Frankie and Johnny ** (1991, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Hector Elizondo, Kate Nelligan, Nathan Lane) – Classic Movie Review 8829

Garry Marshall’s 1991 romantic comedy drama film Frankie and Johnny, is based on an excellent hit 1987 Broadway play by Terrence McNally, and stars miscast but engaging Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Director Garry Marshall’s 1991 romantic comedy drama Frankie and Johnny, is based on an excellent hit 1987 off-Broadway / Broadway play, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune by Terrence McNally, and stars Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer.

That’s the good news, but the bad news is that Terrence McNally’s beguiling two-hander, one apartment play, first performed off-Broadway in June 1987 with F Murray Abraham and Kathy Bates, is severely damaged by the decision to cast glamorously attractive movie stars in the roles of middle-aged ex-convict Johnny (Al Pacino) who becomes a short order cook in Nick (Hector Elizondo)’s diner, where he falls for an emotionally inhibited waitress, Frankie (Michelle Pfeiffer).

Kathy Bates was bitter that she was not allowed to re-create her stage part and well she might be, as she was ideal casting. What is left is a Hollywooden comedy that gets by solely on the strength of the considerable wit in the writing by McNally (who writes his own screenplay, adapting his play) and the professionalism of two engaging stars who can really act.

McNally makes many changes from the play, adding several new characters and various different locations. The opening up has resulted in careless writing in of new parts for people like Kate Nelligan as Cora, a co-worker waitress, and Nathan Lane as a gay neighbour, Tim, and these caricature roles are all overplayed.

As ever, Hector Elizondo is making his customary appearance in a Garry Marshall movie, and adds some welcome charm and appeal.

Pfeiffer did swing a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, Nelligan won a BAFTA Film Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and it was a GLAAD Media Award winner for Outstanding Film.

It borrows the title of a Sixties Elvis Presley movie, Frankie and Johnny (1966) and refers to the traditional American popular song ‘Frankie and Johnny’, first published in 1904.

Also in the cast are Jane Morris, Greg Lewis, Al Fann, Ele Keats, Fernando López, Glenn Plummer, Tim Hopper, Harvey Miller, Sean O’Bryan and Goldie McLaughlin.

The film had a $29 million budget and was disappointing at the American box office, grossing $22.8 million in the US and Canada and $44 million overseas for a worldwide gross of $67 million.

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley were filming Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in a nearby studio, and Garry Marshall arranged for them to appear in costume, out of camera shot, behind a door to elicit surprise on camera from Pacino when he opened it.

RIP playwright Terrence McNally who died of complications from coronavirus on 24 March 2020, aged 81. His first big success was The Ritz (1976), while Frankie and Johnny (1991) and Love! Valour! Compassion! were other notable hits. Lin-Manuel Miranda called him ‘A giant in our world’.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8829

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Terrence McNally (November 3, 1938 – March 24, 2020).