''The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight'' is a 1971 American
crime comedy film
Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...
directed by
James Goldstone
James Goldstone (June 8, 1931 – November 5, 1999) was an American film and television director whose career spanned over thirty years.
Career
Goldstone was noted for the momentum and "fifteen-minute cliffhangers" that he brought to TV pilots ...
and written by
Waldo Salt, based on the 1969 novel
of the same name by
Jimmy Breslin
James Earle Breslin (October 17, 1928 – March 19, 2017) was an American journalist and author. Until the time of his death, he wrote a column for the New York ''Daily News'' Sunday edition.''Current Biography 1942'', pp. 648–51: "Patterson, ...
, which in turn was based on the life of gangster
Joe Gallo. The film stars
Jerry Orbach
Jerome Bernard Orbach (October 20, 1935 – December 28, 2004) was an American actor and singer, described at the time of his death as "one of the last'' bona fide'' leading men of the Broadway musical and global celebrity on television" and a " ...
,
Leigh Taylor-Young,
Jo Van Fleet
Catherine Josephine Van Fleet (December 29, 1915["The Bi ...](_blank)
,
Lionel Stander
Lionel Jay Stander (January 11, 1908 – November 30, 1994) was an American actor in films, radio, theater and television. He is best remembered for his role as majordomo Max on the 1980s mystery television series '' Hart to Hart''.
Early ...
,
Robert De Niro
Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor. Known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he is considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of various accolades ...
and Irving Selbst. The film was released on December 22, 1971, by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
.
Plot
Kid Sally Palumbo (Jerry Orbach) grows jealous of his older, mobster boss Baccala (Lionel Stander), who has little respect for the crew Palumbo commands. Baccala allows Kid Sally to supervise a six-day bicycle race (for the purposes of keeping the money generated), and among the 12 Italian cyclists brought into the city is Mario Trantino (Robert De Niro), a budding thief. When the bicycle race does not take place due to outside interference, Sally is demoted to serving Baccala as a chauffeur, and Trantino stays in New York City to run his own cons, including masquerading as a priest. Kid Sally's mother Big Momma (Jo Van Fleet) urges him to take down the old, entrenched mobsters in power, but it appears the only fatalities are in his own camp, and the increase in violence draws the attention of the city police.
Cast
*
Jerry Orbach
Jerome Bernard Orbach (October 20, 1935 – December 28, 2004) was an American actor and singer, described at the time of his death as "one of the last'' bona fide'' leading men of the Broadway musical and global celebrity on television" and a " ...
as Salvatore 'Kid Sally' Palumbo
*
Leigh Taylor-Young as Angela Palumbo
*
Jo Van Fleet
Catherine Josephine Van Fleet (December 29, 1915["The Bi ...](_blank)
as Big Momma Palumbo
*
Lionel Stander
Lionel Jay Stander (January 11, 1908 – November 30, 1994) was an American actor in films, radio, theater and television. He is best remembered for his role as majordomo Max on the 1980s mystery television series '' Hart to Hart''.
Early ...
as Baccala
*
Robert De Niro
Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor. Known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he is considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of various accolades ...
as Mario Trantino
* Irving Selbst as 'Big Jelly' Catalano
*
Hervé Villechaize as Beppo 'The Dwarf'
*
Joe Santos
Joe Santos (born Joseph John Minieri Jr.; June 9, 1931 – March 18, 2016) was an American film and television actor, best known as Sgt. Dennis Becker (later Lieutenant), the friend of James Garner's character on the NBC crime drama ''The R ...
as Ezmo
*
Carmine Caridi as Tony 'The Indian'
*
Frank Campanella as Water Buffalo
*
Harry Basch
Harry Leo Basch (January 16, 1926 – June 23, 2020) was an American actor and author. In 1951 he appeared in "Mr. Roberts" at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco. He is possibly best known for his role as Vince Caproni in the 1980s television se ...
as Joseph DeLauria
*
Sander Vanocur
Sander Vanocur (; born Alexander Vinocur, January 8, 1928 – September 16, 2019)
Retr ...
as Television Commentator
[''The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight'' (1971) – American Film Institute (AFI).](_blank)
Retrieved February 18, 2020
*
Phil Bruns
Philip Bruns (May 2, 1931 – February 8, 2012) was an American television and movie actor and writer. He portrayed George Shumway, the father of Mary Hartman on the 1970s comedic series '' Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,'' and Morty Seinfeld, the f ...
as Gallagher
*
Philip Sterling
Philip Sterling (October 9, 1922 – November 30, 1998) was an American film and television actor. He played Dr. Winston Croft on 28 episodes of the American daytime soap opera '' The Doctors''. He also played Judge Truman Ventnor on 21 episode ...
as District Attorney Goodman
*
Jack Kehoe as Bartender
*
Despo Diamantidou as Mourner
*
Sam Coppola
Sam Coppola (July 31, 1932 – February 5, 2012) was an American actor. He appeared in almost 70 films, beginning in 1968, but may be best remembered for his role as Dan Fusco, owner of the hardware and paint store in ''Saturday Night Fever'', wh ...
as Julie DiBiasi
*
James Sloyan
James Joseph Sloyan (born February 24, 1940 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is an American actor.
