Fading Gigolo (2013)

Fioravante decides to become a professional Don Juan as a way of making money to help his cash-strapped friend, Murray. With Murray acting as his "manager", the duo quickly finds themselves caught up in the crosscurrents of love and money.

Director:

John Turturro

Writer:

John Turturro

Stars:

John Turturro, Woody Allen, Sharon Stone

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Turturro	...	Fioravante
Woody Allen	...	Murray
Vanessa Paradis	...	Avigal
Liev Schreiber	...	Dovi
Sharon Stone	...	Dr. Parker
Sofía Vergara	...	Selima
Abe Altman	...	First Rabbi
Michael Badalucco	...	Burly Driver
Bob Balaban	...	Sol
M'Barka Ben Taleb	...	Mimou
Teddy Bergman	...	Yossi
Max Casella	...	Guy at Counter
Loan Chabanol	...	Loan
Isaiah Clifton	...	Cyrus
Jade Dixon	...	Cee Cee

Storyline

Murray, the bankrupt owner of a bookstore, is forced to close his family business. His dermatologist, Dr. Parker, dreams of having a threesome and would pay a thousand dollars to have one with her friend Selima. Murray then proposes to his friend Fioravante that they start a male prostitution business, with Murray acting as the pimp. However, when Fioravante meets a Hasidic Jewish woman, Avigal, who is the widow of a rabbi, they fall in love with each other. But a Jewish neighborhood patrolman, Dovi, is in love with Avigal too, and might make life difficult for Fioravante and Murray.

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Plot Keywords:

gigolo | male escort | book shop owner | nyc | 2010s | 

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Taglines:

The oldest profession just got older.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexual content, language and brief nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Spanish Ladino Hebrew Italian Portuguese Latin

Release Date:

9 April 2014 (France)

Also Known As:

Fading Gigolo

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$180,801, 20 April 2014

Gross USA:

$3,769,873

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$22,706,304

Company Credits

Production Co:

Antidote Films (I), Covert Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Not only is he one of the stars of the movie, but Woody Allen also gave suggestions to John Turturro about the screenplay, at the director's petition.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Murray: My grandfather started the shop. My father had it. And now - I - have to - close it. This is the end of an era, my friend. Let me tell ya, now a days only rare people buy rare books.
Fioravante: We'll get back on our feet.

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Connections

References Casablanca (1942)

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Soundtracks

My Romance
Written by Lorenz Hart & Richard Rodgers
Published by Lorenz Hart Publishing Co.,
Universal-Polygram International Publishing, Inc., Warner Chappell Music Ltd
Performed by Gene Ammons
Courtesy of Original Jazz Classics
By arrangement with Concord Music Group

User Reviews

Excellent!

John Turturro proofed that he can handle a light comedy as an actor as well as a director. It is easy to see how he got Woody Allen to appear in his film because the story could be by Woody Allen himself and the figure Allen plays sounds as familiar as it can be. Even the Jewish neighborhood fits very well.

The movie starts out with no waste of time as a Woody Allen-style comedy without overdoing it. Allen coaxes Turturro, who works in a flower shop to become a hired lover for rich middle aged ladies. They share the money he gets and Allen spends it for the black! family he lives with. This partnership works out pretty fast and quite successful. But then the story does a sudden turn into deeper emotions when Allen connects him with the widow Avigal who is a devoted Jewess who after two years still mourns her dead husband...

Although many scenes begin as a comedy some end on a very touching note. John Turturro knows when it is best to let the audience guess what will come next. Although a bit of a fairy tale story he never completely leaves the bounds of reality, especially in the end of the film. I left the theater with a smile. (seen at the Viennale - Vienna International Film Festival)