Almost Heroes
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| Almost Heroes | |
|---|---|
 Almost Heroes poster |
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| Directed by | Christopher Guest |
| Produced by | Denise Di Novi |
| Written by | Mark Nutter Tom Wolfe Boyd Hale |
| Starring | Chris Farley Matthew Perry Lisa Barbuscia Eugene Levy |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | 1998 |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Language | English |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Almost Heroes is a 1998 comedy film starring Chris Farley and Matthew Perry and directed by Christopher Guest.
The story focuses on two explorers, a well-off dandy (Perry) and a boorish wilderness guide (Farley), in the 19th century American frontier who try to beat Lewis and Clark as the first expedition to reach the Pacific Ocean.
The film contains Farley's last major role in a motion picture and was released five months after his death; he later had a cameo in the Norm MacDonald comedy Dirty Work, which was released later in the same year.
Contents |
[edit] Main cast
- Bartholomew Hunt - Chris Farley
- Leslie Edwards - Matthew Perry
- Shaquinna - Lisa Barbuscia
- Guy Fontenot - Eugene Levy
- Jonah - Bokeem Woodbine
- Bidwell - David Packer
- Hidalgo - Kevin Dunn
- Priest - Robert Tittor
- Pratt - Hamilton Camp
[edit] Plot
In 1804, Lewis & Clark have set out to discover America's western frontier. Unbeknownst to them, another expedition has been commissioned and is led by the stuffily aristocratic Leslie Edwards (Matthew Perry). Knowing he needs a man familiar with the territory to lead the way, Leslie hires Bartholomew Hunt (Chris Farley), a hyped-up tracker, along with a rag tag crew of misfits, including Guy Fontenot (Eugene Levy), an interpreter who doesn't speak any other languages. Heading off toward the Pacific Ocean, they encounter many obstacles such as wild bears, Indian tribes, and a group of Spanish conquistadors led by Hidalgo (Kevin Dunn), as they try to beat the other expedition team to the west coast.
The troupe make it at last when Farley is dragged into the ocean by a great eagle. However, as we are told in the narration, this is not known by many, and Lewis and Clark were eventually credited with the discovery.
[edit] Reaction
Critics disliked the movie, citing a poor script and bad acting. The movie currently has a "Rotten" 16% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. [1] The movie flopped at the box-office, grossing only $ 6 million in total. [2]
[edit] Trivia
- Harry Shearer, who is best known for voicing characters such as Ned Flanders on The Simpsons, is the Narrator.
[edit] Quotes
- Hunt: Walk to Asia. I like it.
- (Bidwell has just returned to camp after being mauled by a bear. His leg has apparently been bitten off.)
Bidwell: Sir, I've been to hell and back.
Edwards: Yes, I can see that...
Bidwell: I suspect that you'll want to lead a hunting party to slay that terrible beast.
Edwards: Well, yes, that thought did cross my mind briefly. But now I have a better idea.
Bidwell: Yes, sir?
Edwards: I shall fashion for you the finest wooden leg you've ever seen.
Bidwell: But what about the bear?
Edwards: Rest assured, Bidwell, in 20 years or so, the ravages of old age will deal with the bear far more cruelly than we ever could have.
Bidwell: Revenge is sweet, sir.
- Hunt: (after shooting a gun in the air) Next man to leave for New Orleans (shouts) will do so with a lead ball in his back!
- Pratt: Sir, there's an old sayin'. "White water in the morning."
Edwards: Yes?
Pratt: That's it.
- Higgins: (shouting) There's an animal now!
[everyone except Edwards and Hunt starts firing at the animal]
Higgins: We can't kill it! We're all dead! God save us!
Hunt: Hold your fire! Hold your fire!
[Everyone stops firing. Hunt looks closely and sees that the animal is just a squirrel nibbling on an acorn.]
Hunt: It's only a squirrel.
(short pause)
Pratt: He's got something in his hand!
Guy Fontenot: Something in his hand!
[they continue firing at the squirrel]
- Guy Fontenot:Any man who look at my woman will die!
- Lady: (to Hunt after she spits on him) I hope Satan himself will burn the flesh from your miserable bones!
Hunt: (offended) Good God, lady!
