Billy Bathgate (film)

Billy Bathgate
Original Theatrical Poster
Directed by	Robert Benton
Screenplay by	Tom Stoppard
Based on	Billy Bathgate  by E.L. Doctorow
Starring	Dustin Hoffman Nicole Kidman Steven Hill Loren Dean Bruce Willis
Music by	Mark Isham
Cinematography	Néstor Almendros
Edited by	Alan Heim David Ray Robert M. Reitano
Production company	Touchstone Pictures
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures
Release dates	November 1, 1991
Running time	106 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$48 million
Box office	$15,565,363

Billy Bathgate is a 1991 American gangster film directed by Robert Benton, starring Loren Dean as the titular character and Dustin Hoffman as real-life gangster Dutch Schultz. The film co-stars Nicole Kidman, Steven Hill, Steve Buscemi, and Bruce Willis. Although Billy is a fictional character, most of the other characters in the film represent real people from 1930s New York. The screenplay was adapted by British writer Tom Stoppard from E.L. Doctorow's novel of the same name. However, Doctorow distanced himself from the film for the extensive deviations from the book.

Plot summary

Billy Behan is a poor teenage boy from the Bronx. One day he catches the attention of gangster Dutch Schultz. Changing his last name to Bathgate, after a local street, he goes to work for Schultz's organization, serving mostly as a gopher for Schultz. Billy is present when Schultz murders his former partner Bo Weinberg, who Schultz believes betrayed him. Schultz then begins a relationship with Weinberg's beautiful, married, girlfriend, Drew Preston.

Facing legal charges in a court in upstate New York, Schultz brings Billy and Drew along. He successfully charms the locals, presenting himself as charming and good natured. While his boss Dutch stands trial, Billy's job is to watch over Drew. His loyalties to Schultz are tested as he begins falling in love with the flirtatious Drew. Realizing that Drew is about to be killed, Billy calls her husband, who hurries to town and takes her home before Schultz's men can make their move.

Having beaten the rap in court, Dutch is indicted again on federal tax evasion charges. He wants to have federal prosecutor Thomas Dewey murdered, but his request is rejected by the Mafia Commission. Schultz sends Billy to another gangster with some bribe money, but the effort is rejected. When Billy returns with the bad news, he and Schultz have a falling out and Billy is fired by Schult'z associate Otto, who lets him keep the bribe money as a severance package. As Billy leaves, he is abducted and beaten by gangsters working for Lucky Luciano. The men storm Dutch's hideout and kill everyone inside. Billy is taken before Luciano, who warns him that he knows where Billy's family lives, before letting him go.

Cast

• Dustin Hoffman as Arthur "Dutch Schultz" Flegenheimer
• Nicole Kidman as Drew Preston
• Loren Dean as Billy Bathgate
• Bruce Willis as Bo Weinberg
• Steven Hill as Otto Berman
• Stanley Tucci as Lucky Luciano
• Mike Starr as Big Julie Martin
• Steve Buscemi as Irving
• Frances Conroy as Mary Behan
• Moira Kelly as Becky
• Jack Mulcahy as Fire Inspector (uncredited)

Production

The film was shot in Hamlet, North Carolina and Saratoga Springs, New York.

Reception

Critical

The movie received mixed reviews.^[1][2][3] It has a "Rotten" rating of 47% on Rotten Tomatoes.^[4]

Box office

The movie debuted at No. 4^[5] and underperformed against its $48 million budget.

Awards and nominations

The film received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture (Nicole Kidman).

References

External links

• Billy Bathgate at the Internet Movie Database
• Billy Bathgate at Rotten Tomatoes
• Billy Bathgate at Box Office Mojo