Kiss Me, Guido
Encyclopedia
Kiss Me, Guido is a 1997 independent film
comedy
. Written and directed by Tony Vitale
, it stars Nick Scotti
, Anthony Barrile
, Anthony DeSando
and Craig Chester
.
man living with his family in The Bronx, New York. He works in a pizza parlor but, inspired by the likes of Al Pacino
and Robert DeNiro, he wants to be an actor. After catching his fiancee (Jennifer Esposito
) cheating on him with his brother, Frankie decides the time has come to move out and pursue his dream.
He starts by checking the classifieds for roommate ads. He finds an ad from a "GWM." In classified-speak this stands for "gay
white male" but Frankie and his friend Joey (Domenick Lombardozzi
) interpret it as "guy with money."
The GWM in question is Warren (Barrile), an actor who's recently broken up with his director boyfriend. Frankie and Warren each have some initial misgivings - Frankie over Warren's being gay, Warren over Frankie's being a "Guido" or stereotypical
Italian
- but Warren lets Frankie move in.
Warren's ex, Dakota (Christopher Lawford
), returns and offers Warren a part in his new play. Warren initially accepts but after being injured in an attempted gay bashing
, has to withdraw. Frankie replaces him, but the part involves a same-sex kiss, which makes him nervous. At the premiere Frankie gives a good performance (although he hesitates on the kiss, leading his scene partner to hiss "Kiss me, Guido!") for an audience that includes his family, who come to understand and accept his decision to become an actor.
brought Kiss Me, Guido to the small screen in 2001 under the title Some of My Best Friends
. The series starred Jason Bateman
as Warren, Danny Nucci as Frankie, Michael DeLuise
as Pino and openly gay actor Alec Mapa
in the newly-created role of Vern Limoso. The series, written by Tony Vitale
and Marc Cherry
of Desperate Housewives, was cancelled after one season. Repeats turn up occasionally on Logo
.
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
. Written and directed by Tony Vitale
Tony Vitale
Tony Vitale is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his critically acclaimed film Kiss Me, Guido.- Biography :...
, it stars Nick Scotti
Nick Scotti
Nick Scotti is an American actor, model and singer.Scotti left high school to travel the world for a career in modeling, moving to Japan at age 17 and France at age 19. In the process, he became a popular male model...
, Anthony Barrile
Anthony Barrile
Anthony Barrile is an actor, musician, writer, and native New Yorker who has starred in many film and stage productions. He is well known to New York audiences for his memorable performance as 'Cousin Kevin', the twisted lout in the original Broadway production of the Tony Award winning 'The Who's...
, Anthony DeSando
Anthony DeSando
Anthony De Sando , also known as Anthony Joseph De Santis, is an American actor. He is of Italian descent, his grandparents were immigrants from the southern Italian regions, they emigrated due to better work opportunities to the United States...
and Craig Chester
Craig Chester
Craig Chester is an American actor and screenwriter.He is best known for his performances in independent films in the 1990s, starting with his debut in Swoon , which earned him an Independent Spirit Award nomination...
.
Synopsis
Frankie (Scotti) is a young Italian AmericanItalian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
man living with his family in The Bronx, New York. He works in a pizza parlor but, inspired by the likes of Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
and Robert DeNiro, he wants to be an actor. After catching his fiancee (Jennifer Esposito
Jennifer Esposito
Jennifer Esposito is an American actress, dancer and model, known for her appearances in films such as I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, Summer of Sam and Crash and in television series such as Spin City, The Looney Tunes Show and Samantha Who?.-Early life:Esposito, an Italian-American, was...
) cheating on him with his brother, Frankie decides the time has come to move out and pursue his dream.
He starts by checking the classifieds for roommate ads. He finds an ad from a "GWM." In classified-speak this stands for "gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
white male" but Frankie and his friend Joey (Domenick Lombardozzi
Domenick Lombardozzi
Domenico "Domenick" Lombardozzi is an American actor best known for his role as Thomas "Herc" Hauk on The Wire. Lombardozzi was inspired to act by the film State of Grace.-Filmography:...
) interpret it as "guy with money."
