True Identity (1991)
- Starring:
- Lenny Henry, Frank Langella, (more)
- Director(s):
- Charles Lane
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
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Theatrical Release Information | See Details About All Versions
Charles Lane directed Andy Breckman's script, based on an old "Saturday Night Live" sketch of Breckman's that featured Eddie Murphy. Comic Lenny Henry takes Murphy's place in True Identity as a black man forced to don white face in order to save his life. Henry plays Miles Pope, an agreeable British actor whose luck sours when he finds out that businessman Leland Carver (Frank Langella) is actually a notorious underworld mobster. Carver now wants to rub Miles out and the only way that Miles can escape Carver's retribution is to disguise himself as a man named Frank LaMotta, the Italian-American killer that Carver has hired to kill him. During the story, Miles finds that he has to assume a variety of roles to keep from getting shot --a gay real estate agent, a British lord, James Brown's brother Val, and even Othello. But the biggest shock for Miles comes when he plays the white man and discovers that he is given preferential treatment --not only by whites, but also by blacks and Hispanics. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Complete Cast:
- Lenny Henry - Miles Pope
- Charles Lane - Duane
- Anne-Marie Johnson - Kristi Reeves
- Michael McKean - Harvey Cooper
- Bill Raymond - Grunfeld
- Darnell Williams - Tyler
- Melvin Van Peebles - Taxi Driver
- Ken Miles - 1st Cop
- Doug Carfrae - JFK Ticket Clerk
- Jim Gavin - Helicopter Pilot
- Richard Ganoung - Roderigo
- Raymond Forchion - Burly Cop
- Victor Colicchio - 2nd Alley Guy
- Jane Marla Robbins - Director's Assistant
- George Riddick - Fifth Avenue Pedestrian
- Grant Owens - Senator
- Joyce Meadows - FBI Receptionist
- Bobby Johnson - 3rd Alley Guy
- R. Lee Ermey - Houston's Boss (uncredited)
- Christina Wright - 3rd Audience Member
- Karen Willins - Karen
- Greg Travis - Orlando Ticket Buyer
- Peter Fitzgerald - Horror Movie Actor
- James Mathers - Pilot
- Olivia Sklar - Cab Woman
- Mik Scriba - Police Sergeant
- Roselyn D. Schwartz - FBI Secretary
- Laura Schaefer - Stewardess
- Joseph A. Jackson - 2nd Cab Man
- Valerie Holvick - Red-Haired Acting Student
- Robert Haufrecht - FBI Lobby Agent
- Katie Graves - Female Ticket Agent
- Sarah Baley - 1st Audience Member
- Joe Bellan - Janitor
- Robert Black - 1st Cab Man
- Frank Langella - Leland Carver
- J.T. Walsh - Craig Houston
- Andreas Katsulas - Anthony
- Peggy Lipton - Rita
- James Earl Jones - Himself
- Christopher Collins - Frank LaMotta
- Ruth Brown - Martha
- David Martel Bryant - Clown
- Hazelle Goodman - Miles's 1st Neighbor
- James W. Gavin - Helicopter Pilot
- Jonathan Frechette - Flight Engineer
- Bettiann Fishman - Waitress
- Lilyan Chauvin - Police Station Woman
- Beth Robbins - Female FBI Agent
- Damon Pooser - Brother
- Fantasia Owens - Ruth
- James Landi - FBI Driver
- Pat Golden
- Shane Dixon - FBI Agent on Catwalk
- Ilona Wilson - Lola
- Eric Briant Wells - 2nd Acting Student
- Tracy Brooks Swope - Airplane Wife
- Michael Jai White - 1st Alley Guy
- Fred Springer - Country Club Receptionist
- Clifford Shegog - Police Lineup Guy
- Judson Scott - Iago
- Ann Schulman - 2nd Audience Member
- Anthony Johnson - Audition Actor
- Maria C. Hurtado - Miles's 2nd Neighbor
- Shannon Holt - Desdemona
- Lynne Griffin - Emilia
- Glenn David Calloway - Distinguished Man
- Michael Baskin - Airplane Husband
- James Bilbrey - Man on Line
- Cynthia Blackledge - 1st Acting Student
- Director(s):
- Charles Lane
- Writer(s):
- Michael Swerdlick, William Davies, Andy Breckman
- Producer(s):
- Sandy Gallin, Zvi Howard Rosenman, Teri Schwartz
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Profanity, Strong Sexual Content, Graphic Violence, Not For Children, Adult Language, Violence)
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions





