostly, it's in the bones.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and a scene of tragic violence

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 March 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Atherapefta asteios

Filming Locations:

Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$532,268

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hollywood Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joanna Lumley was cut out of this film.

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Goofs

When Tommy Fawkes gets the Parker brothers to sign the contract for their act, there is a continuity issue with the chair. The Parkers stand up and go to set up the scene to show Tommy Fawkes. From a high shot you see Tommy Fawkes stand up and turn his chair around. It then cuts to the front of Tommy. His chair is in its original position and he turns it around again to the position he did in the first high shot.

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Quotes

Tommy Fawkes: Why do all the best things in life belong to the past?

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Connections

References Tonight! (1953)

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Soundtracks

La Mer
Music by Charles Trenet
Lyrics by Charles Trenet
Performed by Charles Trenet

User Reviews

Very original - in all respects.

I had seen the standard shots of this film when it came out and thought that the comedy seemed pretty bad - which put me off seeing it in the cinema.

However, now that it's been on TV I would like to recommend it to anyone who wants to see a film which has an original story, interesting characters, unusual settings, great acting, great photography.... generally the opposite of the usual Hollywood fare I usually have to suffer because of my friends.

So, to sum up, it's been marketed wrongly - this is not a film which you should see for a laugh; it's a film which constantly surprises - not least in dramatic turns in the story.

Loved it - 9/10