Aaron Russo Movies
Entertainment mogul Aaron Russo launched his career atypically for one who ultimately produced features -- like Lou Adler, Russo kick-started his ascent to "above the title" marquee status not in film but in music management and publicity. He began by aggressively promoting rock & roll gigs, and then, as an agent, represented a pre-stardom Bette Midler in her glory days -- the period when the diva/comedienne mounted her Tony Award-winning musical show Clams on the Half Shell Review. In time, that show's success (and, doubtless, Midler's extraordinary talent) prompted the two to re-team for what became the first foray of either into filmmaking: the harrowing Mark Rydell-directed tragedy The Rose, about the spectacular fall of a rock diva (Midler) based very loosely on Janis Joplin. That picture scored on all fronts; unfortunately, Russo's subsequent outings waxed uneven -- he was responsible for such stinkers as the 1982 gay cop comedy Partners (a universally reviled parody of Friedkin's Cruising), and the misanthropic Arthur Hiller-directed satire Teachers (1984), yet also produced the fine Eddie Murphy/Dan Aykroyd farce Trading Places (1983), one of the biggest blockbusters of its year and a critical and public favorite.Russo mounted his last film project approximately two years before he died, in a quadruple threat as writer, director, editor, and producer: the muckraking documentary America: Freedom to Fascism. Ostensibly an expose of IRS practices, it premiered to mostly negative reviews in July 2006. That film demonstrated Russo's longstanding interest in politics; he ran on the Republican platform for Nevada governor in 1988, and made an unsuccessful attempt to land the Libertarian nomination for presidential candidate in 2004. Russo died of cancer in August 2007. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 1931
In this drama, two half-sisters begin fighting after they fall for the same man. The fight is resolved when one of the girls gets pregnant and must marry and the other ends up in a convent. Later murder, forgery, and extortion ensue. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Margot Grahame, Elizabeth Allan, (more)
Bette Midler stars as Rose in this somber drama loosely based on the life of the late Janis Joplin. She plays an ill-fated singer who succumbs to the pressures of performing by indulging in drugs and alcohol. Her sweetheart Dyer (Frederic Forrest) is the former chauffeur who naively tries to save her from self destruction, while her British manager Rudge (Alan Bates) is ultimately blamed for not preventing her inevitable fall. The story mirrors any one of a number of popular singers who have fallen victim to the excess of success. Midler and Forrest were nominated for Oscars for their performances, with Best Editing laurels given to Timothy O'Meara and Robert Wolf. The Rose was a box office smash and was the plum role that elevated Midler to star status in the eyes of the public and Hollywood. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bette Midler, Alan Bates, (more)
TV director James Burrows made his feature debut with this unusual film that's a situation comedy-style twist on both The Odd Couple (1968) and Cruising (1980). The murder of a male model in a gay, beachfront enclave of L.A. warrants an undercover investigation, so police officer Benson (Ryan O'Neal), a straight, macho, law-and-order type, is assigned to partner with file clerk Kerwin (John Hurt), a mild-mannered homosexual. Benson and Kerwin are to pose as a gay couple who have just moved to the area. At first, Benson's slovenly ways drive the fussy Kerwin to distraction, while Kerwin's sexual orientation and prissy manners are a source of constant frustration for straight-arrow Benson. However, the two eventually become friendly roommates, if not exactly friends, and Benson even begins to see the world through Kerwin's eyes. Although he carries a badge, the fussy Kerwin is essentially a civilian, but as he and Benson close in on the murderer, Kerwin reveals himself to be a far more capable cop than Benson assumes him to be. Partners was written by Francis Veber, author of La Cage aux Folles (1978) and The Man with One Red Shoe (1985). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan O'Neal, John Hurt, (more)
The "nature-nurture" theory that motivated so many Three Stooges comedies is the basis of John Landis's hit comedy. The fabulously wealthy but morally bankrupt Duke brothers (Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche) make a one-dollar bet over heredity vs. environment. Curious as to what might happen if different lifestyles were reversed, they arrange for impoverished street hustler Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) to be placed in the lap of luxury and trained for a cushy career in commodities brokerage. Simultaneously, they set about to reduce aristocratic yuppie Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd to poverty and disgrace, hiring a prostitute (Jamie Lee Curtis) to hasten his downfall. When Billy Ray figures out that the brothers intend to dump him back on the streets once their experiment is complete, he seeks out Winthorpe, and together the pauper-turned-prince and prince-turned-pauper plot an uproarious revenge. With the good-hearted prostitute and Winthorpe's faithful butler (Denholm Elliott) as their accomplices, they set about to hit the brothers where it really hurts: in the pocketbook. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd, (more)
