Renaissance Man
Encyclopedia
Renaissance Man is a 1994
comedy film
, directed by Penny Marshall
, starring Danny DeVito
, Gregory Hines
, James Remar
, and Ed Begley, Jr.
It also features Mark Wahlberg
in one of his earliest roles.
In Australia, the film is known under the title of Army Intelligence. The film was also remarketed several months after its initial release as a comedy, this time as a drama under the title of By the Book.
) is a divorced advertising executive down on his luck. When he loses his job in Detroit, the unemployment agency finds him a temporary job; teaching in the U.S. Army
training base, Fort McClane.
Initially unenthusiastic about this assignment, Rago finds that he has only six weeks to teach a group of "squeakers", who are especially low achievers, the basics of comprehension and use of English language. Most of the soldiers are only semi-literate and equally unenthusiastic.
Unable to connect with his pupils and desperate to spark their interest, Rago quotes from his favorite play, Hamlet
by William Shakespeare
, which they have never heard of. A small initial spark of interest is generated.
Rago further introduces them to Henry V
, which generates further interest. Despite the disapproval of their hard-as-nails Drill Sergeant Cass (Gregory Hines
), and the loss of one of the trainees, who is revealed as a drug dealer hiding under an assumed identity, he sets them an end-of-term examination, which his Captain friend doesn't expect them to pass, adding that if they fail, they will be discharged. However, they succeed.
The climax comes as one of the soldiers proudly gives Cass the St. Crispin's Day Speech by King Henry V while in full combat gear in the middle of the rain during a night exercise. Rago realizes that he has finally achieved success with his kids. A dose of mutual respect has also finally developed between him and Sgt. Cass.
Rago also does some investigation, as a result of which one of the soldiers is awarded the medal his father was to have been given posthumously, after he was killed on duty in Vietnam
.
As the proud soldiers march at their passing-out parade, Rago is saluted by his 'graduates', and signs on for a further period of teaching soldiers-in-training.
.
The scenes of Danny DeVito
going over the bridge are actually him driving over the Bluewater Bridge in Sarnia
, Point Edward
, Ontario
and Port Huron
, Michigan
.
gave the film one and a half stars out of a possible four. Ebert said that "the touch that was used so well in director Penny Marshall's previous films Big
and A League of Their Own
are totally missing in Renaissance Man and this feels like a cross between Dead Poets Society
and Private Benjamin
but does not have the warmth or spirit of those films". Although Ebert disliked the film and gave it a thumbs-down on his television show, Ebert's partner Gene Siskel
enjoyed the film as pleasant fare and gave it a thumbs-up.
The film flopped at the box office, grossing only US$
24 million domestically on an estimated budget of US$40 million. It was hindered by competing with summer blockbusters such as Speed and The Lion King
.
After failing to draw in much of an audience as a comedy, the film was marketed as a drama and re-released a few months later under the title By the Book, again without much box office success.
1994 in film
1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
, directed by Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall is an American actress, producer and director.After playing several small roles for television, she was cast as Laverne DeFazio in the sitcom Laverne and Shirley...
, starring Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
, Gregory Hines
Gregory Hines
Gregory Oliver Hines was an American actor, singer, dancer and choreographer.-Early years:Born in New York City, Hines and his older brother Maurice started dancing at an early age, studying with choreographer Henry LeTang...
, James Remar
James Remar
James Remar is an American actor and voice artist. He has appeared in movies, video games, and TV shows. He is perhaps best known as Richard, the on-off tycoon boyfriend of Kim Cattrall's character in Sex and the City, as Ajax in The Warriors, as the homicidal maniac Albert Ganz in the 1982...
, and Ed Begley, Jr.
Ed Begley, Jr.
Edward James "Ed" Begley, Jr. is an American actor and environmentalist. Begley has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He is best known for his role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich, on the television series St...
It also features Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...
in one of his earliest roles.
In Australia, the film is known under the title of Army Intelligence. The film was also remarketed several months after its initial release as a comedy, this time as a drama under the title of By the Book.
Plot
Bill Rago (Danny DeVitoDanny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
) is a divorced advertising executive down on his luck. When he loses his job in Detroit, the unemployment agency finds him a temporary job; teaching in the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
training base, Fort McClane.
Initially unenthusiastic about this assignment, Rago finds that he has only six weeks to teach a group of "squeakers", who are especially low achievers, the basics of comprehension and use of English language. Most of the soldiers are only semi-literate and equally unenthusiastic.
Unable to connect with his pupils and desperate to spark their interest, Rago quotes from his favorite play, Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
, which they have never heard of. A small initial spark of interest is generated.
