Classic 80s Movie: “Running Scared”
Today’s Classic 80s Movie guest post comes from Bretton Zinger.
Movie Title: Running Scared
Year: 1986
Writers: Gary DeVore (story); Gary DeVore and Jimmy Huston (screenplay)
Lead Actors: Gregory Hines, Billy Crystal, Jimmy Smits
Director: Peter Hyams
Plot Summary: Danny and Ray are two street wise cops in Chicago. When they are almost killed on a case, they are forced to take a vacation by their captain. Key West offers a substantial change over frozen Chicago. They decide to quit and open a bar in Key West. Upon returning, they find that Julio, the drug dealer who nearly killed them has made bail and is trying to complete a giant drug deal. They decide to complete their case against Julio before quitting, but then begin being careful. Their effectiveness drops as they find they can’t operate the way they did before if they don’t have the edge of a long time commitment.
Why I Think This Is A Classic 80s Movie: We don’t really get these any more — B movies with mid-level stars (at the time), mid-level budget, studio-produced. And it’s a perfectly acceptable, nothing offensive, funny action/comedy.
And I love it.
Crystal and Hines have such great chemistry, it’s a wonder they didn’t get together for another film before Hines died far too young several years ago. I do recall a sequel being discussed, but I don’t know how serious that idea was.
My Favorite Moment In The Movie: When Crystal believes a lawyer is in the precinct to serve him a subpoena, Hines agrees to help distract the lawyer, which ends with Hines in the ladies’ room being told he’s inheriting a good chunk of money. (See * in the quotes below for his response to the lawyer’s suspicions of his supposed Italian ancestry.)
Either that or when Hines gets in a middle-finger fight with a child.
My Favorite Dialogue In the Movie: NOTE: So many choices. I wonder how much was improvised on set and how much was in the script. Nearly all bits that stick out in my memory involve the back-and-forth banter between Crystal and Hines, rather than individual lines, even ones quoted below.
Why do they call you Snake? Cause you have a big wee-wee?
— — — — -
I’m watching the new Jeopardy, and a man missed a Bible question because he didn’t know what Deuteronomy was. … Oh, no. The answer is Ipswich clams. … Oh, Motha! Motha! Can I have some more petite marshmallows in my hot cocoa?
— — — — -
*Ray Hughes: [Trying to pass himself off as Italian] Hey, I’m a paisan’, huh? What did ya expect? What do you want me to do? Want me to cook you up a pile of Ragù? You want me to sweat garlic for you? Huh? Sing an opera? Lose a war? Huh?
— — — — -
Lab Technician at Airport: This is real shit. This coke is pure shit.
Ray Hughes: It’s good shit, right?
Lab Technician at Airport: I mean bad shit.
Ray Hughes: Bad shit like, “This shit is bad?”
Lab Technician at Airport: It’s shit shit. This shit isn’t worth shit. There’s barely enough coke in here to attract the dogs. Anybody caught on the street with this would get killed.
— — — — -
Danny Costanzo: What the hell are we doing in Key West?
Ray Hughes: It’s as far south as we can go without having to speak Spanish.
— — — — -
We got an alibi, Captain. Snake, tell him where we were or we’ll kill you too.
— — — — -
Quit. Leave. Depart. Vamoose. Amscray.
— — — — -
Look, Snake. From here, the angle of trajectory — Oh, great. Look who I’m talking to. Mr. SATs.
Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie: The number of people who were minor stars at the time but later became quite well known (as character actors, at least): Crystal and Hines, of course, but also Dan Hedaya, Jimmy Smits, Joey Pants (Joe Pantoliano), Jon Gries and Steven Bauer.
What else to look for? Well, nothing, I guess. Just sit back and be entertained. I’m not claiming it’s a great movie. But I will claim it’s a film that had only B movie aspirations, and has nothing wrong with it. So in that sense, it’s a perfect movie. And one of the last ones of those to come out of a studio.
Thanks, Bretton! To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!
Tomorrow: Another Classic 80s Movie!
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