William Hickey Movies
Trained at the Hagen-Bergdorf school, William Hickey made his Broadway bow in a 1951 production of Shaw's St. Joan. For many years, Hickey was best known as a highly sought-after acting coach; among his students were such showbiz heavyweights as Jack Nicholson and Barbra Streisand. In 1957, Hickey appeared in his first film, repeating his stage characterization "Apples" in A Hatful of Rain. Hickey's wizened countenance and rusty-nail voice has been successfully harnessed for such showy screen roles as Rod Steiger's zany sidekick in Happy Birthday Wanda June (1971). 1990s assignments include the role of Fogarty on the TV sitcom Baby Talk(1991) and a voiceover gig as The Mad Scientist in Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). In 1986, William Hickey received an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Don Corrado Prizzi in John Huston's Prizzi's Honor. His final screen performance was in the comedy Mousehunt (1997). Hickey died from complications of emphysema and bronchitis at the age of 69. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1999
Several noted American actors dot this autobiographical feature from Hungarian filmmaker Gabe Von Dettre (also know as Gabor Dettre) about the difficulty of getting a break in the movie industry. Brad Dourif plays a filmmaker who often talks to the audience about the main question on his mind -- why can't he get a project financed when so many people with less talent and fewer credentials are working steadily? This film (which was many years in production, as evidenced by the presence of several actors who are no longer living) was shown as part of the 1999 Hungarian Film Week Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brad Dourif, Kathleen Gati, (more)
Gore Verbinski, the TV-commercials director responsible for the Budweiser frogs, directed this Adam Rifkin screenplay about two brothers (Nathan Lane and Lee Evans) who inherit a string factory and a decaying country home after the death of their father (the late William Hickey, in his last role). After moving in, they learn that the house has historical architectural importance and is valued in the millions. However, they are constantly tormented by a mouse within the walls. They engage in cartoon-like combat against the rodent, but it manages to outwit the brothers in successive situations. Both live and animatronic mice portray the title role, and some scenes assume the mouse's point of view. The film is dedicated to William Hickey. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nathan Lane, Lee Evans, (more)
It is surprising to note what doesn't change when the story of Dickens's novel Oliver Twist moves from the criminal underground of 19th-century London to the world of American gays in the 1990s. In this movie, Lee (Keivyn McNeill Graves) is a homeless young orphan boy who gets taken into the lives of a group of colorful, decadent men. Their friendships and jealousies, as well as their disagreements about Lee's upbringing, carry the familiar story along. Billy Porter's performance as Shiniqua, a feisty street-hardened drag queen, stands out. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
Romeo and Juliet gets updated -- and played for laughs -- in this romantic comedy set in the City Island section of the Bronx. Mike and Sadie Cappamezza (Joseph Bologna and Lainie Kazan) are a hard-working couple who have run a family-style Italian restaurant for years. The Cappamezzas' fiercest rivals have long been Count and Countess Malacici (Paul Sorvino and Barbara Carrera), who operate a pretentiously upscale Neapolitan eatery (and whose titled nobility seems to be in question). The Malacicis don't like the Cappamezzas any more than the Cappamezzas like them, and for years they've been trying to run each other out of business. So no one is pleased when Rosario Cappamezza (Nathaniel Marston), Mike and Sadie's son, and Gina Malacici (Angelina Jolie), the daughter of the Count and Countess, are cast in a student production of Romeo and Juliet -- and annoyance gives way to shock when Rosario and Gina fall in love offstage as well as on. The husband and wife team of Joseph Bologna and Renee Taylor co-wrote and co-directed this film; Taylor also appears in a small role as a psychic. While completed in 1994, Love Is All There Is didn't enjoy a theatrical release until 1996. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lainie Kazan, Joseph Bologna, (more)
- 1995
- R
In this psycho-thriller, a little girl and her mother find themselves the focus of a crazed couple's delusions. The horror begins after Cassie has a fight with her husband David and takes off in the car with their young daughter Samantha. Cassie takes a wrong turn and ends up in the home of the evil Mr. and Mrs. Because Cassie and Samantha closely resemble relatives the couple recently lost, the duo hold the frightened mother and daughter captive in their home. Soon the two victims find themselves psychologically and physically abused, particularly Cassie who is threatened with torture and rape. Will David find them before the Scudders kill them both? ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Angie Dickinson, (more)
- 1995
- R
Two guys from Queens wind up in trouble with the mob because of their fondness for prank phone calls in this quickie comedy. Stars Johnny Brennan and Kamal Ahmed first found fame as "The Jerky Boys" thanks to a series of comedy albums featuring real prank calls in which the duo assumed a variety of abrasive and often extremely foul-mouthed characters. Playing characters based on themselves, they reprise many of these same routines in this debut film, linking the comic bits together through a loose plot concerning local organized crime. It seems the boys have used their phone skills to trick a local mobster (Alan Arkin) into thinking that they are notorious Chicago hoods, only to have to go on the run when their scheme is discovered. Made to capitalize on a Jerky Boys fad, the film failed to attract much of an audience beyond their existing fans. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Brennan, Kamal Ahmed, (more)
