
Warren Beatty had long been interested in the story of Bugsy Siegel, the gangster who had a big role in the birth of gambling nirvana Las Vegas. He had asked James Toback to develop a story and a screenplay. It took Toback 6 years and several re-writes before in 1990 the filming could begin. Although, like many movies about real people and events, this Barry Levinson directed film is not historically accurate, it does provide viewers with a feel of the times and circumstances. Toback's script and Levinson's direction focus on two things. The split personality that is Ben "Bugsy" Siegel: devoted family man by day, high strung psychotic killer by night, played fantastically by Beatty who was deservedly nominated for a best actor Oscar. The second focus is on the dysfunctional relationship the adulterer Siegal has with the bit actress and dancer Virginia "Flamingo" Hill (Annette Bening). The two are like fire and oil, yet can't be without each other, either. The story of their romance is told with the birth of Las Vegas as a backdrop. Levinson has created a wonderful visual spectacle, with detail for period wardrobe, music and architecture. The cast, for the most part, is fantastic. Beatty excells as Bugsy. Harvey Keitel, Elliot Gould, Ben Kingsley and Wendy Philips are solid as respectively Mickey Cohen, Harry Greenberg, Meyer Lansky and Esta Siegel. Bening plays Virginia Hill and Joe Mantegna is completely miscast as tough guy actor George Raft.
Warren
Beatty
James
Toback
Barry
Levinson
Ben
Bugsy
Siegel
Virginia
Flamingo
Hill
Annette
Bening
Las
Vegas
Harvey
Keitel
Elliot
Gould
Kingsley
Wendy
Philips
Mickey
Cohen
Harry
Greenberg
Meyer
Lansky
Esta
Joe
Mantegna
George
Raft
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