Rolling Stone:
It’s a team-up that nearly didn’t happen. The movie gives disgraced ex-cop Jack has five days to bring the Duke from New York to LA to collect a big reward that will allow him to open up a coffee shop, while the Mob accountant tries to avoid being murdered in prison by drug dealer Jimmy Serrano (Dennis Farina, in the best performance of his career), from whom he stole $15 million to give to charity. De Niro, who had been looking to do a comedy after a 15-year run as Hollywood’s most intense method actor, only took the role as a consolation prize when he lost out to Tom Hanks for the lead in Big.
Paramount was originally set to make it as director Martin Brest’s big follow-up to Beverly Hills Cop. But the studio wanted to tweak George Gallo’s script to make the Duke a woman (the Duchess?) played by Cher, hoping to generate some sexual tension. Brest said no to that, and to having Robin Williams play the part, because he’d been so dazzled by Grodin’s audition opposite De Niro. At that point, Paramount abandoned the project altogether and it wound up at Universal, whose executives approved the unconventional casting.
My Australian wife had never seen this movie (as the story notes, it bombed at the box office) so we watched it a few weeks ago and she nearly wet herself laughing. De Niro is utterly brilliant in this comedic role (as is the sadly late Dennis Farina) and Grodin is wonderfully neurotic and annoying.
Great movie, now I have to go see it again.
My Australian wife had never seen it and she too died laughing after having watched it.
Key scene for me is after Jack visits his ex-wife, the Duke gets in the car and his jacket is hanging out the door. Jack tucks it in before closing the door.
Not sure if this little moment was planned but it shows Jack’s character slowly starting to change.
As the Duke says before the visit, “I think this will be very good for you…”
Great movie.
“…only took the role as a consolation prize when he lost out to Tom Hanks for the lead in Big.”
Wow. I can’t even imagine what that movie would have been like with De Niro in the role.
That was a wonderful review and walk down the movie memory hole. I love Midenight Run. It’s a perfect movie with great acting and memorable lines.
Grodin and De Niro are walking down a dirt road and Grodin asks De Niro if he’s ever had lyonnaise potatoes. Years after seeing this movie I was working in a small town in Texas and while eating dinner at a truck stop I saw on the menu: “lionized potatoes.” WTF are lionized potatoes I thought. Then I remembered Grodin and the line.
Yeah, Denis Farina, genius although even better in Get Shorty.
The Danny Elfman soundtrack is very cool.
A bit of trivia. Charles Grodin wore his handcuffs so much while filming this movie that they left permanent scars on his wrists.
Grodin is one of my favourite comedic actors and I think Midnight Run was his best film. He has that understated style which I enjoy.
Great piece – it’s a brilliantly funny movie that I’m sure My Scary Redhead hasn’t seen yet either. I am inspired to watch it with her now … 😉
I always considered Grodin an acquired taste, but I might need to check out this movie, at long last.
De Niro is a great actor but I don’t think he could have pulled off the innocence of a Tom Hanks.