Fever Pitch (1985 film)

Last updated
Fever Pitch
Fever Pitch 1985 poster.jpg
Theatrical poster
Directed by Richard Brooks
Written byRichard Brooks
Produced by Freddie Fields
Starring
Cinematography William A. Fraker
Edited byJeff Jones
Music by Thomas Dolby
Production
company
Distributed byMGM/UA Entertainment Co.
Release date
  • November 22, 1985 (1985-11-22)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$7 million [1] or $10 million [2]
Box office$244,133 [2]

Fever Pitch is a 1985 American drama film written and directed by Richard Brooks and starring Ryan O'Neal, Giancarlo Giannini, Chad Everett, John Saxon, and Catherine Hicks. The film marked Brooks's final film before his death in 1992. The original score was composed by Thomas Dolby.

Contents

Fever Pitch failed at the box office, grossing just over $600,000 on a budget of $7 million. It was nominated for four Razzie Awards, including Worst Picture, as well as contributing to O'Neal's later Razzie nomination for Worst Actor of the Decade. The film is listed in Golden Raspberry Award founder John J. B. Wilson's book The Official Razzie Movie Guide as one of the "100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made". [3]

The film was recut by the studio without Brooks' involvement. He called it " a much better picture before they took it away from me." [4]

Plot

Sportswriter Steve Taggart volunteers to do a series of articles for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner about a compulsive sports and casino gambler he calls "Mr. Green" who is, in fact, himself. His sports editor enthusiastically assigns him series, which soon attracts a large readership.

Over time, Taggart becomes more obsessed with gambling in Las Vegas, which lands him even more deeply in debt. He compounds his money and gambling problems by dealing with loan sharks, including the mean and dangerous Los Angeles bookmaker "The Dutchman". Taggart soon learns that even a Los Angeles pro football quarterback, whose football team he covers, is also on the Dutchman's payroll, as a means of cutting his own sports gambling debts. Taggart goes to Las Vegas for a field report on his gambling series; he meets a newspaper publisher who helps him make more gambling industry contacts. Through the MGM casino executive, Mr. Sweeney, Taggart meets a sexy casino cocktail hostess named Flo. Flo is sent to Taggart's hotel room for a night, but Taggart, loving the gaming tables, goes gambling at the Dunes Hotel casino with Flo as his 'lucky charm'. Taggart wins at roulette. Taggart, as part of his ongoing news story, also checks out assorted Las Vegas bookmakers, including Leroy's. Taggart meets various Vegas gambling and business figures, including famed Las Vegas Sun publisher Hank Greenspun, for more insights into the Las Vegas gambling world. He is unaware that the Dutchman's enforcer, "Panama Hat", is following him. "The Hat" orders Taggart to return to Los Angeles immediately and settle up with the Dutchman.

Taggart's addiction and gambling losses ultimately spill over into his personal life. After a day trip to Knott's Berry Farm, Taggart brings his young daughter Amy to Hollywood Park; at the track pressbox, they chat with his colleagues, including Jim Murray and Alan Malamud. Taggart, while trying to stem his gambling while at the racetrack, is physically assaulted by a track-goer to whom he owes money. The next day, his editor says he loves the "Mr. Green" series, and advances Taggart $10,000 for "Mr. Green" to use for more gambling.

Upon more reflection on how truly dangerous sports gambling can be, Taggart visits Gamblers Anonymous to end his gambling compulsion. He still returns to Las Vegas, where he becomes increasingly acquainted with high-roller Charley Peru, in hopes of making a large score and breaking even. He also hopes Peru can help him get Panama Hat off his back. After attending the Gambler's Anonymous meeting, Taggart soon decides to stop gambling "forever".

Before returning to Los Angeles, to celebrate "kicking" his gambling habit, Taggart places a few dollars into a slot machine at the Las Vegas Airport, where he scores a huge jackpot. This unexpectant win provides the incentive for Taggart to retry his luck at the gaming tables, furthering his lucky streak and eventually winning back the money he needs to pay his debts. Taggart immediately gets an attorney to hold a portion of the huge cash score in a trust fund for his daughter. When he asks the attorney to reassure him, that "even I cannot touch the money?", his attorney firmly replies, "especially, not you."

Cast

Production

Richard Brooks became interested in the problem of gambling in America while recovering from a heart attack in 1983. He began researching the topic and wrote the script over two years. It was originally to be produced by Dino de Laurentiis under the title The Fever and Brooks wanted Sam Shepard to play the lead. Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino and Tom Selleck were also considered for the role. [5]

De Laurentiis dropped out and Ryan O'Neal was cast instead. Filming took place from October 1984 to January 1985 and Brooks spent nine months editing it. [6]

The movie was originally called The Fever. MGM did not want to cast Ryan O'Neal so Brooks agreed to waive his fee. [7] O'Neal said " I enjoy working with Brooks, though I don’t always like the way he treats his crew." He said the movie "made me feel optimistic about me career again." [8]

The newspaper editorial office scenes were all filmed at the Los Angeles Herald Examiner , which always had a popular horse racing page, and solid sports gambling coverage. Many Herald Examiner and Los Angeles Times staffers had bit parts in the movie.

