''Kiss Me, Guido'' is a 1997

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

film. Written and directed by Tony Vitale (a former

location manager The location manager is a member of the film crew responsible for finding and securing locations to be used, obtaining all fire, police and other governmental permits, and coordinating the logistics for the production to complete its work. They a ...

) and produced by

Ira Deutchman Ira Deutchman is a producer, distributor and marketer of independent films. In 2000, he moved into film exhibition as co-founder and managing partner of Emerging Pictures, a New York-based digital exhibition company, which was sold in January ...

and

Christine Vachon Christine Vachon (; born November 21, 1962) is an American film producer active in the American independent film sector. Christine Vachon produced Todd Haynes' first feature, ''Poison'', which was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the 1991 Sundan ...

, it stars Nick Scotti, Anthony Barrile,

Anthony DeSando Anthony DeSando (born December 4, 1965), also known as Anthony Joseph De Santis, is an American actor. DeSando often portrays a joker or dapper villain in mob films such as ''New Jack City''. Early life DeSando was born in Jersey City, New Je ...

and

Craig Chester Craig Chester (born November 8, 1965) is an American actor, writer, and screenwriter. Early life Chester was born in West Covina, California, the son of Cecil, lead singer in the rock band “Whiskey”, and Linda, a homemaker. He moved with hi ...

Synopsis

Frankie (Scotti) is a young Italian American man living with his family in

The Bronx, New York The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New York ...

. He works in a pizza parlor but, inspired by the likes of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, he wants to be an actor. After catching his fiancée (

Jennifer Esposito Jennifer Esposito is an American actress. She is known for her roles in the feature films '' Summer of Sam'' (1999), ''Don't Say a Word'' (2001), ''Welcome to Collinwood'' (2002), as well as ''Crash'' and ''Taxi'' (both 2004). She has also appe ...

) cheating on him with his brother, Frankie decides the time has come to move out and pursue his dream. He starts by checking the classifieds for roommate ads. He finds an ad from a "GWM." In classified-speak this stands for "

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

white male" but Frankie and his friend Joey (

Domenick Lombardozzi Domenico "Domenick" Lombardozzi (, ; born March 25, 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Herc in ''The Wire'', and is also known for his roles in ''A Bronx Tale'' (1993), '' Entourage'', and ''The Irishman'' (2019). Ca ...

) interpret it as "guy with money." The GWM in question is Warren (Barrile), an actor who's recently broken up with his director boyfriend. Frankie and Warren each have some initial misgivings – Frankie over Warren's being gay, Warren over Frankie's being a "

Guido Guido is a given name Latinised from the Old High German name Wido. It originated in Medieval Italy. Guido later became a male first name in Austria, Germany, the Low Countries, Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, Latin America and Switzerland. The mea ...

" or stereotypical Italian American – but Warren lets Frankie move in. Warren's ex, Dakota (

Christopher Lawford Christopher Kennedy Lawford (March 29, 1955 – September 4, 2018) was an American author, actor, and activist. He was a member of the prominent Kennedy family, and son of English actor Peter Lawford and Patricia "Pat" Kennedy Lawford, who was ...

), returns and offers Warren a part in his new play. Warren initially accepts but after being injured in an attempted

gay bashing Gay bashing is an attack, abuse, or assault committed against a person who is perceived by the aggressor to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). It includes both violence against LGBT people and LGBT bullying. The term covers vio ...

, has to withdraw. Frankie replaces him, but the part involves a same-sex kiss, which makes him nervous. At the premiere Frankie gives a good performance (although he hesitates on the kiss, leading his scene partner to hiss "Kiss me, Guido!") for an audience that includes his family, who come to understand and accept his decision to become an actor.

Cast

* Nick Scotti as Frankie * Anthony Barrile as Warren *

as Pino *

as Terry *

as Joey Chips *

Molly Price Molly, Mollie or mollies may refer to: Animals * ''Poecilia'', a genus of fishes ** ''Poecilia sphenops'', a fish species * A female mule (horse–donkey hybrid) People * Molly (name) or Mollie, a female given name, including a list of persons ...

as Meryl *

as Dakota * David Deblinger as Stage Actor * John Tormey as Patsy Zito * Antonia Rey as Josephina Zito *

as Debbie * Anthony Vitale as Pizza Guy #1 * Frankie Dellarosa as Pizza Guy #2 * Rebecca Waxman as Wiggy * Tony Ray Rossi as Vinny the Fish

Soundtrack

* Machine – "There But for the Grace of God Go I" * Panic Patrol – "Out of Control" * La Flavour – "Mandolay" *

Miquel Brown Miquel Brown (born Michael Brown February 8, 1945) is a Canadian actress, disco/soul singer, former dancer and music video director, in the 1970s and 1980s, most popular for the songs "Close to Perfection" and the Hi-NRG songs " So Many Men – ...

