Main Cast: Lenny Henry, Frank Langella, Charles Lane, J.T. Walsh, Anne-Marie Johnson
Release Year: 1991
Country: US
Run Time: 94 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Charles Lane directed Andy Breckman's script, based on an old "Saturday Night Live" sketch of Breckman's that featured Eddie Murphy. Comic Lenny Henry takes Murphy's place in True Identity as a black man forced to don white face in order to save his life. Henry plays Miles Pope, an agreeable British actor whose luck sours when he finds out that businessman Leland Carver (Frank Langella) is actually a notorious underworld mobster. Carver now wants to rub Miles out and the only way that Miles can escape Carver's retribution is to disguise himself as a man named Frank LaMotta, the Italian-American killer that Carver has hired to kill him. During the story, Miles finds that he has to assume a variety of roles to keep from getting shot --a gay real estate agent, a British lord, James Brown's brother Val, and even Othello. But the biggest shock for Miles comes when he plays the white man and discovers that he is given preferential treatment --not only by whites, but also by blacks and Hispanics. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Andreas Katsulas - Anthony; Michael McKean - Harvey Cooper; Peggy Lipton - Rita; Bill Raymond - Grunfeld; James Earl Jones - Himself; Darnell Williams - Tyler; Christopher Collins - Frank LaMotta; Melvin Van Peebles - Taxi Driver; Ruth Brown - Martha; Sarah Baley - 1st Audience Member; Michael Baskin - Airplane Husband; Joe Bellan - Janitor; James Bilbrey - Man on Line; Robert Black - 1st Cab Man; Cynthia Blackledge - 1st Acting Student; David Martel Bryant - Clown; Glenn David Calloway - Distinguished Man; Doug Carfrae - JFK Ticket Clerk; Lilyan Chauvin - Police Station Woman; Victor Colicchio - 2nd Alley Guy; Bettiann Fishman - Waitress; Raymond Forchion - Burly Cop; Jonathan Frechette - Flight Engineer; Richard Ganoung - Roderigo; James W. Gavin - Helicopter Pilot; Jim Gavin - Helicopter Pilot; Hazelle Goodman - Miles's 1st Neighbor; Katie Graves - Female Ticket Agent; Lynne Griffin - Emilia; Robert Haufrecht - FBI Lobby Agent; Shannon Holt - Desdemona; Valerie Holvick - Red-Haired Acting Student; Maria C. Hurtado - Miles's 2nd Neighbor; Joseph A. Jackson - 2nd Cab Man; Anthony Johnson - Audition Actor; Bobby Johnson - 3rd Alley Guy; James Landi - FBI Driver; Joyce Meadows - FBI Receptionist; Fantasia Owens - Ruth; Grant Owens - Senator; Damon Pooser - Brother; George Riddick - Fifth Avenue Pedestrian; Beth Robbins - Female FBI Agent; Jane Marla Robbins - Director's Assistant; Laura Schaefer - Stewardess; Ann Schulman - 2nd Audience Member; Roselyn D. Schwartz - FBI Secretary; Judson Scott - Iago; Mik Scriba - Police Sergeant; Clifford Shegog - Police Lineup Guy; Olivia Sklar - Cab Woman; Fred Springer - Country Club Receptionist; Tracy Brooks Swope - Airplane Wife; Greg Travis - Orlando Ticket Buyer; Eric Briant Wells - 2nd Acting Student; Karen Willins - Karen; Ilona Wilson - Lola; Christina Wright - 3rd Audience Member; Shane Dixon - FBI Agent on Catwalk; R. Lee Ermey - Houston's Boss (uncredited); Pat Golden; James Mathers - Pilot; Michael Jai White - 1st Alley Guy; Ken Miles - 1st Cop; Peter Fitzgerald - Horror Movie Actor
Credit
Geoff Hubbard - Art Director, Abigail Murray - Costume Designer, Charles Lane - Director, Kent Beyda - Editor, Marc Marder - Composer (Music Score), Michele Burke - Makeup, John Caglione, Jr. - Makeup, Doug Drexler - Makeup, David L. Parrish - Camera Operator, John F. de Cuir, Jr. - Production Designer, Thomas E. Ackerman - Cinematographer, Carol Baum - Producer, Howard M. Brickner - Producer, Sandy Gallin - Producer, Zvi Howard Rosenman - Producer, Teri Schwartz - Producer, Karen O'Hara - Set Designer, Debby Porter - Stunts, Andy Breckman - Screenwriter, William Davies - Screenwriter, Will Osborne - Screenwriter, Charles Purpura - Screenwriter, Michael Swerdlick - Screenwriter, Bob Young - Screenwriter
