Hoodlum (1997)

Black gangsters in 1930 Harlem fights Dutch Schultz who is trying to horn in on their numbers racket.

Director:

Bill Duke

Writer:

Chris Brancato

Stars:

Laurence Fishburne, Tim Roth, Vanessa Williams

7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Laurence Fishburne	...	Bumpy Johnson
Tim Roth	...	Dutch Schultz
Vanessa Williams	...	Francine Hughes
Andy Garcia	...	Lucky Luciano
Cicely Tyson	...	Stephanie St. Clair
Chi McBride	...	Illinois Gordon
Clarence Williams III	...	Bub Hewlett
Richard Bradford	...	Captain Foley
William Atherton	...	Thomas Dewey
Loretta Devine	...	Pigfoot Mary
Queen Latifah	...	Sulie
Mike Starr	...	Albert Salke
Beau Starr	...	Jules Salke
Paul Benjamin	...	Whispers
Joe Guzaldo	...	Bo Weinberg

Storyline

The film focuses on the war of two gangs in 1930s Harlem for the control of illegal gaming - one headed by black strategic godfather Bumpy Johnson and another by white ruthless hothead Dutch Schultz. Negotiations proposed by white syndicate boss Lucky Luciano never get under way, blood flows and Johnson gets jailed. When Johnson is paroled, he gets the work of enforcer for mighty Stephanie "The Queen" St. Clair. She is also jailed for racketeering and when she leaves she makes him promise "no violence".

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Plot Keywords:

1930s | gangster | great depression | street shootout | irish american | 

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Taglines:

Power is measured in enemies.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic ganster violence, strong language, a scene of sexuality and some nudity

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 August 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gangster

Filming Locations:

Between Cermak Road & 23rd Street, Michigan Avenue, Near South Side, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,162,768, 1 September 1997, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$23,461,013, 9 November 1997

Company Credits

Production Co:

United Artists

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

DTS DTS-Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dutch says to Lucky: "I'm going to the library. I'm going to take out that book "How to #*%& friends and irritate people." Here he is parodying the popular self-help book by Dale Carnegie, "How to Win Friends and Influence People." Published in 1936 and an instant best-seller, the book would have been discussed widely in social circles during the time of the film, hence why Lucky smirked when he heard the joke.

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Goofs

The character of Thomas E. Dewey is portrayed very inaccurately: see trivia.

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Quotes

Bumpy Johnson: You've been warned. Get ready for your final thrill. It's curtains, Dutch. The jig is up.
Dutch Schultz: You're a dead fuckin' nigger!

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: She's So Lovely/Hoodlum/Excess Baggage/Paperback Romance/M/Le Samurai (1997)

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Soundtracks

So Good
Written, produced, and performed by Davina
Courtesy of Loud Records

User Reviews

A great film, victim to negative people

It seems to me like in today's film world, critics, whether it be Ebert or the viewers, are quick to down a film if it has a large budget. I think Hoodlum fell victim to this epidemic. With a bankroll of wonderful actors and actresses, and some of the best historical recreation of the locations, the movie delivers. The plot was simple, but it doesn't need to be complicated in a gangster flick like this. It was based on real people, so the creators of the film cannot go ballistic on changing the story. Maybe the 'critics' would like it better if it had a little green man who uses the force, or maybe a future crime prevention device. Well, you won't find this here. It's a wonderful, semi-true story about the way things were in Harlem and the surroundings areas back then. Fishburn turned in a wonderful performance, and Roth played a great villian as he always does. Just relax, and take it for what it's meant to be. Entertainment.