Regarding the controversial and critically panned ending wherein Taggart is able to clear all his gambling debts with one final bet, Brooks stated his rationale for the ending was the gamblers he interviewed for research said they weren't interested in a movie about a loser. [9]

Reception

Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times said "Some scenes pay off, others don't. But it never lets up and the result is a film that's always a pleasure to watch even when it's defying credbility at every turn." [10]

In 2016 Richard Brody argued in The New Yorker that the film was worthy of reconsideration, saying "still delivers the same terse, grim, and ironic power that it had when I first saw it. Brooks... brings the same gifts to bear on his last film that he exhibited throughout his career—a sense of documentary filmmaking infusing fiction, a passion for journalism as a mode of knowledge, an overlay of reportorial observation on dramatic staging... there’s violence, horror, fear, and humiliation—the paranoid frenzy arising from a hit man’s ability to track Steve down and keep him in the virtual crosshairs." [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Leaving Las Vegas</i> 1995 film by Mike Figgis

Leaving Las Vegas is a 1995 American drama film written and directed by Mike Figgis and based on the semi-autobiographical 1990 novel of the same name by John O'Brien. Nicolas Cage stars as a suicidal alcoholic in Los Angeles who, having lost his family and been recently fired, has decided to move to Las Vegas and drink himself to death. He loads a supply of liquor and beer into his BMW and gets drunk as he drives from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Once there, he develops a romantic relationship with a prostitute played by Elisabeth Shue and the film shifts to include her narrative perspective. O'Brien died from suicide after signing away the film rights to the novel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan O'Neal</span> American actor (1941–2023)

Charles Patrick Ryan O'Neal was an American actor. Born in Los Angeles, he trained as an amateur boxer before beginning a career in acting in 1960.

Get Shorty is a 1990 novel by American novelist Elmore Leonard. In 1995, the novel was adapted into an eponymous film, and in 2017 it was adapted into a television series of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirk Kerkorian</span> American businessman, investor, and philanthropist (1917–2015)

Kerkor "Kirk" Kerkorian was an Armenian-American businessman, investor, and philanthropist. He was the president and CEO of Tracinda Corporation, his private holding company based in Beverly Hills, California. Kerkorian was one of the important figures in the shaping of Las Vegas and, with architect Martin Stern Jr., is described as the "father of the mega-resort". He built the world's largest hotel in Las Vegas three times: the International Hotel, the original MGM Grand Hotel (1973) and the current MGM Grand (1993). He purchased the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie studio in 1969.

<i>Casino</i> (1995 film) 1995 film directed by Martin Scorsese

Casino is a 1995 epic crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, adapted by Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi from the latter's nonfiction book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas. It stars Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, Don Rickles, Kevin Pollak, and James Woods. The film was the eighth collaboration between director Scorsese and De Niro.

Frank Lawrence Rosenthal, also known as "Lefty" Rosenthal, was an American professional sports gambler, Las Vegas casino executive, organized crime associate, and FBI informant. Rosenthal, who was once called "the greatest living expert on sports gambling" by Sports Illustrated, is credited with bringing increased exposure to sports betting to Las Vegas in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sands Hotel and Casino</span> Historic hotel and casino in Nevada, United States

The Sands Hotel and Casino was a historic American hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States, that operated from 1952 to 1996. Designed by architect Wayne McAllister, with a prominent 56-foot (17 m) high sign, the Sands was the seventh resort to open on the Strip. During its heyday, it hosted many famous entertainers of the day, most notably the Rat Pack and Jerry Lewis.

<i>Dark City</i> (1950 film) 1950 film by William Dieterle

Dark City is a 1950 American film noir crime film starring Charlton Heston in his Hollywood debut, and featuring Lizabeth Scott, Viveca Lindfors, Dean Jagger, Don DeFore, Ed Begley, Jack Webb and Harry Morgan. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and directed by William Dieterle.

<i>Vegas Vacation</i> 1997 family comedy film by Stephen Kessler

Vegas Vacation is a 1997 American comedy film directed by Stephen Kessler in his feature directorial debut. It is the fourth installment in National Lampoon’s Vacation film series, and was written by Elisa Bell, based on a story by Bell and Bob Ducsay. The film stars Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Wayne Newton, Ethan Embry, and Wallace Shawn. It tells the story of Clark Griswold taking his family to Las Vegas to renew his vows to Ellen as the series' usual hilarity occurs. The film opened at #4 at the box office and grossed over $36.4 million domestically. Vegas Vacation is the first theatrical Vacation film not to carry the National Lampoon label or a screenwriting credit from John Hughes. Also, this is the only National Lampoon film to be released in the 1990s and the final film released before National Lampoon magazine folded. This was also the last Vacation movie to be released until New Line Cinema, a production company of Warner Bros, produced a reboot that was released 18 years later in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vegas World</span> Historic hotel and casino in Las Vegas

Vegas World was a space-themed casino and hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was owned and operated by Bob Stupak, and was also signed as Bob Stupak's Vegas World.