Early years
Sloyan left the United States at an early age to live abroad in Rome, Capri, Milan, Switzerland, and Ireland. His career in show busi ...
as Joey
*
Paul Benedict as 'Shots' O'Toole
* Lou Criscuolo as Junior
* George Loros as Jerry
* Harry Davis as Dominic Laviano
*
Burt Young
Gerald Tommaso DeLouise (born April 30, 1940), known professionally as Burt Young, is an American actor, author and painter. He played Rocky Balboa's brother-in-law and best friend Paulie Pennino in the ''Rocky'' film series. He was nominated for ...
as Willie Quarequio
*
Jackie Vernon as Herman
*
Ted Beniades as A Black Suit
* Fat Thomas as A Black Suit
* Roy Shuman as The Mayor
*
Alice Hirson
Alice Hirson (born March 10, 1929) is an American actress best known for her roles on television. She began her career on stage, before roles on daytime soap operas. She is best known for her roles as Mavis Anderson in the CBS prime time soap ope ...
as The Mayor's Wife
*
Michael V. Gazzo as A Black Suit
*
Robert Gerringer
Robert Gerringer (born Robert Geiringer; May 12, 1926 – November 8, 1989) was an American character actor perhaps best known as Dr. Dave Woodard on the soap opera ''Dark Shadows'', a role he played during 1967. Gerringer left the show because h ...
as Commissioner McGrady
* Walter Flanagan as The Super
* Dan Morgan as Muldoon
* Dorothi Fox as Meter Maid
* Robert Weil as Circus Supply Manager
*
Margo Winkler
Margo Winkler is an American actress, who often played minor roles as receptionists, clerks or judges. She is known for her minor roles in several of Martin Scorsese's films which her husband Irwin Winkler produced. She is best known for her roles ...
as Airline Clerk
* Leopold Badia as Old Waiter
* Fran Stevens as Baccala's Wife
* Florence Tarlow as Police Matron
*
Rita Karin
Rita Karin (born Rita Karpinowicz; October 24, 1919 – September 10, 1993) was a Polish-born American actress best known for her role as Jackie Mason's mother on the 1989 TV series ''Chicken Soup''. She also appeared as Meryl Streep's Bro ...
as Mrs. Goldfarb
* Tom Lacy as Religious Salesman
* William H. Boesen as Jury Foreman
* Gary Melkonian as Greek Racer
* Gustave Johnson as Detective Jenkins
* George Stefans as Greek Captain
* Alisha Fontaine as Jelly's Girl
* Lorrie Davis as Jelly's Other Girl
* Frank Jourdano as TV Reporter
*
Elsa Raven as Mrs. Buffalo
*
Gloria LeRoy
Gloria may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music Christian liturgy and music
* Gloria in excelsis Deo, the Greater Doxology, a hymn of praise
* Gloria Patri, the Lesser Doxology, a short hymn of praise
** Gloria (Handel)
** Gloria (Jenkin ...
as Ida
Production
According to Irwin Winkler,
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five ...
asked to write and direct the movie but Winkler turned him down, feeling Coppola did not have the skills to make a mafia film.
Al Pacino
Alfredo James Pacino (; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he has received numerous accolades: including an Academy Award, two Tony Awards, and two Primetime Emmy ...
was originally cast in the lead but during rehearsal pulled out to play the role of Michael Corleone in ''The Godfather. ''He was replaced'' ''by Robert De Niro''.
Shot
on location in
South Brooklyn
South Brooklyn is a historic term for a section of the former City of Brooklyn – now the New York City borough of Brooklyn – encompassing what are now the Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Gowanus, Park Slope, Windsor Ter ...
, the film was the subject of a
Robin Green-written November 25, 1971 ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' article "Shooting the Gang That Couldn’t" which was described in its subtitle as "a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of a Robert DeNiro
icmovie."
Hervé Villechaize made his feature film debut, but his lines were
dubbed to conceal his
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
accent as he was playing an
Italian-American
Italian Americans ( it, italoamericani or ''italo-americani'', ) are Americans who have full or partial Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeast and industrial Midwestern metropolitan areas, ...
character.
Winkler wrote in his memoirs that he felt the director was more interested in sticking to the schedule than working with the actors. He felt the final film was neither funny nor dramatic.
Reception
The movie received negative reviews. Roger Ebert gave it 2/4 stars, writing: "Maybe part of the trouble is James Goldstone's direction, which tends toward the heavy-handed" and "The performances are too broad, the characters are too many, the plot is too indifferent to the structure of the movie, and - surprisingly - the movie is too sweet." ''New York Times'' reviewer
Howard Thompson called the film "a tasteless mess" and Jo Van Fleet's performance "terrible." His only praise was for the interaction between Leigh Taylor-Young and Robert De Niro.
Home media
The movie has been released on VHS and DVD.
In Pop Culture
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
State House Speaker
Russell Bowers referred to the book during the
January 6 Select Committee hearings, when asked his thoughts on the Trump Campaign’s fake electors scheme.
See also
*
List of American films of 1971
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight
1971 films
1970s crime comedy films
American crime comedy films
1970s English-language films
Films scored by Dave Grusin
Films based on American novels
Films based on organized crime novels
Films directed by James Goldstone
Films produced by Robert Chartoff
Films produced by Irwin Winkler
Films set in New York City
Mafia comedy films
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
1971 comedy films
1970s American films