Movies / The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984)

5/10

Runtime: 121 min

Genres: Action Comedy Crime Drama

Languages: English

Countries: USA


Picture if you will two cousins, Charlie (Mickey Rourke) and Paulie (Eric Roberts), prowling the mean streets of New York's Little Italy. Charlie is reasonably put-together, a maitre d' at a chic café who aspires to running his own restaurant someday. Paulie is an incurable flake who can't resist a temptation or a goofball scheme, couldn't tell the truth to save his soul, and keeps splashing Charlie with the street slop of his slewing trajectory through life. This includes drawing him into the circles of Mob crime, most especially Paulie's boss, that supreme sleazebag "Bedbug Eddie" (Burt Young). Michael Cimino is said to have had a hand in this movie, though the credited director is Stuart Rosenberg--an impersonal craftsman often hired in midshoot after the star and a more volatile director had parted company. This helps account for the picture's overall lack of rhythm and its wavering between overemphatic, Ethnic-with-a-capital-E idiosyncrasy, and low-key befuddlement. Still, it has its charms, most of them deriving from a terrific cast. At the time it came out, in the summer of 1984, Rourke and Roberts were both exciting, unpredictable talents; Roberts in particular had an amazing talent for being somebody brand new--psychologically, even physically--in every film he made. But even though they're hitting on all cylinders, the boys are quietly upstaged by some redoubtable old pros: the great Kenneth McMillan, the ineffable M. Emmet Walsh, and--scoring her umpteenth Oscar (R) nomination as the mother of an ill-fated cop--Miss Geraldine Page. --Richard T. Jameson


Directors (1) Credit
Stuart Rosenberg ...
Writers (1) Credit
Vincent Patrick (screenplay)
Composers (1) Credit
Dave Grusin ...
Editors (1) Credit
Robert Brown ...
Cinematographers (1) Credit
John Bailey (director of photography)
Actors (49) Credit
Anna Levine Waitress at Country Inn
Betty Miller Nora
Bo Smith Terry the Groom
Burt Young Bed Bug Eddie
Claude Vincent Bartender at Lime House
Clem Caserta Eating Man at Sal's (as Clement Caserta)
Daryl Hannah Diane
Ed DeLeo Anthony
Ed O'Ross Bartender at Sal's
Ed Setrakian 1st Inspector
Eric Roberts Paulie
Felix Pitre Restaurant Helper
Frank Vincent 1st Crew Chief
Geraldine Page Mrs. Ritter
Gerard Murphy Garber (as Gerry Murphy)
Henry Yuk Assistant Cook
Jack Kehoe Bunky
Jacques Sandulescu Chef
James Bulleit Cashier
Joan Shangold Police Woman
Joe Grifasi Jimmy the Cheese Man
John Eric Bentley Summons Man (as John Bentley)
John Finn Ginty
José Angel Santana Bus Boy (as José Santana)
Ken Butler Cab Driver (uncredited)
Kenneth McMillan Barney
Kevin Breslin Tommy Botondo
Leonard Termo Fat Waldo
Linda Ipanema Cooky
Marty Brill Mel
M. Emmet Walsh Burns
Mickey Rourke Charlie
Nick Vallelonga Stickball Player (uncredited)
Paul Austin Toll Booth Attendant
Paul Herman Stickball Player
Peter Conti Waiter at Sal's
Philip Bosco Paulie's Father
Randall Edwards Hat Check Girl
Rik Colitti Barber
Ronald Maccone Nicky
Samuel G. Laken Vinny
Talisa Soto Studio Dancer (uncredited)
Thomas A. Carlin Walsh
Tina Vaughn Dancer
Tony DiBenedetto Ronnie
Tony Lip Frankie
Tony Musante Pete
Val Avery Nunzi
William Duell Toll Booth Attendant