MovieChat Forums > Prizzi's Honor (1985) Discussion > A Comic Masterpiece

A Comic Masterpiece

posted 14 years ago by jack_north
4 replies | jump to latest

I may be in the minority on this board, but I feel this film is one of the best of Huston's later career, and it's my favorite Nicholson character. It's not necessarily laugh-out-loud funny (although I do several times during the film) but it's one of those movies that tires out your face from smiling the whole time. I love everything about this; the characters, the acting, the accents, the music...just writing this makes me want to pop the movie in again. I just realized that it was finally re-released on DVD in 2003. The copy I have is the miserable 1999 release. (I replaced the worn out VHS copy I had.) Since this new DVD release actually has the MGM logo on the cover (something strangely missing on the earlier releases. I suspect legal or distribution rights problems were the reason), I'm hoping that means that it was finally treated with the respect it deserves. Ordering it now.

[–] dan_beane 13 years ago

Jack,
I agree with you. I also laughed out loud many times in my apartment. I eithner watched this without much attention years ago or it's one of those gems that I avoided for decades, thinking it wouldn't be as good as I had heard. It was so good. I always see some glory/attraction in Mafia movies or shows (e.g., The Sopranos, sanitized language per A&E). I loved the way they always talked about "honor" and how "Sicilians would rather eat their children than part with money...and they really love their children." I would rate this 3.5 out of 4 stars, one of my all-time favorites.
Fortunately, they usually cut away from lusty scenes, although not all of them. You don't need to throw in that stuff to make something good; it just detracts. Maybe the version A&E would show would be completely unobjectionable, at least in this aspect...
Dan

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] OnlyRocknRoll 11 years ago

One reason for the poor comments on Imdb is that a lot of people weren't sophisticated enough to "get" the comedy. I guess they thought it was going to be a straight up mafia drama. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this when first released.

I don't know if it was award winning material, but I enjoyed it immensely. My favorite was how Mae Rose played her father, grandfather, and Charlie. She got back into the family and got Charlie too, in the end. I was LOL at her black dress, dark under eye make up, and stooped over walk in her strategy as daughter repenting for running off to Mexico with some guy. My second favorite was her grandfather. "You're just like me. We forget nothing!" "Want a cookie?"

_______________________________________
"ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED??!!"

Maximus Decimus Meridius

[–] bndmac 8 years ago

My favorite mafia movie of all time because of the dark humor. Jack nails his lines....he's not paid to guard the baby......I remember you coming thorough the door saying I'm home dear. Is that the way you ask for a divorce these days??