Product: Frankie and Johnny [VHS] (1991)
Rating: 5.0
Pfeiffer and Pacino
This is one of the lesser known and appreciated screen gems of the 90's. It's a superior romantic-comedy-drama which stars screen legend Al Pacino and screen goddess Michelle Pfeiffer. The movie is so much more about the love story. It is a very perceptive movie about people who are lonely and people who are trapped into their own lives. The movie has an achingly melancholic mood.The casting of Michelle Pfeiffer was controversial at that time because the original role on Broadway was played by Kathy Bates and a lot of people think Pfeiffer was too beautiful for the role. Bates reportedly laughed when she learned hat Pfeiffer got the role. Granted that the reason Pfeifer probably got the role was because at that time she was at the height of her popularity, she was the "it" girl then. But Pfeiffer was phenomenal and proved that she deserved the part. Her beauty was toned down to make her look as ordinary as possible. The character she played has so much depth and layer that is pretty uncommon for films generally regarded as romance films.Pacino of course was good, this is his and Pfeiffer's second team up after Scarface of course I love the fact that he played the role with such ease and charm which is a lot different from his more serious roles before. The supporting actors Nathan Lane and Kate Nelligan stole some scenesOf all the movies of Pfeiffer this is one of my all time favorites together with Fabulous Baker Boys, Married to the Mob, One Fine Day, and Batman Returns to name a few. I whole-heartedly recommend this film.Grade: A-