HOODLUM
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1997 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): **
HOODLUM is an exceedingly handsome movie, all dressed up with no place interesting to go. The sets by Charles Bennett ("Roots") recreate Harlem in the 1930s with a believable authenticity. The costumes by Richard Bruno (THE UNTOUCHABLES) are gorgeous, especially the dark suits set off by wide brimmed white hats. The striking cinematography by Frank Tidy (UNDER SIEGE) uses sharp contrast black and white complemented by saturated colors. And Academy Award winning composer Elmer Bernstein's music is full of soulful trumpets and foreboding piano solos.
Even the acting, with the exception of the embarrassingly poor performance by Cicely Tyson as the Queen of Harlem, is superb. But the gangster party they throw bogs down frequently and seems like it will never end. Director Bill Duke and editor Harry Keramida have no sense of focus. Numerous pointless scenes that should have been left on the cutting room floor are included and others long overstay their welcome.
This is not to say that the film is without merit. Although first-time writer Chris Brancato's script never gels, the performances by the actors frequently manage to rise above the mediocrity of the material. (The story, which the press notes are careful to point out is complete fiction, uses historical characters. Since most of these famous people were killers, the liberties taken with the facts of their lives might be forgiven, but having famous crime fighter Thomas Dewey, who in real life was responsible for squashing most of the racketeering, accept huge payoffs from the gangsters is reprehensible.)
The story surrounds a character known as "Bumpy" Johnson, played with impressive style by Laurence Fishburne. He helps out Queen when Dutch Schultz, played with perfect sadistic crudeness by Tim Roth, tries to take over her Harlem numbers racket. Andy Garcia plays Lucky Luciano like a figure straight out of a fashion shoot for GQ. Lucky is a power broker in the mob, who tries to negotiate various alliances among Dutch, Bumpy, and himself. Each of these talented actors are Academy Award winners or nominees. With lesser actors, the picture would have been little more than a fashion show and, when the inevitable warfare breaks out, a long bloodbath.
The screenwriter feels compelled to give Bumpy an almost saint-like aura. His girlfriend Francine, played by Vanessa Williams, refers to him as "a perfect gentlemen and a poet." He also plays chess and worries about the poor. When he first steals money from Dutch, he throws it with great panache to a group of the needy in a soup line. The show even tells us in the introductory text that gambling via the numbers was the only way some in Harlem were able to put food on the table. Given the odds, of course, gambling was a sure-fire way to keep food from ever getting on the table.
Eventually, Bumpy hardens after he kills scores of people, but the script remains relatively sympathetic to him until the end. When Pigfoot Mary, played sweetly by Loretta Devine, first lays eyes on him, she tells her friends, "Oh honey, he's a killer diller." The camera loves him too with his thin mustache and his captivating little smile.
The script lacks much story telling ability, but when it tries to mimic PULP FICTION, it is at its best. When Dutch hires the Salke Brothers, played by Mike and Beau Starr, to take their trademark ax to Bumpy's skull, he balks at first at their $3,000 fee. "I remember the days when you could get a guy hit for 40 bucks," reminisces Dutch. "We live in inflationary times," explains one of Salke brothers. Even better is the conversation between the Salke brothers on their way to the contract kill. They argue about where to find the best of everything in New York. Only on the hot dogs (Nathan's) do they agree.
Bumpy's ultimate accomplishments are best summarized by the undertaker, played dourly but with a devious smirk by Ellis Foster. "Thank heavens for Mr. Johnson," the undertaker proclaims when Bumpy pays him handsomely to bury in style another dead number's runner. "That man's brought prosperity to Harlem."
HOODLUM runs incredibly long at 2:22 -- a half hour less would have improved the film immensely. The show is rated R for massive gore, profanity, and full frontal nudity. It would be acceptable for mature teenagers. I admired parts of the show, but not enough to recommend it. I give it **.
**** = A must see film. *** = Excellent show. Look for it. ** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable. * = Poor show. Don't waste your money. 0 = Totally and painfully unbearable picture.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: August 25, 1997
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
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