The Impostors (1998)

In an attempt to resurrect the slapstick comedy of Laurel and Hardy or The Marx Brothers, Stanley Tucci and Oliver Platt team-up as two out-of-work actors who accidentally stowaway on a ... See full summary »

Director:

Stanley Tucci

Writer:

Stanley Tucci

Stars:

Oliver Platt, Stanley Tucci, Walker Jones

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Oliver Platt	...	Maurice
Stanley Tucci	...	Arthur
Walker Jones	...	Maitre D'
Jessica Walling	...	Attractive Woman
David Lipman	...	Baker in Kramer's Pastries
E. Katherine Kerr	...	Gertrude in "Hamlet"
George Guidall	...	Claudius in "Hamlet"
William Hill	...	Bernardo in "Hamlet"
Alfred Molina	...	Sir Jeremy Burtom
Michael Emerson	...	Burtom's Assistant
Jack O'Connell	...	Stage Manager
Matt Malloy	...	Mike / Laertes in "Hamlet"
Ted Blumberg	...	Francisco in "Hamlet"
Lili Taylor	...	Lily 'Lil'
Tony Shalhoub	...	Voltri, First Mate

Storyline

In an attempt to resurrect the slapstick comedy of Laurel and Hardy or The Marx Brothers, Stanley Tucci and Oliver Platt team-up as two out-of-work actors who accidentally stowaway on a ship to hide from a drunken, belligerent lead actor who has sworn to kill them for belittling his talents. Of course, the lead actor end up on the ship as well. Also, a madman (Tony Shalhoub) plots the destruction of the ship and Steve Buscemi is a depressed, suicidal lounge singer named Happy Frank.

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Plot Keywords:

ship | actor | singer | written and directed by cast member | bomb | 

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Taglines:

Why be yourself when you can be somebody else?

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 October 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ship of Fools

Filming Locations:

Murdoch Hall - 114 Clifton Place, Jersey City, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$308,767, 4 October 1998, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,197,921, 10 January 1999

Company Credits

Production Co:

First Cold Piece, Fox Searchlight Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stanley Tucci and Oliver Platt first met at Yale University where they developed the characters of the two unemployed actors that they play in this film.

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Goofs

When Maurice (Oliver Platt) goes in the bakery to insult the baker and tell him His pastries are stale he is offered a cream puff to taste, he then stuffs it in his mouth which amounts to some being dropped on his lapel, in the next shots his lapel is clean.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Maurice: [as they discuss an act which they did] I'm sorry.
Arthur: You stole my death.

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Crazy Credits

As the closing credits roll, the entire cast performs a line dance, starting on the ocean liner set and working their way out of the soundstage.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Sam Rockwell/Halsey (2018)

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Soundtracks

Skokiaan
Written by August Msarurgwa
Performed by Louis Armstrong
Courtesy of GRP Records
Under license from Universal Music Special Markets

User Reviews

Fresh and witty

Stanley Tucci really knows what he's doing. This film, which for some odd reason wasn't really very well received. This movie is funny and smart and very easy to like.

But the acting isn't just the reason that this film is one of my personal favorites, it's also because of the superb script. It's brilliantly paced and full of laughter and intrigue.

Tucci's film deserves a look, but really, watch the film as a comedy, don't take it too seriously.

3.5/4