Details
Movie Description
In the second of Neil Simon's semi-autobiographical trilogy (with BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS and BROADWAY BOUND), Matthew Broderick plays Simon's alter ego, Eugene Jerome. This time Eugene is in army basic training during World War II, and his general dissatisfaction with military life is exacerbated by his sadistic drill sergeant, Toomey (performed with comic perfection by Christopher Walken). Eugene has three goals--to get out of the army alive, to lose his virginity, and to fall in love. In funny, poignant lessons, Eugene learns about friendship from his fellow soldiers, about sex from a down-home, no-nonsense prostitute, and about love from a local girl he meets at a dance. The strong supporting cast includes Park Overall as the prostitute and Penelope Ann Miller as Daisy, Eugene's first love. Broderick's deadpan delivery of his smart-aleck observations gives Mike Nichols's film many of its funniest moments.
Synopsis
With BILOXI BLUES, director Mike Nichols brings Neil Simon's comic play to the silver screen. Set in Mississippi during the final months of WWII, the film follows the trials of Eugene, a young man trying to survive boot camp, lose his virginity, and find love.
Film Notes
"Biloxi Blues" is the second installment of Neil Simon's autobiographical trilogy. All three were originally produced for the Broadway stage before being filmed.
"Brighton Beach Memoirs" (1986) was the first to go before the cameras. Directed by longtime Simon collaborator Gene Saks, it starred Blythe Danner, Bob Dishy, Brian Drillinger, Stacey Glick, Judith Ivey, Lisa Waltz, Jason Alexander, Steven Hill, and Jonathan Silverman as the Neil Simon character, "Eugene Jerome."
The third, "Neil Simon's 'Broadway Bound'" (1992) was adapted for TV rather than the big screen, and starred Anne Bancroft, Hume Cronyn, Corey Parker, Jerry Orbach, Michelle Lee, and Silverman again as "Eugene."
Th Broadway play, "Biloxi Blues," opened March 28, 1985 at the Neil Simon Theater. It was written by Simon and staged by Gene Saks. Starring as "Eugene Jerome" was Matthew Broderick, who appeared in all three stage productions in the Simon trilogy. The play also featured Brian Tarantina, Matt Mulhern, Alan Ruck, Barry Miller, Bill Sadler, Geoffrey Sharp, Randall Edwards, and Penelope Ann Miller. Mulhern and Penelope Ann Miller reprised their stage roles for the film. Ruck co-starred with Broderick in the 1986 film "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."
Filmed in Super 35. Sound by Dolby.
Industry Reviews
"...A very classy movie....Superb performances..."
New York Times - p.C1 - Vincent Canby (03/25/1988)
"...Park Overall proves deliciously sly and knowing....The most intriguing performance comes from Christopher Walken...By starting so coolly, his subsequent aberrations seem all the more shocking..."
Variety - Cart. (03/23/1988)
"...It has some marvelous moments....Nichols seems to have perfect pitch when he's working with Simon..."
Los Angeles Times - Michael Wilmington (03/25/1988)
"...Crackling dialogue and vivid characterisation....There are some moments to savour..."
Sight and Sound - Geoffrey Macnab (06/01/2000)
"...In adapting Neil Simon's play, Nichols rarely swerves from his source....Broderick fits snugly into his everywimp persona..."
Total Film - Simon Crook (07/01/2000)
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