Bugsy (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Bugsy' (directed by Oscar-winner Barry Levinson) is part crime melodrama, part romance, part character study of Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel (Warren Beatty) - all wrapped up in a glossy gangster movie. And you know what? It works. NY-based Bugsy Siegel, a well-dressed womanizer with a short temper, was known to kill or maim his prey at the drop of a hat. Heck, something as simple as calling him "Bugsy" (and not Ben) would send him into a rage. The film kicks into gear when Bugsy arrives in sunny Southern California in the 1940's, assigned to oversee the Los Angeles crime rackets.
He is quickly seduced by the lure and glamour of Hollywood, the mansions, the stars, the decadence, and by up-&-coming starlet Virginia Hill (Annette Bening); a strong-willed beauty who he romances despite being unable to leave his wife & daughters who are back in NY. Bugsy soon has an epiphany; a vision to transform a barren stretch of Nevada's Mojave Desert into "Las Vegas" - a bustling city of sin, gambling, sex, $$, entertainment, and ... well, more $$. Funded by his gangster associates, including calm-as-a-cucumber Meyer Lansky (Ben Kingsley), the flamboyant Bugsy sees his $1 million budget skyrocket up to $6 million. Furthermore, it appears as if Virginia has disloyally embezzled $2 mill of it. In deep trouble with his superiors, Bugsy flies back from NY to Los Angeles to face the music {so to speak}, telling Virginia to keep the money! Why? Because he loves her.
As we all know, Las Vegas goes on to become a brilliant, if self-destructive money pit for all who visit her. It grosses hundreds & hundreds of millions of dollars to this day. But Bugsy would not live to see his dream of Las Vegas come true.
The heart (yes, he had one) of this film IS Bugsy; ill-tempered, impatient, yet good-looking, & suave. A man who never really understood that most people only saw him as a gangster. He didn't want that. He wanted to be in the movies. He wanted to speak right. Do right. Create magic (the Las Vegas idea). And he wanted Virginia Hill at his side. Guns, murder, blood on his hands. He refused to tie himself to that. But whether he railed against that lifestyle or not, it WAS him. The script (written by James Toback) is very clever; giving the ensemble cast tons of witty, film noir-infused dialogue to deliver. I particularly enjoyed the sexy double-talk that Beatty & Bening take part in throughout the film. This duo engages in many love-hate conversations/scenarios that are really fun to watch.
As Bugsy Siegel, Beatty gives the performance of his career. Really, the role was tailor-made for him. Beatty blends charisma & fun with viciousness & a touch if insanity. I loved a scene where he makes an adversary crawl on the floor & act like a dog. And yet, the star performance of the film comes from an Oscar-worthy Annette Bening; giving a brilliant performance as Bugsy's fiery mistress. Just watch her in the film's final 3 minutes. It's acted with exceptional nuance & feeling. Harvey Keitel is fun as Mickey Cohen, a vulgar thug. And Ben Kingsley nails a NY accent (he's British) & exudes a real calm menace as Meyer Lansky. Interestingly enough, some of these characters appear more ruthless & deadly than even Bugsy! But then, Bugsy never wanted to be regarded as such {haha}.
Overall, this is a first-rate production: electrifying chemistry from the leads, savvy crooks, engaging narrative (sans a few dull stretches), clever dialogue, lavishly shot, designed, set, & adorned. You really feel both the grime & glamour of the 1940's. And the film also shows that - while the gangster life is horrible, we still can't help but be fascinated by it, right? 'Bugsy' is just a stellar movie; a gangster pic that offers more than your usual crime saga.
He is quickly seduced by the lure and glamour of Hollywood, the mansions, the stars, the decadence, and by up-&-coming starlet Virginia Hill (Annette Bening); a strong-willed beauty who he romances despite being unable to leave his wife & daughters who are back in NY. Bugsy soon has an epiphany; a vision to transform a barren stretch of Nevada's Mojave Desert into "Las Vegas" - a bustling city of sin, gambling, sex, $$, entertainment, and ... well, more $$. Funded by his gangster associates, including calm-as-a-cucumber Meyer Lansky (Ben Kingsley), the flamboyant Bugsy sees his $1 million budget skyrocket up to $6 million. Furthermore, it appears as if Virginia has disloyally embezzled $2 mill of it. In deep trouble with his superiors, Bugsy flies back from NY to Los Angeles to face the music {so to speak}, telling Virginia to keep the money! Why? Because he loves her.
As we all know, Las Vegas goes on to become a brilliant, if self-destructive money pit for all who visit her. It grosses hundreds & hundreds of millions of dollars to this day. But Bugsy would not live to see his dream of Las Vegas come true.
The heart (yes, he had one) of this film IS Bugsy; ill-tempered, impatient, yet good-looking, & suave. A man who never really understood that most people only saw him as a gangster. He didn't want that. He wanted to be in the movies. He wanted to speak right. Do right. Create magic (the Las Vegas idea). And he wanted Virginia Hill at his side. Guns, murder, blood on his hands. He refused to tie himself to that. But whether he railed against that lifestyle or not, it WAS him. The script (written by James Toback) is very clever; giving the ensemble cast tons of witty, film noir-infused dialogue to deliver. I particularly enjoyed the sexy double-talk that Beatty & Bening take part in throughout the film. This duo engages in many love-hate conversations/scenarios that are really fun to watch.
As Bugsy Siegel, Beatty gives the performance of his career. Really, the role was tailor-made for him. Beatty blends charisma & fun with viciousness & a touch if insanity. I loved a scene where he makes an adversary crawl on the floor & act like a dog. And yet, the star performance of the film comes from an Oscar-worthy Annette Bening; giving a brilliant performance as Bugsy's fiery mistress. Just watch her in the film's final 3 minutes. It's acted with exceptional nuance & feeling. Harvey Keitel is fun as Mickey Cohen, a vulgar thug. And Ben Kingsley nails a NY accent (he's British) & exudes a real calm menace as Meyer Lansky. Interestingly enough, some of these characters appear more ruthless & deadly than even Bugsy! But then, Bugsy never wanted to be regarded as such {haha}.
Overall, this is a first-rate production: electrifying chemistry from the leads, savvy crooks, engaging narrative (sans a few dull stretches), clever dialogue, lavishly shot, designed, set, & adorned. You really feel both the grime & glamour of the 1940's. And the film also shows that - while the gangster life is horrible, we still can't help but be fascinated by it, right? 'Bugsy' is just a stellar movie; a gangster pic that offers more than your usual crime saga.