Main Cast: John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Charles Durning, Beatrice Straight, Scatman Crothers
Release Year: 1983
Country: US
Run Time: 88 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John attempt to rekindle the box office sparks of Grease with this screwball fantasy comedy. The tale begins during a golf match in heaven among four angels --Charlie (Charles Durning), Earl (Scatman Crothers), Gonzales (Castulo Guerra), and Ruth (Beatrice Straight)-- who have been in charge of heaven for the last twenty-five years. But their game is interrupted by God (voice of Gene Hackman), who has now returned to the office and doesn't like what he sees down on earth. God wants to order up another flood and start all over again, but the angels persuade God to reconsider, reasoning that if a typical earth man can reform, it would prove that all mankind is capable of it. God agrees to the scheme and the typical man selected is Zack Melon (John Travolta) a failed inventor who, threatened by loan sharks, decides to hold up a bank. Zack points his gun at bank teller Debbie Wylder (Olivia Newton-John) and she gives him all of the money. But when Zack peers into the sack after the robbery, he sees that Debbie has substituted bank deposit slips for the cash and realizes that she has kept the money for herself. Zack tracks her down to reclaim his stolen money and the two fall in love. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Castulo Guerra - Gonzales; Oliver Reed - Beazley; Richard Bright - Stuart; Toni Kalem - Terri; James Stevens - Ron; Jack Kehoe - Mr. Chotiner; Ernie Hudson - Detective Staggs; Michael Aronin - Student; Kurek Ashley - SoHo Cop; Kathy Bates - Furniture Man's Wife; Vincent Buffano - Oscar; Joe Cirillo - Cop; Robert Costanzo - Capt. Cinzari; John Dresden - Bartender; Sheila Frazier - Reporter; Ted Grossman - Waiter; Gene Hackman; John Bear Hudkins - Guard; Christopher Loomis - Sarge; Michael Prince - Judge; Warren Robertson - Himself; Walter Robles - Bum; Ann Travolta - Bank Teller; Deborah Dalton - Angie; Tony Munafo - Furniture Man; Deborra Hampton - Rake Woman; Donna Porter - Restaurant's Customer; Pat McCorkle; Valorie Massalas; Mike Fenton; Jane Feinberg; Pamela Bowman - Jet Setter's Date; Tammy Brewer; Jacque Foti - Maitre d'; Steven Hirsch - Jet Setter; Rochelle L. Kravit; Jerome Michaels - Customer; Kitty Muldoon; Phillip Romano; Charlie Picerni - Anti-Gang Officer; Jill Andre - Gladys; Richard Adams - Restaurant's Customer
Credit
Kate Edwards - Associate Producer, Joan Edwards - Associate Producer, Tom Bronson - Costume Designer, Fredric B. Blankfein - First Assistant Director, John Herzfeld - Director, Roger Paradiso - Second Unit Director, Jack Hofstra - Editor, Peter Cetera - Composer (Music Score), Bill Conti - Composer (Music Score), Patrick Williams - Composer (Music Score), Patrick Williams - Musical Arrangement, Albert Brenner - Production Designer, Fred Koenekamp - Cinematographer, Joe Wizan - Producer, Roger M. Rothstein - Producer, Marvin March - Set Designer, Kandy Stern - Set Designer, Dianne I. Wager - Set Designer, John Woodward - Set Designer, Alan E. Lorimer - Special Effects, Debby Porter - Stunts, John Herzfeld - Screenwriter
The film has Travolta as an inventor and Newton-John as a bank teller. It is up to both criminally-minded individuals to save the Earth from God's destruction.
This film was the pop singer Newton-John's third attempt at a big budget movie, but which turned out to be an even bigger bomb than her previous film, Xanadu. This film also marked the start of a huge downturn in Travolta's movie career, which wouldn't rebound until 1994 with his starring role in Pulp Fiction. This film was the antithesis of Travolta's and Newton-John's previous film together, Grease, one of the biggest box office successes in movie history. The film was salvaged by a platinum soundtrack which yielded three singles for Newton-John:
"Twist of Fate" - No. 5 Pop (her last of 15 Top 10 Pop hits)
"Take a Chance" (duet with John Travolta)- No. 3 AC (B-side to "Twist of Fate")
"Livin' in Desperate Times" - No. 31 Pop
The album was further bolstered by the appearance of "Ask the Lonely", a song rock group Journey had initially intended for their multi-platinum 1983 album Frontiers but which was only available on the soundtrack album, and Patti Austin's "It's Gonna Be Special", which wasn't a major pop hit but peaked at #15 on the R&B charts and #5 on the Dance charts in 1984.
In Total, Olivia contributed with four songs for this OST, being "Shaking You" the only song not released as a single.
Plot summary
Four angels — Charlie, Earl, Gonzales, and Ruth — have been in charge of Heaven for the last 25 years. They are playing a golf match in Heaven when their game is interrupted by God, who has now returned to the office and doesn't like what he sees down on Earth. God wants to order up another flood and start all over again, but the angels persuade God to reconsider, reasoning that if a typical Earth man can reform, it would prove that all mankind is capable of it.
God agrees to the scheme, and the typical Earth man selected by the angels is Zack Melon — a failed inventor who, threatened by loan sharks, decides to hold up a bank. Zack points his gun at bank teller Debbie Wylder who ostensibly gives him all the money. But when Zack peers into the sack after the robbery, he sees that Debbie has substituted bank deposit slips for the cash and has kept the money for herself. Zack tracks her down to reclaim his stolen money and the two fall in love.
