Why were they killed?


I don't get this movie. Why were Red Mash, Jules Flamingo, and Sleepy Joe Carlisle killed?

reply

Red was killed because he and Jules Flamingo tried to steal or interfere with Vic's business in some way before Vic had his nervous breakdown. Ben London was Vic's right-hand man, so he killed Red because Vic told him to.

Jules Flamingo was killed because Jake Parker wanted Mickey Holliday dead. He knew he couldn't kill him himself because Mickey was a faster trigger man, so he wanted him to agree to a shooting match with Nicholas Falco.Do you remember when after Mickey killed Lee Turner, Jake came up to the table where he and Rita Everly where sitting and asked Mickey to a shoot-out with Nicholas, and Mickey said talk to me next year, but clear it with Jules first? Well by that Jake knew he wouldn't get Mickey to shoot it out with Nicky until the next year, which would be too late for his plans to take over the town as Mob Boss. He had to move in while Vic still had beef with Mickey. Because Mickey slept with Grace Everly, Vic's girlfriend, everyone assumed that Vic would kill Mickey when he got out of the psychiatic hospital. BUT - Jake wasn't banking on that, he killed Jules just in case Vic didn't kill Mickey, because that would hurt and enrage Mickey enough to shoot it out with Nicholas Falco. Which is what happened, Vic didn't kill Mickey. So when Jake came up to him and told him that Nicholas killed Jules, Mickey agreed to the shoot-out.

Sleepy Joe was killed in retaliation for Jake Parker's getting killed. After Mickey kills Nicholas Falco (the phony falco), Jake pretends to have a heart attack, and then when Ben London lifts his head to see if he is dead, Jake takes a swipe at his throat with a knife, so Mickey shoots him dead.

reply

I loved this film, but would love to know how many times you watched it to get the plot right! What with Vic, Mick, Nick et al it became a bit confusing. Jeff Goldblum is a star!

reply

LOL! this is one of my favorite movies, I have watched it many times. I couldn't even tell you how many times. and yes, Jeff Goldblum rocks the house!

reply

[deleted]

how could you hate GB?? He did have a lot of great lines in this film, and if you liked him in this you'd love him in Miller's Crossing - check it out sometime ^_^

reply

On the back of the cover it says "Does he think hes God or is he actually God?"
Vic was apparently in the mental asylum cause the thought he was god. In fact he was never crazy it was all a part of his plan to find out who was loyal and who was not. Vic pretended he was insane when in fact he was not. In fact he was "God" at all times, he was in complete control of the situation. When people think you are insane no one can predict you anymore. Pretending to be insane gave Vic the power to reinvent himself. Holiday knew this all along and played the political situation. He remained 100% loyal at all times. Vic was testing him. Vic wasn't 100% sure whether he could trust Holiday anymore.

reply


The whole point was that this was a movie about pointless killing, and the whole thing was a send-up of gangster movies.
Having seen this right after, "Eastern Promises", it gave a healthy perspective to some of the ludicrous scenes in "Eastern Promises." and the unreality of that whole gangster macho irrelevant scene. Our government is peopled with criminals more vicious than these killers.
"He who swaps his liberty for the promise of 'security' deserves neither." Ben Franklin

reply

[deleted]

I would like to thank you for your explanation of those plot points. The back story on all of those cameos can make your head spin. Rob Reiner was Larry Bishops comedy partner from back in the early 1970's. Larry Bishop is now 60 years old so he at one time worked with everyone in Hollywood. Which therefore makes him Quentin Tarentino's best friend because I am sure even QT does not have half the cool stories that Larry Bishop has. Also QT is the Ex Producer on this flick.

Larry Bishop makes some of the coolest films around or the worse. He looks great for a guy who is 60. His films remind me of David Mamett movies. Except I think Mamett really gets his actors to sell the lines, except in Redbelt where some dialog sounded like a Larry Bishop movie.

Try LARRY BISHOPS "HELL RIDE" I actually liked it more than this picture.

Gabriel Byrne's rendition of My Way stole this movie.

Again thank you for really explaining this film.

Happy New Year,

MD IV

reply

The Screenwriters of this mess: "because #### you, that's why."

reply