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Rating:  -
Why is this movie so expensive to buy? It wasn't that popular. You can buy a new released blockbuster for $20.00....Does not make sense....
Rating: -
There's been a lot of grumbling of late over the mislabeling of films in an attempt to lure unsuspecting audiences into the theater or to trick them into taking home a dvd they normally wouldn't consider seriously. I fell victim to it myself with THE PRESTIGE, which sold itself as one thing but turned out to be science fiction instead--not that I have anything against science fiction mind you, in fact its one of my favorite genres. I simply hate being misled as do most people. But finally the blurb on the front of the dvd has told the truth! More or less. 29TH STREET, it procliams, is an "absolutely delightful cross between GOODFELLAS and ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE". Kinda hard to picture isn't it? What does that mean anyhow? Everytime a bell rings some goombah sleeps with the fishes? Not quite.
Frank Pesce Jr. has always had The Luck, ya know? Even stuff that seems to be bad at the time it happens turns out to be a blessing for him. For example when he escorts his new Puerto Rican girl friend home one night her brother takes exception to their relationship and stabs him. Bad thing, right? Normally it would seem so, but in Frank's case its a good thing because they wouldn't have found the cancerous tumor in his lung in time otherwise--so getting stabbed and almost dying saved his life, see? His father Frank Sr. on the other hand is a born loser who doesn't let that fact keep him from gambling on everything that comes along, including the New York State Lottery. He may have lost his trucking busines and his job, but he's got a box of lottery tickets upstairs and one of them is sure to be a winner. He just knows it.
29TH STREET is actually like GOODFELLAS a la Damon Runyon. There are no deaths and no violence, just the threat of some at one point. The crime is accepted as a barely noticeable fact of life in which the Pesce's engage themselves as necessary (attempted insurance fraud), and the mobsters are, well, quaint. You've got your bad mafioso in the shape of Louie Tucci who Frank Sr. constantly warns his son to avoid, but with little success since Tucci's way of earning money looks very attractive to young Frank. And then you've got your "good" mafioso represented by Jimmy Vitello's father (the "biggest mobster in the Tri-state are") who we never see, but the mere mention of his name causes the sea to part. As in Runyon the movie fairly teems with colorful characters like Frank's buddies Lenny Needlenose Nipton who's the very definition of post nasal drip and Dom the Bomb the neighborhood Sinatra who sings EVERYTHING.
29TH STREET is a wonderful portrait of life in a typical New York Italian family where a simple question like "How's the weather?" can end up a screaming match loaded with expletives. A family where the father can't see spending a couple of bucks on a take out pizza so he's always whipping up his own home made delights in the kitchen while he waxes poetic about his tiny front lawn of "the Bluegrass of Kentucky". In short a family where inspite of everything love still reigns supreme. And then Frank Jr. screws it all up by winning the lottery! Which throws all of their lives into turmoil and causes a rift between father and son that may never be healed.
There really is a Frank Pesce Jr. and he really did win the first New York State Lottery's prize of $6.2 million. He co-wrote the story the film was based on (along with the late James Franciscus, yes that one), and he also plays his own older brother Vito the cop. The screenplay was co-written by the film's director George Gallo. Gallo also has MIDNIGHT RUN on his resume and you can see the similarities between the two films instantly in the quick humor and the witty characterizations. The acting in this film is absolutely first rate. Lainie Kazan is wonderful in the pivotal role as wife and mother. But I simply can't say enough about the performances of Australian born Anthony LaPaglia and Danny Aiello as son and father respectively. There is absolutely no artifice between them, their relationship seems as real and genuine as anything ever commited to film. Its a shame that smaller films such as this are constantly overlooked at Oscar time for both of these men certainly turned in Oscar worthy performances.
How much of 29TH STREET is based on Pesce's real life is hard to say, but whether its all based on cold, hard fact or complete fabrication, I can recommend this film whole heartedly to everyone who doesn't mind hearing a naughty word once in awhile. This is a very funny film that also has its heart in the right place.
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My husband and I saw this movie on cable and loved it. Bought it for him as part of his wedding anniversary gift. A nice addition to our home movie library.
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This is one of the funniest movies, this is a great buy and a must.
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This is not a well known film but a personal favorite. Those who loved A BRONX TALE will get a kick out of this and for the same reasons. A sterotyical Italian/American family living in NYC and all the humor that can go along with that... PLUS, it has parts that can warm the heart. Both men and woman love this film.
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