Rago further introduces them to Henry V
Henry V (play)
Henry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to be written in approximately 1599. Its full titles are The Cronicle History of Henry the Fifth and The Life of Henry the Fifth...
, which generates further interest. Despite the disapproval of their hard-as-nails Drill Sergeant Cass (Gregory Hines
Gregory Hines
Gregory Oliver Hines was an American actor, singer, dancer and choreographer.-Early years:Born in New York City, Hines and his older brother Maurice started dancing at an early age, studying with choreographer Henry LeTang...
), and the loss of one of the trainees, who is revealed as a drug dealer hiding under an assumed identity, he sets them an end-of-term examination, which his Captain friend doesn't expect them to pass, adding that if they fail, they will be discharged. However, they succeed.
The climax comes as one of the soldiers proudly gives Cass the St. Crispin's Day Speech by King Henry V while in full combat gear in the middle of the rain during a night exercise. Rago realizes that he has finally achieved success with his kids. A dose of mutual respect has also finally developed between him and Sgt. Cass.
Rago also does some investigation, as a result of which one of the soldiers is awarded the medal his father was to have been given posthumously, after he was killed on duty in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
.
As the proud soldiers march at their passing-out parade, Rago is saluted by his 'graduates', and signs on for a further period of teaching soldiers-in-training.
Cast
- Danny DeVitoDanny DeVitoDaniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
as Bill Rago, an advertising executive who loses his job. He applies for unemployment and is ultimately offered a temporary teaching job for the U.S. Army. Bitter and frustrated, he finds himself unable to comprehend the strict structure of the army. - Gregory HinesGregory HinesGregory Oliver Hines was an American actor, singer, dancer and choreographer.-Early years:Born in New York City, Hines and his older brother Maurice started dancing at an early age, studying with choreographer Henry LeTang...
as Sergeant Cass, a strict Drill Sergeant, who makes it clear to Rago upon their first meeting that he finds classroom teaching of this civilian's "students" to be a waste of time and money, mockingly calling him "Shakespeare." - James RemarJames RemarJames Remar is an American actor and voice artist. He has appeared in movies, video games, and TV shows. He is perhaps best known as Richard, the on-off tycoon boyfriend of Kim Cattrall's character in Sex and the City, as Ajax in The Warriors, as the homicidal maniac Albert Ganz in the 1982...
as Captain Tom Murdoch, an official at Fort McClane and a supporter of Rago's, who is always busy but finds himself amused by Bill's initial frustrations. - Ed Begley, Jr.Ed Begley, Jr.Edward James "Ed" Begley, Jr. is an American actor and environmentalist. Begley has appeared in hundreds of films, television shows, and stage performances. He is best known for his role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich, on the television series St...
as Jack Markin, Rago's advertising partner, who does his best to defend Bill when he comes under fire for losing a business deal. - Lillo Brancato, Jr. as Private Donnie Benitez (Horatio), a soldier from The BronxThe BronxThe Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, who was originally part of a street gang. He enlists after his young sister is killed in a gang shooting. After seeing Henry VHenry VHenry V may refer to:People* Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg * Henry V of England * Henri, comte de Chambord, nominally Henry V of France, Entertainment...
with Rago and the class, he buys a copy of the play to read himself, and later recites the St. Crispin's Day Speech for Sgt. Cass while on night maneuvers. - Stacey DashStacey DashStacey Lauretta Dash is an American film and television actress.-Career:She made her first TV appearance in Farrell for the People starring Valerie Harper and a virtually unknown Ed O'Neill in 1982, which did not make it past its pilot episode...
as Private Miranda Myers (Ophelia), the sole female soldier in the class. Prior to joining the army, Miranda's mother ran off with a man and left her alone. While sitting at a bus stop, she found herself staring for two hours straight at an Army recruitment sign with the slogan "Be all you can be," so she enlisted. - Kadeem HardisonKadeem HardisonKadeem Hardison is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Dwayne Wayne on A Different World, a spin-off of the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show.-Childhood:...
as Private Jamaal Montgomery (Ghost of Hamlet's Father), a wise-cracking soldier who jokes around and taunts everyone in class. - Richard T. JonesRichard T. JonesRichard Timothy Jones is an American film and television actor.Jones was born in Kobe, Japan and raised in Carson, California. He is the son of Lorene, a computer analyst, and Clarence Jones, a professional baseball player and the hitting instructor for the Cleveland Indians. He also has an older...
as Corporal Jackson Leroy (Laertes), a serious soldier (and Montgomery's best friend), who had previously been an all-star football player before an injury forced him to give up his dream. He is bitter about having been encouraged to only pursue sports, leaving him with only a handful of options. He is married and a father-to-be. - Khalil KainKhalil KainKhaliloeron Kain is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Raheem Porter in the 1992 film Juice, and as Darnell Wilkes on the UPN/CW sitcom, Girlfriends.-Life and career:...
