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Get Shorty

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Get Shorty
NameGet Shorty
CaptionTheatrical release poster
DirectorBarry Sonnenfeld
ProducerDanny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher
ScreenplayScott Frank
Based onGet Shorty, Elmore Leonard
StarringJohn Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny DeVito, Dennis Farina, Delroy Lindo
MusicJohn Lurie
CinematographyDonald Peterman
EditingJim Miller
StudioJersey Films
DistributorMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Released1995, 10, 20
Runtime105 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$30.2 million
Gross$115.1 million

Get Shorty is a 1995 American crime comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and written by Scott Frank, based on Elmore Leonard's 1990 novel of the same name. The film stars John Travolta as a Miami loan shark who travels to Los Angeles to collect a debt and becomes enamored with the Hollywood film industry. With a supporting cast including Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, and Danny DeVito, the film blends organized crime tropes with a satirical look at movie production.

Plot

Chili Palmer, a Miami loan shark with a sharp wit and a love for cinema, travels to Los Angeles to collect a debt from dry cleaner and low-budget film producer Harry Zimm. After a series of encounters with a volatile drug lord and a struggling B-movie actress, Palmer becomes entangled in Zimm's latest project. Using his skills of negotiation and intimidation, Palmer navigates the treacherous waters of both the criminal underworld and the cutthroat Hollywood studio system, ultimately pitching a film idea based on his own experiences. The narrative culminates in a complex deal involving a stolen corpse, insurance fraud, and the pursuit of a famous but difficult actor named Martin Weir for the lead role.

Cast

John Travolta stars as Chili Palmer, bringing a charismatic cool to the role of the cinephile gangster. Gene Hackman portrays the anxious and unscrupulous B-movie producer Harry Zimm, while Rene Russo plays Karen Flores, a former scream queen actress. Danny DeVito appears as the vain and eccentric Academy Award-winning actor Martin Weir. The ensemble is rounded out by Dennis Farina as the volatile mobster Ray "Bones" Barboni, Delroy Lindo as the menacing drug lord Bo Catlett, and James Gandolfini in a supporting role as Bear, a stuntman and enforcer. Notable cameos include Harvey Keitel, Penny Marshall, and Bette Midler.

Production

Development began at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer after the studio acquired the rights to Elmore Leonard's novel. Barry Sonnenfeld, fresh from directing The Addams Family, was hired to direct, with Scott Frank adapting the screenplay. John Travolta, whose career was revitalized by Pulp Fiction the previous year, was cast in the lead role. Principal photography took place primarily in Los Angeles, with key scenes shot at iconic locations like the Chateau Marmont and the former MGM Studios lot. The production was housed under Danny DeVito's Jersey Films banner, with DeVito also serving as a producer alongside Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher.

Release

The film premiered on October 20, 1995, in the United States. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer handled the theatrical distribution, launching a marketing campaign that highlighted its blend of crime and Hollywood satire. It performed strongly at the box office, particularly following positive critical reactions and strong word-of-mouth. The film was later released on VHS and LaserDisc in 1996, and subsequently on DVD, further cementing its status as a cult classic. Its success helped solidify the commercial viability of Elmore Leonard adaptations in the 1990s.

Reception

Upon release, the film received widespread critical acclaim, with particular praise for its sharp screenplay, Barry Sonnenfeld's direction, and the performances of John Travolta and the ensemble cast. Reviewers from publications like The New York Times and Variety lauded its clever dialogue and meta-commentary on Hollywood. It was nominated for several awards, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Travolta. The film was also a financial success, grossing over $115 million worldwide against a $30 million budget. It consistently appears on lists of the best comedy films of the 1990s.

Adaptations

The success of the film spawned a 2005 sequel, Be Cool, also based on an Elmore Leonard novel and featuring John Travolta reprising his role as Chili Palmer, though it was not as well-received. More significantly, the property was adapted into a television series for the Epix network (now MGM+). This series, which premiered in 2017, starred Chris O'Dowd and Ray Romano and presented a new story loosely based on the original premise, running for three seasons. The film's legacy endures as a defining entry in the genre of Hollywood satires and a benchmark for Elmore Leonard adaptations.

Category:1995 films Category:American crime comedy films Category:Films based on American novels Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films