Mikey and Nicky

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Mikey and Nicky
Directed by	Elaine May
Produced by	Michael Hausman
Written by	Elaine May
Starring	Peter Falk John Cassavetes Ned Beatty Rose Arrick Carol Grace
Music by	John Strauss
Cinematography	Bernie Abramson Lucien Ballard Victor J. Kemper
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	December 21, 1976
Running time	119 min. (Canada:106 min.)
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$4.3 m
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Mikey and Nicky is a 1976 film written and directed by Elaine May. It is May's third film, and one of her most innovative. Using three cameras that she sometimes left running for hours, May captured spontaneous interaction between actor Peter Falk (of the TV series Columbo), and actor (and maverick director) John Cassavetes. The performances of Falk and Cassavetes make this much more than a gangster movie; it's a portrait of human foibles, loyalty, and inner conflict.

Mikey and Nicky was released in New York City on December 21, 1976. The film was originally intended as a summer 1975 release, then moved to Christmas 1975 due to editing problems.

May missed the film's delivery date by almost a year because of her well-known perfectionism in the editing process. Litigation followed between the director and Paramount, with Paramount gaining possession of the film with final cut privilege. May didn't direct again for nearly twelve years.

The film's original $1.8 million budget ballooned to nearly $4.3 million by the time May turned the film over to Paramount.

Angered over May's contentiousness during filming and editing, Paramount booked the completed film into theaters for a few days to satisfy contractual obligations, but they failed to give the film its full support. Ten years later, a new version of the film--approved by May--was shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City (Directors Guild of America, Fiftieth Anniversary Tribute), November 17, 1986.

The film was also shown at the United States Film Festival in Park City, Utah (Tribute to John Cassavetes) January 25, 1989.

May originally cast Paramount president Frank Yablans as a gangster, but the chairman of parent company Gulf+Western, Charles Bluhdorn, was not amused, and demanded that she recast.

[edit] Synopsis

When Nicky calls Mikey yet again to bail him out of trouble—this time a contract on his life for money that he stole from his mob boss—Mikey, as always, shows up to help. Overcoming the obstacles of Nicky's paranoia and blind fear, Mikey gets him out of the hotel where he has holed up, and starts to help him plan his escape; however, Nicky keeps changing the plan, and a hit man is hot on their trail. As they try to make their escape, the two friends have to confront issues of betrayal, regret, and the value of friendship versus self-preservation.