Arthur Hiller directed this satiric look at contemporary urban high schools, examining disillusioned teachers who try to regain their idealism. Nick Nolte stars as Alex, a teacher at John Fitzgerald Kennedy High School, who was once an idealistic teacher but whose main concern now is sobering up before the next class session. The high school is headed by ineffective principal Mr. Horn (William Schallert) and an imperious vice-principal named Roger (Judd Hirsch). When a recent graduate of the high school sues the school because it graduated him illiterate, Alex finds himself in conflict with the hard-nosed school superintendent Dr. Burke (Lee Grant). The high school heats up even more when Alex falls in love with Lisa (JoBeth Williams), the attractive lawyer who was once one of Alex's honor students. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nick Nolte, JoBeth Williams, (more)
The "wise guys" referred to in the title, Harry Valentini (Danny DeVito) and Moe Dickstein (Joe Piscopo), turn out to be not so wise after all in this crime-oriented comedy. Harry and Moe run the risk of certain death when they steal money from a Mafia don (Dan Hedaya) and then try to multiply their ill-gotten gains at the horse races. Naturally, they lose the bundle and the next thing they know they're running from hitmen and trying to come up with enough cash to pay back their debt. Wise Guys' blend of comedy and action represented something of a change of pace for director Brian DePalma, best known for his offbeat thrillers and Hitchcock homages. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny DeVito, Joe Piscopo, (more)
- 1989
- R
Cheech Marin and Eric Roberts play two draft-dodging hippies who flee to a commune in Central America where they stay for 20 years. When they return in 1989 and seek out some of their old NYC buddies, they find they've turned yuppie and things just aren't what they'd expected. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cheech Marin, Eric Roberts, (more)
- 1991
- PG
In this comedy thriller two dopey pals try to solve a puzzling riddle. If they succeed, one of them will inherit a valuable artifact, an object desired by a number of suspicious characters willing to do just about anything to obtain it. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Idle, Robert Wuhl, (more)
- 1992
- PG13
Two people fleeing different sorts of danger find one another in this screwball romantic comedy from France. Danny (Edouard Baer) is a professional magician who has been struggling to find work and has somehow managed to get on the wrong side of his emotionally unstable brother-in-law Max (Joey Starr). With Max eager to hurt him, Danny decides to leave town, and drops his aging and senile mother (Bulle Ogier) off at a mental hospital, where he meets Sonia (Melanie Bernier), who seems a bit too interested in the opposite sex. As Danny hits the road, he picks up at attractive hitch-hiker, Irene (Nathalie Baye), who is carrying a large purse and gets frequent phone calls from men Danny assumes are her current or former lovers. But Danny doesn't know the half of Irene's story -- she's the paramour of a powerful politician (Guy Marchand) who has become involved in an illegal deal to sell arms to North Korea, and Irene is carrying both the politician's cash and evidence of his wrongdoings. Irene is also involved with a well-connected Korean gentleman (Park Jung-hak) and is dodging calls from both her lovers as she and Danny motor away in search of relative safety, and it isn't long before the traveling companions become attracted to one another. Passe-passe (aka Off And Running) also stars Maurice Benichou, Sandrine Le Berre and Hippolyte Girardot. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cyndi Lauper, David Keith, (more)
Former rock & roll promoter and manager-turned-political activist Aaron Russo sets out to discover the truth behind the Internal Revenue Service in an eye-opening documentary filmed to find out if there is any existing law that requires Americans to pay an income tax. What Russo claims to uncover in his nonpartisan investigation is a systematic erosion of civil liberties implemented by wealthy bankers in the early 19th century and subsequently proliferated by a government more interested in ruling the people than serving them. Interviews with former U.S. congressmen, a former IRS commissioner, a variety of former agents for the IRS and FBI, authors, and tax attorneys paint an ominous image of how various components including the Federal Reserve, national identity cards, voter fraud, income tax, and the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) systems in tracking everyday citizens are all coming together behind the scenes to pave the way for an all-powerful police state the likes of which would send chills down the spine of George Orwell. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Aaron Russo
