MY BLUE HEAVEN
US, 1990, 95 minutes, Colour.
Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Joan Cusack, Melanie Mayron, Carol Kane, William Hickey.
Directed by Herbert Ross.
My Blue Heaven is pleasantly light entertainment which might have been much more, considering the talents contributing to the film. It is a Steve Martin vehicle and he enjoys himself as the Mafia type under the witness protection scheme. With his hair dyed and standing on end, his strutting and posing like a Mafioso, it is yet another variation on his gallery of odd characters. He is well paired with comedian Rick Moranis who plays it straight and sympathetically (giving some depth to his character) as an FBI agent. (They had appeared together in Little Shop of Horrors and Parenthood.)
There is a good supporting cast including Joan Cusack as a very stern Assistant District Attorney, Carol Kane as an off-the-planet wife, Melanie Mayron as an infatuated policewoman.
The film was written by Nora Ephron (Heartburn, When Harry Met Sally, Cookie, Sleepless in Seattle, Mixed Nuts, Michael, You've Got Mail). She employs a technique from the silent films indicating the various sections of the plot by cards and verbal humour. The film may be compared to her screenplay for Cookie with Peter Falk and Emily Lloyd.
Direction is by Herbert Ross, a veteran of a range of comedies, musicals, human dramas over the '70s and '80s.
Enjoyable - but might have been more forceful.
1.Entertaining comedy? Hilarious? Mild? American style? Gangsters and the law?
2.The work of Norah Ephron, her comic writing? Herbert Ross and his direction? The title, the song? Music and songs? The card indication of character, incident, chapters? How effective?
3.Californian and New York settings, the contrast? The city, the quiet suburbs?
4.Steve Martin and Rick Moranis - casting according to type, against type? The supporting cast?
5.The effectiveness of the indication of chapters, the verbal wit of the cards, forwarding the plot? Creating moods? Vinnie's biography?
6.Steve Martin as Vinnie, his appearance, way of talking, style? Background in the mob, telling lies? The witness protection scheme? His relationship with his FBI protector? Arriving with his wife at the house, his wife unable to stand it, walking out on him? His going to the supermarket, his unpleasant style? Stealing the cars? Credit card tricks? His being arrested? The encounter with Crystal and her attraction, Hannah and her strictness? His agent having to come and get him out? Trying to settle down in suburbia, new name, identity? Going to New York, the flight, meeting his mother, getting the agent to get better clothes? Testifying and its effectiveness? Going back, the clashes with Hannah, setting up the agent with her, the outings, learning how to dance, going to buy the pet - and discovering the other people under the scheme? Their reunion, going into business, hijacking goods and reselling them? Meeting his wife in the supermarket, the attraction, swept off her feet, the Las Vegas wedding? His decision to collect the money for the baseball? The baseball match, taking the agent and Hannah and enjoying it, talking with the kids? Hannah arresting him, his talking about the agents from Canada, the bust - and exposing the FBI? The court proceedings, the danger, the gunman shooting, the chase and the pursuit? Going to the ballpark - and his building a new one? One year later - married to Crystal, the baby, the new ballpark, the first toss - and living in suburbia?
7.Rick Moranis and his comic style as the FBI agent, type, appearance, height etc? The seeming nerd - but with convictions? His work, wanting to go undercover, his relationship with his wife, meeting the ball player, her walking out on him? Work with Vinnie, trying to help him, the new identity? Rescuing him from Hannah? The clashes with Hannah? The outing - the dance, falling in love? Going to New York, losing Vinnie, changing clothes? Success, going undercover with his friend, the stakeout, their being caught by the police? The baseball game, a future with Hannah?
8.Hannah and her tough style, her husband and his coming in (and later being ousted)? Relationship with the children? Going to the baseball game in the limousine? At work, friendship with Crystal? Arresting Vinnie and wanting to hold him? The transformation by her outings, the dancing? The final bust?
9.Crystal, attracted to Vinnie, at work, her hunches, friendship with Hannah, helping Vinnie to escape, marriage and the baby?
10.Vinnie seeing his wife in the supermarket, her style, Las Vegas, the marriage, her becoming involved in the scheme and counting the money? And the irony of his two wives together at the end at the baseball match?
11.The FBI agent, wanting to go undercover - and his ability to dance and enjoy himself dancing?
12.The background of gangsters, New York, the agent saving Vinnie's life, his lying about shooting?
13.The sketch of the Italian family from New York - especially Mom and her love for her son?
14.Pleasant comedy, spoofing the gangsters, the FBI - its heart in the right place?
