Themes: Sibling Relationships, Cooks and Chefs, Immigrant Life
Main Cast: Stanley Tucci, Tony Shalhoub, Minnie Driver, Ian Holm, Isabella Rossellini
Release Year: 1996
Country: US
Run Time: 109 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
In this witty drama, a pair of brothers debate integrity versus compromise as they try to succeed in the restaurant business. Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and Secondo (Stanley Tucci) have journeyed from Italy to New Jersey in the mid-1950s, determined to make a killing with an authentic Italian restaurant, The Paradise. But their food is a bit too authentic; Primo may prepare a superb risotto, but most of his customers are wondering why they can't get a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. Secondo tries to convince his brother not to berate the customers for requesting more "American" dishes, but Primo stands firm. Meanwhile, Pascal (Ian Holm), another local restaurateur, is doing great business with "Italian style" food the brothers wouldn't bother to spit on. Despite Primo's refusal to change his recipes to cater to lowbrow tastes, Secondo goes to Pascal begging for advice. With The Paradise on its last legs, Pascal offers to help -- Louis Prima, the famous Italian-American bandleader, is coming to town, and Pascal is to arrange a banquet in his honor. He'll stage the banquet at The Paradise in the hopes that Prima and his entourage (and hopefully the accompanying press) will fall in love with the authentic food and sing the praises of the foundering restaurant as he tours the country. The preparations for the big night and the behind-the-scenes family drama that ensues is highlighted by a strong supporting cast of Minnie Driver, Isabella Rossellini, and Allison Janney. Stanley Tucci, who plays Secondo, co-directed with Campbell Scott, who has a small but memorable role as a car salesman. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
By the end of Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott's Big Night, you might have the desire to cook like an artist, or at least the desire to promptly head to the nearest authentic Italian restaurant. Tucci and Tony Shalhoub are perfect as the film's sibling restaurateurs forced to confront the reality of a failed American dream. Tucci wrote the script with his cousin Joseph Tropiano, cooking up a wonderfully emotional, personal story full of real characters with real problems. Though the film tells a small story, there are big themes: loyalty, trust, and the need to value integrity over vulgar expedience. Tucci holds the proceedings together, but like the climactic feast itself, the movie is populated with rich supporting moments: Isabella Rosellini, Minnie Driver, Ian Holm and even co-director Scott turn up to add color to the character-driven script. ~ Matthew Doberman, All Movie Guide
Oliver Platt - Associate Producer, Beth Alexander - Associate Producer, Peter Ligouri - Associate Producer, Ellen Lewis - Casting, Campbell Scott - Co-producer, Stanley Tucci - Co-producer, Juliet A. Polcsa - Costume Designer, Lynn D'Angona - First Assistant Director, Campbell Scott - Director, Stanley Tucci - Director, Suzy Elmiger - Editor, Gary De Michele - Composer (Music Score), Andrew Jackness - Production Designer, Ken Kelsch - Cinematographer, Jonathan Filley - Producer, David Kirkpatrick - Producer, Keith Samples - Producer, William Sarokin - Sound/Sound Designer, Stanley Tucci - Screenwriter, Joseph Tropiano - Screenwriter
After Big Night became a box-office hit, even people who hadn't seen the film were lining up to buy the soundtrack. As the ultimate Italian dinner classic, both the movie and the record are thoroughly enjoyable. Mixing some of Louis Prima's biggest hits with great performances from Claudio Villa, Matteo Salvatore, and a charming instrumental score, the disc is a blast from start to finish and one-stop shopping for anyone who wants to spice up the occasional evening with a healthy dose of Italian swing. ~ Jim Smith, All Music Guide
Rosemary Clooney (Performer), Louis Prima (Arranger), Louis Prima (Vocals), Louis Prima (Performer), Keely Smith (Vocals), Keely Smith (Performer), David Gordon (Keyboards), Sam Butera & the Witnesses (Performer), Claudio Villa (Vocals), Claudio Villa (Performer), Randy Gerston (Executive in Charge of Music), Randy Gerston (Executive Administrator), Patricia Joseph (Executive in Charge of Music), Patricia Joseph (Executive Administrator), Greg Knoll (Art Direction), Chris Collins (Saxophone), Gary DeMichele (Multi Instruments), Gary DeMichele (Producer), Matteo Salvatore (Vocals), Matteo Salvatore (Performer), Stanley Tucci (Executive Producer), Margot Core (Associate Producer), Joseph Tropiano (Liner Notes)
The film, presumably set in a small town on the New Jersey Shore in the 1950s, tells the story of two immigrant brothers from Italy who own and operate a restaurant called "Paradise." One brother, Primo (Tony Shalhoub), is a brilliant, perfectionist chef who chafes under their few customers' expectations of "Americanized" Italian food. Their uncle's offer to return to Rome to help with his restaurant is becoming more and more appealing to Primo. The other brother, Secondo (Tucci), is the restaurant's manager, who is enamored with the possibilities presented by their new endeavor and life in America. Despite Secondo's efforts and Primo's magnificent food, their restaurant is failing.
Secondo's elusive success as a businessman makes him unable to commit to his girlfriend Phyllis (Minnie Driver), and he has recently been sleeping with Gabriella (Isabella Rossellini), the wife of a competitor. Her husband's self-named restaurant, Pascal's (Ian Holm), has enjoyed great success despite (or perhaps due to) the mediocre, uninspired food served there. Desperate to keep Paradise afloat, Secondo asks Pascal for a loan. Pascal demurs, repeating a past offer to have the brothers come work for him. This Secondo in turn refuses; he and his brother want their own restaurant. In an apparent display of generosity, Pascal instead insists that he will persuade Louis Prima to dine at Paradise when he comes to town; the celebrity's patronage should revitalize the brothers' business. Primo and Secondo plunge themselves into preparations for this "big night", inviting dozens of people to dine for free and spending what little they still have on planning a magnificent, extraordinary feast. Primo pours his heart into each dish, lavishing care and attention on the cooking.
As they wait for Prima and his entourage to arrive, the crowd indulges in the exquisite food and partakes in a fabulous celebration. Hours pass, however, and it becomes apparent that the famous trumpeter is not coming. As the attendees begin to file homeward, and at Gabriella's insistence, Pascal admits that he never called Louis Prima, the singer is not coming.
Phyllis catches Secondo and Gabriella kissing and runs away to the beach where she has a final quarrel with Secondo. Primo and Secondo have a fiery, heartbroken argument, chafing at their mutual differences. In the wee hours of the morning, Pascal admits to Secondo that he set the brothers up for failure; not as revenge for Secondo's affair with Gabriella but because then the brothers would have no choice but to either return to Italy or work for Pascal. Secondo denies him, saying they will never work for him. The film closes with an uninterrupted, nearly wordless long take: as dawn breaks, Secondo silently cooks an omelette. When it is done, he divides it among three plates, giving one to Cristiano (Marc Anthony), their waiter, and eating one himself. Primo hesitantly enters: Secondo hands him the last plate. They eat without speaking, but lay their arms across each others' shoulders as they do so.
