Dick Tracy ***½ (1990, Warren Beatty, Charlie Korsmo, Glenne Headly, Madonna, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman) – Classic Movie Review 5568

Producer/ director/ star Warren Beatty’s blockbuster comic strip parody Dick Tracy, based on the comic strip characters created by Chester Gould, was 1990’s most-hyped movie. In a huge star turn, Beatty impersonates the Thirties cartoon-strip crime-fighter Dick Tracy. It won three Oscars, and was nominated for four more. And it won two BAFTA Film Awards: Best Make Up Artist (John Caglione Jr, Doug Drexler) and Best Production Design (Richard Sylbert).

Breathe on the plot in the screenplay by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jnr – a battle to the death between Tracy and mobster Big Boy – and it would blow away. But, as with Tim Burton’s Batman (1989), what matters is how the movie looks. And it is wonderful thanks to Vittorio Storaro’s gorgeous cinematography and Richard Sylbert’s glorious production designs, creating a cartoon comic book atmosphere with big bold primary colours and obvious studio sets. It also sounds great thanks to Danny Elfman’s score and Stephen Sondheim’s songs.

On the acting front Beatty is grim and expressionless, Madonna vamps and sings effectively as Breathless Mahoney, Glenne Headly is sweet as Tracy’s girlfriend Tess Trueheart and Al Pacino steals the show as the comedy villain Big Boy Caprice.

Beatty’s movie is classy fun.

Also in the all-star cast are Charlie Korsmo as the Kid, Dustin Hoffman as Mumbles, William Forsythe as Flattop, Charles Durning as Chief Brandon, Mandy Patinkin as 88 Keys, Paul Sorvino as Lips Manlis, R G Armstrong as Pruneface, Dick Van Dyke as D.A. Fletcher, James Caan as Spaldoni, Michael J Pollard as Bug Bailey, Estelle Parsons as Mrs. Trueheart, Seymour Cassel as Sam Catchem, Ed O’Ross as Itchy, Chuck Hicks as The Brow, Stig Eldred as Shoulders, James Keane as Pat Patton, Allen Garfield as Reporter, John Schuck as Reporter, Charles Fleischer as Reporter, Robert Costanzo as Lips’ Bodyguard, Jack Kehoe as Customer at Raid, James Tolkan, R G Armstrong, Catherine O’Hara as Texie Garcia, Henry Silva as Influence, Colm Meaney as Cop at Tess’s, Bert Remsen as Bartender, Frank Campanella as Judge Harper, Ian Wolfe as Forger, Henry Jones as Night Clerk, Mary Woronov as Welfare Person, Mike Mazurki as Old Man at Hotel, and Kathy Bates as Mrs Green.

The Oscars went to Best Makeup for John Caglione Jr and Doug Drexler, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration  for Richard Sylbert and Rick Simpson) and Best Original Song ‘Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)’ for Stephen Sondheim.

Dick Tracy cost a lot, at $47 million, but the hype worked and it took $103,738,000 at the US box office.

It is preceded by four cinema serials with Ralph Byrd, four vintage features – Dick Tracy (1945), Dick Tracy vs Cueball (1946), Dick Tracy’s Dilemma (1947) [both with Morgan Conway] and Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome (1947) [both with Ralph Byrd] – and a TV series in 1950-51 with Ralph Byrd.

Glenne Headly.

It is one of the biggest movies of Glenne Headly, who died on June 8 2017, aged 62. She also starred in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), Mr Holland’s Opus (1995), Mortal Thoughts (1991), 2 Days in the Valley (1996), and Don Jon (2013).

Dick Tracy reunites Beatty with his Bonnie and Clyde co-stars Michael J Pollard and Estelle Parsons.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5568

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com