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Pennies from Heaven is the 1981 film adaptation of the 1978 BBC television drama of the same name. Dennis Potter, the writer of the original British series, adapted his own screenplay for American audiences. The film's setting was changed to Depression era Chicago. Potter was nominated for the 1981 Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay. The film starred Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, and Christopher Walken. The director was Herbert Ross and the choreographer was Danny Daniels.
This was Steve Martin's first dramatic role in a film. Martin had watched the original miniseries and considered it "the greatest thing [he'd] ever seen".[1] He trained for six months learning to tap dance. Christopher Walken trained as a dancer as a young man and he was able to use his dancing skills in the film.
Cast of Characters
Arthur Parker -- Steve Martin
Eileen, aka 'Lulu'-- Bernadette Peters
Tom -- Christopher Walken
Joan Parker -- Jessica Harper
Accordion man -- Vernal Bagneris
Mr. Warner -- John McMartin
Detective -- John Karlen
The film grossed slightly more than $9 million at the box-office against a budget of $22 million.[2]
When asked about the film's box-office failure in Rolling Stone, Martin said: "I'm disappointed that it didn't open as a blockbuster and I don't know what to blame, other than it's me and not a comedy. I must say that the people who get the movie, in general, have been wise and intelligent; the people who don't get it are ignorant scum."[1] It was only Martin's second starring role in a film following 1979's comedy hit The Jerk and fans were confused to see Martin in a serious role. "You can't do a movie like The Jerk, and then do a film like Pennies From Heaven" Martin later said in a BBC interview.
Fred Astaire, who was powerless to prevent the reuse of his old footage detested the film: "I have never spent two more miserable hours in my life. Every scene was cheap and vulgar. They don't realise that the thirties were a very innocent age, and that should have been set in the eighties ? it was just froth; it makes you cry it's so distasteful."[3]
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082894/ |
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