Hawk-like Marine Corps officer Benson Payne (Damon Wayans) attempts to whip into shape the usual assortment of misfit JROTC kids in this minor remake of The Private War of Major Benson. Of course, both the major and his pint-sized recruits have something to teach one another. Payne teaches them the value of self-discipline and instills self-confidence in them, and the recruits teach him to stop and smell the roses (not to mention the fact that kids sometimes need coddling rather than screaming). And, of course, there is the annual JROTC statewide competition, which the kids are obligated to win before the movie can end. While there are some funny moments (the major's exhibition in full-dress whites at a school dance, for example), the script seems too color-by-numbers to be interesting to anyone other than undiscriminating younger viewers. ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Damon Wayans, Karyn Parsons, (more)
Actor Billy Crystal co-wrote, directed, and starred in this romantic comedy. Forty-something couple Andy (Joe Mantegna) and Liz (Cynthia Stevenson) are about to be married, and as they gather with their friends for dinner not long before the wedding, they are told the story of their mutual friends Mickey (Billy Crystal) and Ellen (Debra Winger) as a cautionary tale of where a relationship can go wrong. Mickey is a top referee with the NBA who has traveled to Paris to bury his father, who wanted to be laid to rest with his Army buddies from World War II. The body is somehow lost in transit, and Mickey has an argument with Ellen, who works for an American airline in France. However, she likes his sense of humor, he is taken with her, and after a few days together in Paris, they decide to marry. However, once they return to Mickey's home in the United States, things get complicated; she's not so sure that she cares for his bachelor apartment ("a shrine to watching ESPN"), or juggling her career against his, while both have problems with their respective families. Several major basketball stars and sports figures appear in Forget Paris as themselves, including Charles Barkley, Bill Walton, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Marv Albert. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy Crystal, Debra Winger, (more)
- 1994
Mystery and romance and political commentary are combined in this drama set in post-Communist Prague. When Orf sees the young and beautiful Sarka whistling and singing upon the rooftops he falls immediately in love. But just as their romance heats up, Orf leaves her to become heir to a large and rare collection of erotic art. The art was hidden from the Nazis and the Red Army for many years and was protected by an aging major domo. Suddenly the guardian is murdered and the paintings are stolen. Orf sets off to find the treasures, gets framed for murder by others desiring the paintings, escapes with the assistance of two musicians, regains and smuggles his paintings back to Prague, and renews his relationship with Sarka. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vincent Rouche, Benedicte Loyen, (more)
- 1994
Antonio (Tony Shalhoub) picks up some extra money by hiring out as a chauffeur for the terminally whiny and obnoxious Carlton Blanchard (William Hickey). But wait, it gets worse -- arriving in Nantucket soon in search of Carlton is the man's equally whiny and obnoxious nephew, Lewis (Gilbert Gottfried). In the final analysis, it is Helen (Crystal Bernard) who suffers the most from the double assault of Blanchards -- but that's only relatively speaking. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
- PG
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This stop-motion animated fable was a big hit when it was released -- not only at the box office, but critically. It was praised for its stunning originality and for the excellence of its execution. In addition, it was praised for being a completely absorbing fable that both grownups and children can enjoy, so long as the children are able to its handle scary bits (beginning perhaps at age seven or eight). In the story, Jack Skellington (voice of Chris Sarandon) is the Pumpkin King of Halloweentown, a realm of reality where the inhabitants make it their life's work to scare humans on Halloween. He's good at his work, and is very popular around town, but it all bores him. In a funk one day, he wanders into a wood where every tree is the doorway to realms serving one or another human holiday, and falls through the doorway into Christmas. There, he sees scenes of such glee and good will that he is overwhelmed. He returns to Halloweentown with the inspiration to persuade his fellow citizens to kidnap Santa and do Christmas in their own Halloweentown way -- complete with snakes and shrunken heads. Despite strong arguments against this project by Jack's otherwise loyal girlfriend, Sally (voice of Catherine O'Hara), Santa (voice of Edward Ivory) is duly captured, and the townspeople prepare a very special Christmas for everyone. Jack is excited about the new plan, and at first doesn't notice that Sally isn't around much anymore. Meanwhile, Oogie Boogie (voice of Ken Page), a sinister opponent of Jack's, has re-kidnapped Santa and has captured Sally as well. Since Sally is the true love of Jack's life and (he eventually realizes) the only one who can be relied upon to tell him the truth in every circumstance, a confrontation with Oogie Boogie becomes inevitable. In addition to being a monumental work of animation (it took over 120 animators and many more technicians more than two years to film it), this show features ten very appropriate musical numbers by composer Danny Elfman, who also supplies Jack's singing voice. In October 2006, fans of the innovative animated classic got to experience The Nightmare Before Christmas in a whole new dimension when the film was re-released into theaters in Disney Digital 3-D -- a process developed to add remarkable new depth to films that were originally released in standard 2-D. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, (more)
