Mickey Blue Eyes
Encyclopedia
Mickey Blue Eyes is a 1999 film
directed by Kelly Makin
. Hugh Grant
stars as Michael Felgate, an English auctioneer living in New York City
who becomes entangled in his soon-to-be father in-law's mafia
connections. Several of the minor roles are played by actors later featured in The Sopranos
TV gangster series.
), a British auctioneer, proposes marriage to his girlfriend Gina Vitale (Jeanne Tripplehorn
), he is shocked to be turned down. Gina later tearfully explains that her father Frank (James Caan) and most of her cousins and uncles are gangsters deeply involved in a Mafia
crime family, and she is worried that Michael may be sucked into their world. Michael retorts that he will not let this happen, but barely is their engagement party over before he is unwittingly involved in a money laundering
scam, and soon the FBI takes an interest in him.
When one of the money laundering scams at Michael's auction house goes wrong, Gina's cousin Johnny (John Ventimiglia
) confronts and assaults Michael. Gina fires a warning shot into the ceiling which ricochets and accidentally kills Johnny. When Johnny's father Vito finds out, he tells Frank he will kill Gina unless Frank kills Michael during his wedding speech. Unable to carry out the deed, Frank confesses what Vito has ordered him to do to Michael and the two of them turn to the FBI in return for protection. The FBI set up an elaborate operation in which Michael's execution will be faked at the wedding reception. Michael is given a hidden recording device and is tasked with trying to record Vito into admitting his criminal activity on tape before he is "executed".
Michael's plan fails, and when Vito realises that his execution is a set-up he orders Vinnie (Joe Viterelli
) to kill Michael. Vinnie shoots Gina in what appears to be an accident. Vito is arrested for ordering Michael's execution. As Frank and Michael mourn Gina's apparent death in the back of her ambulance it is revealed that her death was faked as well, and that Vinnie and Gina were also involved with the FBI as a back-up plan.
The films title comes from Michael being forced to impersonate a gangster, who Frank names "Kansas City Little Big Mickey Blue Eyes".
1999 in film
The year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep...
directed by Kelly Makin
Kelly Makin
Kelly Makin is a Canadian television and movie director. He directed some episodes of The Kids in the Hall comedy television series and also directed several episodes of Queer as Folk including that series' last episode...
. Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant
Hugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
stars as Michael Felgate, an English auctioneer living in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
who becomes entangled in his soon-to-be father in-law's mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
connections. Several of the minor roles are played by actors later featured in The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
TV gangster series.
Plot
When Michael Felgate (Hugh GrantHugh Grant
Hugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
), a British auctioneer, proposes marriage to his girlfriend Gina Vitale (Jeanne Tripplehorn
Jeanne Tripplehorn
Jeanne Marie Tripplehorn is an American film and television actress. She was brought to the public's attention through her supporting role in the 1992 film Basic Instinct, and since 2006 has starred opposite Bill Paxton in the HBO drama Big Love.-Early life:Tripplehorn was born in Tulsa,...
), he is shocked to be turned down. Gina later tearfully explains that her father Frank (James Caan) and most of her cousins and uncles are gangsters deeply involved in a Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
crime family, and she is worried that Michael may be sucked into their world. Michael retorts that he will not let this happen, but barely is their engagement party over before he is unwittingly involved in a money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
scam, and soon the FBI takes an interest in him.
When one of the money laundering scams at Michael's auction house goes wrong, Gina's cousin Johnny (John Ventimiglia
John Ventimiglia
John Ventimiglia is an American actor, known for his role as Artie Bucco on the HBO television series The Sopranos. He has had parts in feature films such as Cop Land, Jesus' Son, and Mickey Blue Eyes and has appeared in numerous television shows including Law & Order and NYPD Blue...
) confronts and assaults Michael. Gina fires a warning shot into the ceiling which ricochets and accidentally kills Johnny. When Johnny's father Vito finds out, he tells Frank he will kill Gina unless Frank kills Michael during his wedding speech. Unable to carry out the deed, Frank confesses what Vito has ordered him to do to Michael and the two of them turn to the FBI in return for protection. The FBI set up an elaborate operation in which Michael's execution will be faked at the wedding reception. Michael is given a hidden recording device and is tasked with trying to record Vito into admitting his criminal activity on tape before he is "executed".
