The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
Genre: Comedy
Duration: 123 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Brian De Palma
Stars: Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis and Melanie Griffith
IMDb score:
5,6 (28.337)
Releasedate: 21 December 1990
The Bonfire of the Vanities plot
"Take one Wall Street tycoon, his Fifth Avenue mistress, a reporter hungry for fame, and make the wrong turn in The Bronx...then sit back and watch the sparks fly."
Rich Sherman McCoy sees his life crumble when his mistress Maria hits a black boy in his car. Thanks in part to journalist Peter Fallow and the mayor, the lawsuit brought against him becomes so immense that he is no longer safe anywhere.
Actors and actresses
Sherman McCoy
Peter Fallow
Maria Ruskin
Judy McCoy
Jed Kramer
Judge Leonard White
Reverend Bacon
Tom Killian
Albert Fox
Ray Andruitti
Reviews & comments
yeyo
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- 6358 messages
- 4629 votes
On the one hand, The Bonfire of Vanities doesn't quite deserve its infamous status. The satirical humor about political power games is sharp at times (that Al Sharpton lookalike 
) and I also appreciated the farcical design of De Palma. However, certain flaws in the film are undeniable. The screenplay feels rather messy and fails to lead to a strong climax. But the biggest flaw of the film is undoubtedly the casting. Bruce Willis plays a vague, poorly developed character and Tom Hanks is completely miscast as a slick Wall Street executive. It is said that the presence of Hanks can be explained by the fact that the studio demanded a main character with a sympathetic appearance. De Palma certainly regrets this choice and believes that John Lightow might have suited the cynical tone of the film better. I wholeheartedly agree with him.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Fisico
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- 10039 messages
- 5398 votes
This film is very poorly received here. Not that this is a masterpiece, but I did enjoy it quite a bit. The trigger to watch this one is of course due to the great cast that includes Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman. Brian De Palma also convinced me extra to fill my evening with 'The Bonfire of the Vanities'.
The film seems light-hearted and simple, but it is more profound than it makes out. The delightful satire and mockery about the legal system and public opinion are delicately revealed. It's the story of an ordinary rich man who has everything under control, but suddenly finds himself in the eye of the storm and before he knows it is caught up in a witch hunt. I found the casting itself strange. Both Hanks and Willis didn't really fit me. I also thought Freeman was thin as a judge. Little depth and rather messy presentation. The idea suited De Palma well, but I expect more from the execution. Freeman's final plea comes across as forced and unconvincing (although the message does hit the nail on the head). All things considered, a narrow pass with 3.0*.
Translated from Dutch · View original
scorsese
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- 13237 messages
- 11128 votes
Good film in which a white couple hits a black boy with their car. Nice camera work that starts well with a long take. The characters are caricatured, but since they are all quite unsympathetic, this works here. Maybe not everything is worked out well (including the ending), but there are more than enough good moments.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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