- 1993
William Hickey returns in the role of crabby oldster Carlton Blanchard, a character he introduced in the previous season's episode "Das Plane." In a variation on The Man Who Came to Dinner, Carlton tumbles down the stairs while visiting Fay (Rebecca Schull) -- and, to quote the classic commercial, he's fallen and can't get up. Threatening to call his lawyer son and file a huge lawsuit, Carlton installs himself in Fay's living room and demands to be waited upon hand and foot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
The good news is that the airline ticket donated to charity by Joe (Tim Daly) has netted 10,000 dollars. The bad news is that Joe and Brian (Steven Weber) -- whose idea it was to donate the ticket -- must now fly from Nantucket to New Mexico with a particularly disagreeable passenger, an old coot named Carlton Blanchard (played by Oscar-nominated character actor William Hickey, of Prizzi's Honor fame) who hopes to be reunited with his long-estranged brother. Blanchard's endless crabbing and pointless questions soon have the brothers at each other's throats. (So what else is new?) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
- R
When an archaeologist uncovers an ancient Norse power stone, he returns with it to his New York City home. Too bad for the relic-digger, because it's not long before an evil spirit is projected from the stone into the archaeologist, turning him into a hairy beast. And too bad for the people of NYC, because this hairy beast goes on a vicious marauding spree that befuddles the local police. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Riegert, Joan Severance, (more)
- 1990
John Savage plays a roving reporter on assignment in Africa. While nosing around in the jungle, Savage stumbles upon an unregenerate Nazi war criminal. As he mulls over what do with this information, the Nazi continues laying the groundwork for a worldwide neofascist conspiracy. Despite the presence of such thespic heavyweights as William Hickey and Ernest Borgnine, Any Man's Death never quite lives up to its potential. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Savage, William Hickey, (more)
Herbert Ross directed this Nora Ephron-scripted buddy comedy starring Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, and Joan Cusack. Steve Martin plays Vinnie Antonelli, a street smart mobster who agrees to turn state's evidence and is forced to move to Fryburg, California as part of the witness relocation program. Rick Moranis plays the nebbish FBI agent Barney Coopersmith, who is assigned to help Vinnie adjust to small town life. Instead, Vinnie helps Barney come out of his shell, much to the consternation of divorced mother and relentless district attorney Hannah Stubbs (Joan Cusack). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, (more)
- 1990
- R
This gangster satire involves a boss (William Hickey) who turns over the reins of his organization to an incompetent son (Eddie Deezen). ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Deezen, Morgan Fairchild, (more)
- 1990
- R
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This feature-length spin-off of the popular television horror anthology is directed by John Harrison, who directed many episodes of the television series. The film consists of four grisly and gruesome horror teasers. "The Wraparound Story" stars Deborah Harry as Betty, a chef with a kitchen complete with Cuisinart and dungeon. She plans to cook a little boy, who delays his execution by telling Betty three tales of terror. The first tale is "Lot 249," based on the mummy story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The tale concerns Bellingham (Steve Buscemi), a bug-eyed graduate student who has raised a mummy from the dead. The second tale, "Cat from Hell," adapted by George A. Romero from a Stephen King story, deals with a broken-down millionaire (William Hickey), who has made his millions by developing habit-forming painkillers. He is convinced that, since 5,000 cats have been killed in his lab experiments in order to develop his pills, a stray cat has killed his family. He hires a hit man (David Johansen) to track down the cat and rub him out. The third tale, "Lover's Vow," is based on "Woman in the Snow," one of the episodes in Kwaidan.James Remar plays an artist who strikes a deal with the devil and is rewarded with a beautiful wife (Rae Dawn Chong) and a respectful art career. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Deborah Harry, Christian Slater, (more)
- 1989
Distressed at their father's imminent demise, his three sons decide to try and make his last wish come true while he is yet alive. Though he is disabled by a stroke and unable to communicate, his roommate in the Veteran's hospital knows that he has wanted to go back to Normandy since he was there during World War Two. It seems that he had a girlfriend there at the time, and would like to see her again. One of the brothers, Mikey (William Forsythe), spearheads the idea of a reunion, while brother Fred (Robert Miranda) comes up with the money. Despite their fairly constant bickering, usually patched over by the youngest brother, Ritchie (D. B. Sweeney), they clearly care for one another. Landing in Paris, they experience an unlikely side of the City of Lights - its Arab bars and transvestite clubs. Their father's reunion with his old lady love is something of an anticlimax, but along the way, Mikey has made his own French connection, and it looks like he will be staying behind. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Forsythe, D.B. Sweeney, (more)