<i>California Split</i> 1974 film by Robert Altman

California Split is a 1974 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Altman and starring Elliott Gould and George Segal as a pair of gamblers. It was the first non-Cinerama film to use eight-track stereo sound.

<i>The Las Vegas Story</i> (film) 1952 film by Robert Stevenson

The Las Vegas Story is a 1952 American suspense film noir starring Jane Russell and Victor Mature, directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Robert Sparks and Howard Hughes with Samuel Bischoff as the executive producer.

<i>Crazy in Alabama</i> 1999 American film by Antonio Banderas

Crazy in Alabama is a 1999 American comedy-drama film directed by Antonio Banderas and based on Mark Childress' 1993 novel of the same name. The film stars Melanie Griffith as an abused housewife who becomes an actress, while her nephew deals with a racially motivated murder involving a corrupt sheriff. It marked Dakota Johnson's film debut.

<i>Get Shorty</i> (film) 1995 comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld

Get Shorty is a 1995 American gangster comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and written by Scott Frank, based on Elmore Leonard's novel of the same name. The film stars John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Delroy Lindo, James Gandolfini, Dennis Farina, and Danny DeVito. It follows Chili Palmer (Travolta), a Miami mobster and loan shark who inadvertently gets involved in Hollywood feature film production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Cassidy (actor)</span> American actor (born 1962)

Patrick William Cassidy is an American actor and singer best known for his roles in musical theatre and television.

Anthony Cornero Stralla also known as "the Admiral" and "Tony the Hat" was a bootlegger and gambling entrepreneur in Southern California from the 1920s through the 1950s. During his varied career, he bootlegged liquor into Los Angeles, ran legal gambling ships in international waters, and legally operated casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada.

<i>The Vegas Strip War</i> 1984 American TV series or program

The Vegas Strip Wars is a 1984 American TV movie directed by George Englund and starred Rock Hudson, Sharon Stone, James Earl Jones and Pat Morita.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William R. Wilkerson</span> American film personality and publisher

William Richard "Billy" Wilkerson was the founder of The Hollywood Reporter, a real estate developer in Las Vegas and owner of such nightclubs as Ciro's. His series of columns known as "Billy's List" helped to initiate the red scare that led to the Hollywood blacklist. Wilkerson "discovered" Lana Turner.

Hell's Angels '69 is a 1969 Outlaw biker film directed by Lee Madden and Conny Van Dyke. The film stars Tom Stern, Jeremy Slate, Conny Van Dyke, and Steve Sandor.

The Meadows Casino & Hotel was the first resort hotel-casino in the Las Vegas area, opening in 1931. The Meadows was located at Fremont Street and East Charleston Boulevard near the Boulder Highway, and outside the Las Vegas city limits. Its location was designed to attract workers and tourists from the Hoover Dam. The hotel had 30 to 50 rooms. The hotel-casino operated a nightclub, featuring the Meadows Revue and the Meadow Larks band. It also had a landing strip for small airplanes.

References

  1. Mann, Roderick (6 July 1980). "MOVIES: THE HIGH ADVENTURES OF 'GREEN ICE'". Los Angeles Times. p. o25.
  2. 1 2 "The Unstoppables". Spy. November 1988. p. 92.
  3. Wilson, John (2005). The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywood's Worst. Grand Central Publishing. ISBN   0-446-69334-0.
  4. McGilligan, Pat (1991). "Richard Brooks: The Professional". Backstory 2: Interviews with Screenwriters of the 1940s and 1950s. University of California Press.
  5. Marilyn Beck, "Matthau to be Polanski's 'Pirate'", New York Daily News 23 May 1984 p 45
  6. Nat Segaloff, Final Cuts: The Last Films of 50 Great Directors, Bear Manor Media 2013 p 48-49
  7. "Sacrifice for Ryan". The Courier-Journal. 22 August 1984. p. 27.
  8. O'Neal, Ryan (2012). Both of us : my life with Farrah. p. 75.
  9. Daniel, Douglass K. (2011). Tough as Nails: The Life and Films of Richard Brooks (Wisconsin Film Studies). University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN   978-0299251246.
  10. Thomas, Kevin (22 November 1985). "Betting tale turns out a winner". The Los Angeles Times Part 6. p. 5.
  11. Brody, Richard (October 13, 2016). "Richard Brooks's "Fever Pitch" Never Got Its Due". New Yorker.