Themes: Inheritance at Stake, Class Differences, Gambling
Main Cast: Rodney Dangerfield, Joe Pesci, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Candice Azzara, Taylor Negron
Release Year: 1983
Country: US
Run Time: 95 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Ideally tailored to the talents of Rodney Dangerfield, Easy Money casts Rapid Rodney as Monty Capoletti, the black sheep of a prominent family. Nothing can curb Monty's drinking, gluttony, gambling, smoking, or general carousing. Nothing, that is, except the possibility of inheriting millions from mother-in-law Mrs. Monahan (Geraldine Fitzgerald). For one whole year, Monty must toe the line and clean up his act. Can he do it? And will viewers laugh uproariously? The answer to the second question: Yes, they will! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Three years after Caddyshack showed that he could get laughs on the big screen, Rodney Dangerfield headlined his own feature, Easy Money. The dusty story line about a slob trying to earn millions by improving himself is ancient, but Dangerfield's spin on it provides a fair number of laughs. From the opening scene involving a disastrous attempt by Dangerfield's character to photograph a children's birthday party, the film revels in bad behavior. Joe Pesci provides adequate support as the best friend. He does not have much to do, but to be fair, it is not his movie. It's easy to lose interest in the film when anybody other than Dangerfield is onscreen, but there are very few of those moments. Easy Money is a pure example of a film that works better than it should thanks to the energy and persona of the star for whom the film was tailored. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Val Avery - Louie, the Bartender; Tom Noonan - Paddy; Jeffrey Jones - Clive; Tom Ewell - Scrappleton; Jennifer Jason Leigh - Allison; Jeff Altman - Bill; David Vasquez - Hector; B. Constance Barry - Browser; Sandra Beall - Maid of Honor; James Cahill - Buyer; Mary Pat Gleason - Party Mother; Walter Gorney; Lili Haydn - Belinda Capoletti; Paul Herman - Bar Owner; Bill Hindman - Butler on Yacht; Jessica James - Saleslady; Arch Johnson - Vendor; Kimberly McArthur - Ginger Jones; Harsh Nayyar - Dr. Vindaldo; Angela Pietropinto - Party Mother; Sid Raymond - Bet Taker; Frank Simpson - Fr. McIntyre; Steve Szucs - Barfly; Rafael Cruz - Man in Wedding Party; Jeff Gillen - Bettor; Jade D. Bari; Wade Barnes - Boardroom Lawyer; Peter D'Arcy - Bartender at Wedding; Milton Seaman - Boardroom Lawyer; Alfred dela Fuente - Old Man Singer at Armory; Dennis Blair - Fashion Critic/Old Dying Man; Alan Gordon - Critic at Fashion Show; Filomena Spagnuolo; Lawrence Leritz - Assistant to Tailor; Erik van Valkenburg - Assistant to Clive
Credit
Joseph G. Aulisi - Costume Designer, Robert V. Girolami - First Assistant Director, James Signorelli - Director, Ronald Roose - Editor, Laurence Rosenthal - Composer (Music Score), Billy Joel - Songwriter, Eugene Lee - Production Designer, Fred Schuler - Cinematographer, John Nicolella - Producer, Estelle Endler - Producer, Les Lazarowitz - Sound/Sound Designer, Rodney Dangerfield - Screenwriter, Carl Gottlieb - Screenwriter, Michael Endler - Screenwriter, P.J. O'Rourke - Screenwriter, Dennis Blair - Screenwriter