The GWM in question is Warren (Barrile), an actor who's recently broken up with his director boyfriend. Frankie and Warren each have some initial misgivings - Frankie over Warren's being gay, Warren over Frankie's being a "Guido" or stereotypical
Ethnic stereotype
An ethnic stereotype is a generalized representation of an ethnic group, composed of what are thought to be typical characteristics of members of the group.Ethnic stereotypes are commonly portrayed in ethnic jokes.-Ethnic stereotypes:*African Americans...
Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
- but Warren lets Frankie move in.
Warren's ex, Dakota (Christopher Lawford
Christopher Lawford
Christopher Kennedy Lawford is an American author, actor and activist and member of the prominent Kennedy family.-Life and career:...
), returns and offers Warren a part in his new play. Warren initially accepts but after being injured in an attempted gay bashing
Gay bashing
Gay bashing and gay bullying is verbal or physical abuse against a person who is perceived to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender . Such abuse is used also to bully heterosexual persons and persons of non-specific or unknown sexual orientation.A "bashing" may be a specific incident, and one...
, has to withdraw. Frankie replaces him, but the part involves a same-sex kiss, which makes him nervous. At the premiere Frankie gives a good performance (although he hesitates on the kiss, leading his scene partner to hiss "Kiss me, Guido!") for an audience that includes his family, who come to understand and accept his decision to become an actor.
Soundtrack
- Machine - "There But for the Grace of God Go I"
- Panic Patrol - "Out of Control"
- La Flavour - "Mandolay"
- Miquel Brown - "So Many Men, So Little Time"
- 3rd Party - "Can U Feel It"
- Edwin StarrEdwin StarrEdwin Starr was an American soul music singer. Starr is most famous for his Norman Whitfield produced singles of the 1970s, most notably the number one hit "War".-Biography:...
- "Contact" - Carol Jiani - "Hit & Run Lover"
- Martha WashMartha WashMartha Wash is an American R&B, Pop, Soul, House singer/songwriter known for her distinctive and powerful voice.-Early career:...
- "Magic Charms" - The Gap Band - "Burn Rubber on Me"
- Nick Scotti - "I'm Gonna Shout"
- Edwin Starr - "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio"
- Gloria GaynorGloria GaynorGloria Gaynor is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits; "I Will Survive" , "Never Can Say Goodbye" , "Let Me Know " and "I Am What I Am" .-Early career:Gaynor was a singer with the Soul...
- "I Am What I Am" - Love Tribe - "Stand Up"
Television
CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
brought Kiss Me, Guido to the small screen in 2001 under the title Some of My Best Friends
Some of My Best Friends
for the 1971 film, see Some of My Best Friends Are...Some of My Best Friends is an American sitcom shown on CBS from February 28 until April 11, 2001...
. The series starred Jason Bateman
Jason Bateman
Jason Kent Bateman is an American television and film actor. After appearing in several 1980s and 1990s sitcoms including It's Your Move, and The Hogan Family, Bateman came to prominence in the early 2000s for playing Michael Bluth on Arrested Development, for which he won a TV Land, a Golden...
as Warren, Danny Nucci as Frankie, Michael DeLuise
Michael DeLuise
Michael Robert DeLuise is an American actor, film director, and film producer.-Early life and career:DeLuise was born in Los Angeles, the second son of actor and comedian Dom DeLuise and actress Carol Arthur, and the brother of actor, writer, director Peter DeLuise and actor David DeLuise.DeLuise...
as Pino and openly gay actor Alec Mapa
Alec Mapa
-Personal life:Mapa, a Filipino American, was born in San Francisco and attended George Washington High School . Mapa is openly gay and lends his support to various projects supporting the gay, lesbian, and Asian American communities...
in the newly-created role of Vern Limoso. The series, written by Tony Vitale
Tony Vitale
Tony Vitale is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his critically acclaimed film Kiss Me, Guido.- Biography :...
and Marc Cherry
Marc Cherry
Marc Cherry is an American writer and producer, best known for creating the show Desperate Housewives.-Early life and career:...
of Desperate Housewives, was cancelled after one season. Repeats turn up occasionally on Logo
Logo (TV channel)
Logo is an American digital cable television channel owned by Viacom's MTV Networks division. Launched in June 2005, the channel's programs are geared towards the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community...
.