Michael's plan fails, and when Vito realises that his execution is a set-up he orders Vinnie (Joe Viterelli
Joe Viterelli
Joseph "Joe" Viterelli was an Italian American actor known for his mafioso-orientated personality endorsements....
) to kill Michael. Vinnie shoots Gina in what appears to be an accident. Vito is arrested for ordering Michael's execution. As Frank and Michael mourn Gina's apparent death in the back of her ambulance it is revealed that her death was faked as well, and that Vinnie and Gina were also involved with the FBI as a back-up plan.
The films title comes from Michael being forced to impersonate a gangster, who Frank names "Kansas City Little Big Mickey Blue Eyes".
Cast
- Hugh GrantHugh GrantHugh John Mungo Grant is an English actor and film producer. He has received a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA, and an Honorary César. His films have earned more than $2.4 billion from 25 theatrical releases worldwide. Grant achieved international stardom after appearing in Richard Curtis's...
as Michael Felgate - James Caan as Frank Vitale
- Jeanne TripplehornJeanne TripplehornJeanne Marie Tripplehorn is an American film and television actress. She was brought to the public's attention through her supporting role in the 1992 film Basic Instinct, and since 2006 has starred opposite Bill Paxton in the HBO drama Big Love.-Early life:Tripplehorn was born in Tulsa,...
as Gina Vitale - Burt YoungBurt YoungBurt Young is an American actor, painter and author. He is best known for his Academy Award-nominated role as Sylvester Stallone's brother-in-law and friend Paulie in the Rocky film series.-Personal life:...
as Vito Graziosi - James FoxJames FoxJames Fox, OBE is an English actor.-Early life:James Fox was born in London, England to theatrical agent Robin Fox and actress Angela Worthington. He is the brother of actor Edward Fox and film producer Robert Fox. The actress Emilia Fox is his niece and the actor Laurence Fox is his son. His...
as Philip Cromwell - Joe ViterelliJoe ViterelliJoseph "Joe" Viterelli was an Italian American actor known for his mafioso-orientated personality endorsements....
as Vinnie D'Agostino - Gerry BeckerGerry BeckerGerry Becker is an American actor.In addition to theater appearances in the chicago area, he appeared in many films;, sometimes in a leading role, as in Man in the Moon.- Filmography :*Meyer, The Killing Floor, PBS, 1984...
as FBI Agent Bob Connell - Maddie CormanMaddie CormanMaddie Corman is an American television and film actress.-Career:Born Madeleine Cornman in New York City, New York, she began her career as a child actress in the 1980s...
as Carol the Photographer - Tony DarrowTony DarrowTony Darrow is an American actor.Darrow was born Anthony Borgese and grew up in the East New York section of Brooklyn. Darrow had plenty of opportunity to observe would be mobsters and their attitudes while growing up in his neighborhood in Brooklyn. As a child, Tony was gifted with a great...
as Angelo - Paul Lazar as Ritchie Vitale
- Vincent PastoreVincent PastoreVincent Pastore is an Italian-American actor, often cast as a mobster and best known for the role of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on The Sopranos.-Early life:...
as Al - Frank PellegrinoFrank PellegrinoFrank Pellegrino is an American actor and restaurateur.Born in East Harlem, Pellegrino has often acted in law and gangster-themed film and television productions. He was a member of an early sixties singing group called The Holidaes. There is a rare recording of a song called "Never" that appears...
as Sante - Scott ThompsonScott ThompsonScott Thompson is a Canadian television actor and comedian, best known for his time as a member of the comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall.-Personal life:...
as FBI Agent Lewis - John VentimigliaJohn VentimigliaJohn Ventimiglia is an American actor, known for his role as Artie Bucco on the HBO television series The Sopranos. He has had parts in feature films such as Cop Land, Jesus' Son, and Mickey Blue Eyes and has appeared in numerous television shows including Law & Order and NYPD Blue...
as Johnny Graziosi - Margaret Devine as Helen, Michael's Assistant