Prizzi’s Honor
Composite Score: 84.53
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Kathleen Turner, Robert Loggia, John Randolph, William Hickey, Lee Richardson, Michael Lombard, Anjelica Huston, and CCH Pounder
Director: John Huston
Writers: Richard Condon and Janet Roach
Genres: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Romance
MPAA Rating: R
Box Office: $26.66 million worldwide
Why should you Watch This Film?
Prizzi’s Honor is the film adaptation of Richard Condon’s novel of the same name about a mob hitman who falls in love with another hired gun and the complex relationship that develops as he learns more about her past dealings. The film stars Jack Nicholson in the leading role of Charley Partanna with Kathleen Turner playing across from him as Kathleen Walker. Anjelica Huston, William Hickey, John Randolph, Robert Loggia, and Lee Richardson also feature as various members of the Prizzi crime family. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Nicholson), Best Supporting Actor (Hickey), Best Supporting Actress (Huston), and Best Director, winning only for Anjelica Huston’s portrayal of the estranged daughter of the Prizzi family – Maerose Prizzi. The film’s fun blend of crime drama and romantic comedy make it a stand-out in the films of the 1980s, setting the stage for future blends like Mickey Blue Eyes, Analyze That, and My Cousin Vinny.
Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?
Prizzi’s Honor is not the deepest or most intense mob drama or romantic comedy ever made. Mostly, it serves as a satisfyingly tragic look at the obsession with power and family in organized crime with some fun hijinks thrown in. It doesn’t necessarily make the film bad or anything, but by no means is this up on the level of The Godfather, Casino, or GoodFellas, nor does it quite have the beats of the great romantic comedies like When Harry Met Sally…, Crazy, Stupid, Love., or Silver Linings Playbook. What helps it stand out is its blending of the two genres and some quality acting to go along with it. I don’t know that it’ll be everyone’s cup of tea, but it might still be yours.
So wait, why should you Watch This Film?
While its blend of genres helps it carve out a niche in the world of cinema, the true triumph of Prizzi’s Honor comes in its three Oscar-nominated performances. William Hickey plays the godfather of the Prizzi family – Don Corrado Prizzi – as a man living in an entirely different film from everyone else around him, and it works! His disgusting but menacing over-the-hill mobster dominates every scene and reminds the audience of the evil at work underneath all the playfulness of the film, keeping it grounded in the most over-the-top way possible. Nicholson, on the other hand, gives one of the most ridiculous of any of his leading performances, and it is fantastic. His Charley Partanna has the thickest mobster accent you could ever expect (sounding at times like Hayden Christensen in Little Italy but hey…), and the character he plays is just as thick in the head, torn between loyalty to his love and loyalty to his family. Jack walks the line of cartoonish mobster and charming romantic lead well, bringing a lot of heart to the film and earning himself an Oscar nom in the process. Anjelica Huston, however, is the one who controls the film, playing jilted lover, femme fatale, and innocent victim interchangeably in her role as Maerose Prizzi. It’s a haunting and dynamic role that overcomes its limited screentime through her compelling performance that more than earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
The great acting in Prizzi’s Honor helps elevate the film above the typical genre fare to something worthy of a mention among the all-time greats. Its simplistic and formulaic elements end up being equal parts endearing and familiar, making this a hit or miss depending on your preferences. If you’ve had your curiosity piqued, unfortunately, the film is currently not available to stream or rent online, but with enough digging, you should be able to find it somewhere.