as Private Roosevelt (Nathaniel) Hobbs (Hamlet), an intelligent, mysterious soldier who intrigues Rago to encourage officials to explore his background in hopes of promoting him. While the research is being conducted, the officials uncover that he is actually a drug dealer who joined the Army with a fake identity to escape warrants for his arrest from selling crack. His discharge and arrest devastates Rago and the rest of his students. - Peter Simmons as Private Brian Davis, Jr., a soldier needled by others for continually discussing his deceased father, who was killed in the Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
before he was born. When roles for the class version of Hamlet are handed out, he's not thrilled about being cast as Queen Gertrude but accepts it after its revealed that all parts were played by men in Shakespeare's time. Rago proves this by performing a Juliet soliloquy. - Gregory Sporleder as Private Melvin Melvin (Polonius), a redneck soldier, well-known for falling asleep under any situation. It is implied that he enlisted to escape the abuse he endured from his stepfather. Upon receiving a letter, he learns that his younger siblings have begun to receive the beatings in his place. During the final exam, he notes that all royal characters in the play are either killed or commit suicide, and the only two characters who live on are "Fornbrazz and Horatio... a soldier, and a student... ain't that something?"
- Mark WahlbergMark WahlbergMark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...
as Private Tommy Lee Haywood (King Claudius), a tough-talking soldier from a trailer parkTrailer parkA trailer park is a semi-permanent or permanent area for mobile homes or travel trailers. The main reasons for living in such trailer parks are the often lower cost compared to other housing, and the ability to move to a new area more quickly and easily, for example when changing jobs to another...
, who had previously worked in a mill with his father before it closed down. He enlists in the Army hoping to see the world.
Filming
Filming began on September 13, 1993 and ended on November 20, 1993. The scenes at the fictional "Fort McClane" were actually filmed at Fort Jackson, South CarolinaSouth Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
.
The scenes of Danny DeVito
Danny DeVito
Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. , better known as Danny DeVito, is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC television series Taxi , for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.DeVito and his wife, Rhea Perlman,...
going over the bridge are actually him driving over the Bluewater Bridge in Sarnia
Sarnia, Ontario
Sarnia is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada . It is the largest city on Lake Huron and is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River....
, Point Edward
Point Edward, Ontario
Point Edward is a village in the Canadian province of Ontario. Adjacent to the city of Sarnia in Lambton County, Point Edward sits opposite Port Huron, Michigan at the mouth of the St. Clair River...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Port Huron
Port Huron, Michigan
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of St. Clair County. The population was 30,184 at the 2010 census. The city is adjacent to Port Huron Township but is administratively autonomous. It is joined by the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River to Sarnia,...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Reaction
Renaissance Man received many negative reviews upon release. Film critic Roger EbertRoger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave the film one and a half stars out of a possible four. Ebert said that "the touch that was used so well in director Penny Marshall's previous films Big
Big
Big is a 1988 romantic comedy film directed by Penny Marshall and stars Tom Hanks as Josh Baskin, a young boy who makes a wish "to be big" to a magical fortune-telling machine and is then aged to adulthood overnight...
and A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own is a 1992 American comedy-drama film that tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League . Directed by Penny Marshall, the film stars Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Rosie O'Donnell...
are totally missing in Renaissance Man and this feels like a cross between Dead Poets Society
Dead Poets Society
Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film directed by Peter Weir and starring Robin Williams. Set at the conservative and aristocratic Welton Academy in Vermont in 1959, it tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry.The script was written...
and Private Benjamin
Private Benjamin
Private Benjamin is a 1980 American comedy film starring Goldie Hawn. The film was one of the biggest box office hits of 1980, and also spawned a short-lived television series. The film is ranked 82 on the American Film Institute's "100 Funniest Movies" poll, and 59 on Bravo's "100 Funniest...
but does not have the warmth or spirit of those films". Although Ebert disliked the film and gave it a thumbs-down on his television show, Ebert's partner Gene Siskel
Gene Siskel
Eugene Kal "Gene" Siskel was an American film critic and journalist for the Chicago Tribune. Along with colleague Roger Ebert, he hosted the popular review show Siskel & Ebert At the Movies from 1975 until his death....
enjoyed the film as pleasant fare and gave it a thumbs-up.
The film flopped at the box office, grossing only US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
24 million domestically on an estimated budget of US$40 million. It was hindered by competing with summer blockbusters such as Speed and The Lion King
The Lion King
The Lion King is a 1994 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...
.
After failing to draw in much of an audience as a comedy, the film was marketed as a drama and re-released a few months later under the title By the Book, again without much box office success.