– "So Many Men, So Little Time" * 3rd Party – "Can U Feel It" *

Edwin Starr Charles Edwin Hatcher (January 21, 1942 – April 2, 2003), known by his stage name Edwin Starr, was an American singer and songwriter. Starr was famous for his Norman Whitfield-produced Motown singles of the 1970s, most notably the number-one ...

– "

Contact Contact may refer to: Interaction Physical interaction * Contact (geology), a common geological feature * Contact lens or contact, a lens placed on the eye * Contact sport, a sport in which players make contact with other players or objects * ...

" * Carol Jiani – "Hit & Run Lover" *

Martha Wash Martha Elaine Wash (born December 28, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and producer. Known for her distinctive and powerful voice, Wash first achieved fame as half of the Two Tons O' Fun, who sang backing vocals for the disco si ...

– "Magic Charms" *

The Gap Band The Gap Band was an American R&B and funk band that rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band consisted of three brothers: Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson, along with other members; it was named after streets (Greenwood, Archer, and ...

– "

Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me) "Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)" is a song originally performed by The Gap Band in 1980 and written by member Charlie Wilson, Rudy Taylor, and producer Lonnie Simmons. Background The song's lyrics refer to abandonment by a lover. The ...

" * Nick Scotti – "I'm Gonna Shout" * Edwin Starr – "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" * Gloria Gaynor – " I Am What I Am" * Love Tribe – "Stand Up"

Reviews

In 1997,

Janet Maslin Janet R. Maslin (born August 12, 1949) is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for ''The New York Times''. She served as a ''Times'' film critic from 1977 to 1999 and as a book critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000 Maslin ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' wrote of the film "amusing high-concept notion of sending a Bronx heterosexual into the midst of gay Manhattan and watching the fur fly" and it (the film) "has an appealing indie flavor".

Television

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

brought ''Kiss Me, Guido'' to the small screen in 2001 under the title ''

Some of My Best Friends ''Some of My Best Friends'' (previously titled ''Macho Man'' and ''Me and Frankie Z'' before its television premiere) is an American sitcom television series created by Marc Cherry and Tony Vitale, that aired on CBS from February 28 until April ...

''. The series starred Jason Bateman as Warren,

Danny Nucci Daniel Nucci (born September 15, 1968) is an American actor. He is best known for his supporting roles in blockbuster films, including his roles as Danny Rivetti in ''Crimson Tide'' (1995), Lieutenant Shepard in ''The Rock'' (1996), Deputy Monr ...

as Frankie,

Michael DeLuise Michael Robert DeLuise (born August 4, 1969) is an American actor, film director, and film producer. Best known as Tony Piccolo in ‘’seaQuest DSV’’ (1994-1996), Officer Joey Penhall in ‘’21 Jump Street’’ (1990-1991), TJ in ‘� ...

as Pino and openly gay actor

Alec Mapa Alejandro "Alec" Mapa (; born July 10, 1965) is an American actor, comedian and writer. He got his first professional break when he was cast to replace B. D. Wong for the role of Song Liling in the Broadway production of '' M. Butterfly''. He ga ...

in the newly created role of Vern Limoso. The series, written by Tony Vitale and

Marc Cherry Marc Cherry (born March 23, 1962) is an American television writer and producer. He is best known for creating the ABC dramedy series ''Desperate Housewives''. Personal life Early life Marc Cherry was born in Long Beach and lived briefly in ...

of '' Desperate Housewives'', was cancelled after one season.

References

External links

* * * *{{IMDb title, 0259144, Some of My Best Friends 1997 films American comedy films 1997 LGBT-related films 1997 comedy films American LGBT-related films American independent films Paramount Pictures films LGBT-related comedy films Films produced by Christine Vachon Films about actors 1997 independent films 1990s English-language films 1990s American films