Sea of Love is a sexy, atmospheric thriller, very much in the style of Alfred Hitchcock, with involving characters, steamy love scenes, and surprising plot twists. Frank Keller (Al Pacino), is a lonely, tired, disillusioned, police detective, who has a problem with alcohol. Frank is investigating a serial killer, whom he believes finds victims by using personal ads in magazines, killing them while playing the old record "Sea of Love." In a scene both amusing and touching, Frank and his partner, Sherman (John Goodman) --aided by Frank's father (William Hickey in a lovely cameo) place a personal ad, hoping to lure the killer. Helen Cruger (Ellen Barkin), a tough, sexy single mother answers the ad and begins an affair with Frank, despite the fact that she is one of the prime suspects in the case. The suspense builds as Frank, though deeply drawn to Helen, becomes more and more suspicious of her. In a splendidly crafted script from Richard Price, the plot is compelling, with plenty of action, terrific authentic dialogue and superb characterization. Ellen Barkin gives a marvelous performance as an independent, sensual and intriguing femme fatale; John Goodman is excellent as Sherman, giving a likable, shrewd, and subtly comic performance; and Pacino, in perhaps his best performance since Dog Day Afternoon, plays Frank as a man on the edge, reckless and self-destructive, lost and alone. Frank falls in love with Helen, in spite of himself, because of his loneliness and need. Pacino's skill in showing the vulnerability and neediness of Frank explains the somewhat implausible actions of his character in continuing their affair despite the mounting evidence against Helen. Harold Becker directs with great flair, bringing the story believability, without lapsing into false sentimentality. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Ellen Barkin, (more)
- 1989
- PG13
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Chevy Chase, star of National Lampoon's Vacation and its sequel, is back as the paterfamilias of the Griswold family (including Beverly D'Angelo as his missus) to skewer the Yuletide season. Chevy mugs, trips, falls, mashes his fingers and stubs his toes as he prepares to invite numerous dysfunctional relatives to his household to celebrate Christmas. Amidst the more outrageous sight gags (including the electrocution of a cat as the Christmas tree is lit) the film betrays a sentimental streak, with old wounds healing and long-estranged relatives reuniting in the Griswold living room. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation was still capable of attracting an audience five years after its release: It was one of the top-rated seasonal TV specials of 1994, outrating even the first network telecast of It's a Wonderful Life. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, (more)
- 1989
Actress Theda Blau is well on the wrong side of forty, but she's gamely pretending to be thirty. Though it's hard to believe, she nonetheless manages enough of the ancient siren's song to get a middle-aged producer of TV commercials to come back to her apartment with her. She gets him to stay by "accidentally" spilling water on him - but she's not trying to get him into bed. Her game is to get him to stick around long enough to read the screenplay she's written, and maybe (just maybe) decide that he's good for more than just making commercials. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Renée Taylor, Joseph Bologna, (more)
- 1989
- R
In this tense horror outing Toulon, a puppet maker, discovers an ancient Egyptian potion and uses it to bring his creations to life. Unfortunately, he is a rather twisted fellow and his puppets become murderous little demons who escape. Distraught, the master takes his life. Years later, psychics tune into the existence of the monstrous marionettes and set off to stop them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Le Mat, Irene Miracle, (more)
For his third film as a director and his third film directing Clint Eastwood, stunt-man Buddy Van Horn helmed this action comedy involving a skip tracer, some neo-nazis, and the titular vehicle. Eastwood stars as Tommy Nowak, a bounty hunter with a knack for catching bail-skippers with an array of costumes and characters. After he captures a young woman (Bernadette Peters), he suddenly finds himself between the woman's good-for-nothing husband and his white supremacist cohorts and the wads of cash hidden in the pink Cadillac she's driving. With the skin-heads hot on their tail, a romance sparks between the skip-tracer and his captive. Written by John Eskow, Pink Cadillac costars Timothy Carhart and Michael Des Barres. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Bernadette Peters, (more)
Michael J. Fox once more makes a courageous effort to shed his nice-guy image in Bright Lights, Big City. Fox plays an impressionable Kansan who comes to the Big Apple to take a job at a major magazine. It isn't long before he falls into the twin traps of drug and alcohol abuse. His only hope for redemption is in the hands of Vicky (Tracy Pollan), the cousin of his scuzzy drinking buddy Tad (Kiefer Sutherland). Jay McInerney's bestselling novel does not translate easily to the big screen, but Fox strives hard to please, as do all of his costars. The white stuff snorted by Fox wasn't really cocaine, but powdered milk. Watch for Frasier's David Hyde Pierce in a small role and Jason Robards in a significant unbilled cameo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael J. Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, (more)
