edited by Jonathan Doyle

Mafioso (The Criterion Collection, 3.18.2008) Nino Badalamenti is a supervisor in a car manufacturing plant who hasn't taken a vacation in over two years. On his way out the door to visit his beloved childhood hometown of Sicily -- with his blonde wife and daughters -- Nino is handed a package by his boss and asked to deliver it to a powerful and influential Sicilian gangster named Don Vincenzo. Once in Sicily, Nino has a hoot seeing friends and family, but his wife has trouble fitting in and is unfairly dismissed as a snob by Nino's family. Even more worrisome, Nino finds himself entangled in an intricate web of secret mafioso dealings and is eventually sent on an unexpectedly... elaborate errand. (continued)

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Arkin in "Get Smart"

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During an on-stage interview at Lincoln Center's Walter Reade theatre last December, Alan Arkin said the job he wants more than anything else is to be in a big-studio franchise movie, the kind of film in which he'd have to gesture wildly in front of a green screen and go, "Look out, the thing is coming!"

I don't know if Arkin's winning of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Little Miss Sunshine had anything to do with this, but his agent has gotten him what he wants -- the role of CONTROL in a big-screen version of Get Smart with Steve Carell in the Don Adams/"Maxwell Smart" role. It'll be crude and common, of course (Adam Sandler protege Peter Segal is directing), and Arkin -- who knows the difference between smart, sophisticated comedy and coarse, low-rent crap -- will be delighted with the paycheck, especially if they make two or three. But inwardly he'll be mortified.

Talkign to "Zodiac's" Graysmith<< previous | next >>Black films don't travel

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on February 28, 2007 at 03:43 PM

comment #1

jeffmcm says ...

Well jeez, maybe Murphy should have won after all, right?

Posted by jeffmcm at February 28, 2007 04:03 PM

comment #2

Matthew Lucas says ...

Well, with Steve Carell AND Alan Arkin in the same movie, it can't be all bad, right?

Posted by Matthew Lucas at February 28, 2007 04:17 PM

comment #3

Ray says ...

I am glad to hear the news, even though I am grossed out by the idea of yet another television show being "reimagined" on the big screen.

http://therecshow.com/2007/02/28/death-of-original-thought/

Posted by Ray at February 28, 2007 04:27 PM

comment #4

Eddie says ...

He was already the chief in that Axe Murderer movie. Although he was pretty funny there.

Posted by Eddie at February 28, 2007 04:55 PM

comment #5

RoyBatty says ...

You know, for a bunch of folks who probably think of themselves as pretty sharpe, it's fucking hysterical no one seems to realize that Arkin was indulging in his trademark dry humor about doing franchise films.

Posted by RoyBatty at February 28, 2007 06:50 PM

comment #6

PanTheFaun says ...

I'm sure not many on this site are aware of it because I'm probably the only idiot on here to have seen it... but Arkin also had a major role in last year's "The Santa Clause 3."

Posted by PanTheFaun at February 28, 2007 10:37 PM

comment #7