Johnny Dangerously (1984)
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47% of critics liked it
(15 reviews) -
61% of users liked it
(8,843 ratings)
This spoof of the 1930s and '40s crime stories ranges from the ridiculous to the sublime as it tells the story of Johnny Dangerously (Byron Thames as the young Johnny, Michael Keaton as the older), a devoted son to his ailing mother (Maureen Stapleton), so ill that she needs money for several… More This spoof of the 1930s and '40s crime stories ranges from the ridiculous to the sublime as it tells the story of Johnny Dangerously (Byron Thames as the young Johnny, Michael Keaton as the older), a devoted son to his ailing mother (Maureen Stapleton), so ill that she needs money for several operations. Johnny has nowhere to turn, and because gangsters tend to flourish in his neighborhood he goes to work for Dundee, a benevolent godfather-gangster type, in order to cover his mother's medical bills. Johnny hides his association with Dundee from his younger brother Tommy (Griffin Dunne) and goes so far as to pay for Tommy's law school fees -- supporting him until Tommy joins the staff of the local (and corrupt) district attorney's office for Burr (Danny DeVito). When Johnny starts working for Dundee, he clashes with the evil Vermin (Joe Piscopo) right from the beginning, but things only get worse. After Dundee decides to retire, Johnny ascends to the helm, and it does not look like Vermin is going to take that sitting down. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Directed By
- Amy Heckerling
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy
PG-13,
- In Theaters
- Dec 21, 1984 Wide
- Studio
- Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Keaton in starring role helps, but overall average laughs.
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Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
Good spoof of The Roaring Twenties
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Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
Sorta funny for a while, but it runs out of ammo long before it's over
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Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium
I know I shouldn't like this film, but dammit, it's just so gloriously exuberantly silly that there's no use condemning it.
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Beth Accomando, KPBS.org
A mob comedy that shoots only blanks.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
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Cast
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Michael Keaton
as Johnny Dangerously
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Joe Piscopo
as Vermin
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Marilu Henner
as Lil
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Maureen Stapleton
as Mom
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Peter Boyle
as Dundee
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Griffin Dunne
as Tommy
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Richard Dimitri
as Maroni
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Glynnis O'Connor
as Sally
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Byron Thames
as Young Johnny
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Danny DeVito
as Burr
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Dom DeLuise
as The Pope
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Ray Walston
as Vendor
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Elizabeth Arlen
as Girl on Steps
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Mike Bacarella
as Vito
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Sudie Bond
as Cleaning Lady
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Dick Butkus
as Arthur
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Ron Carey
as Pat
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Mike Finneran
as Prisoner
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Hank Garrett
as Mayor
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Chuck Hicks
as Governor
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Katie La Bourdette
as Blond Girl
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Trisha Long
as Female Butler
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Dean Miller
as Photographer
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Jack Nance
as Priest
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Harvey Parry
as Policeman
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Paul B. Price
as Prisoner
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Hal Riddle
as Warden
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Will Seltzer
as Prisoner
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Troy W. Slaten
as Young Tommy
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Cynthia Szigeti
as Mrs. Capone
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Leonard Termo
as Tony Scarano
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Scott Thomson
as Charley
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Richard Warwick
as Prisoner
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Gary Watkins
as Manny
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Jeffrey Weissman
as T-Shirt Vendor
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Bob Eubanks
as M.C.
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Carl Gottlieb
as Dr. Magnus
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Alan Hale Jr.
as Desk Sergeant
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Neal Israel
as Dr. Zillman
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Rick Rosenthal
as Judge
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Richard A. Roth
as Prisoner Rabbi
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Norman Steinberg
as Reporter Duffy
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Dick Balduzzi
as Prisoner
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Georg Olden
as Young Vermin
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Shelley Pogoda
as Woman
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Frank Slaten
as Henchman
- Mike Fenton
- Jane Feinberg
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Russell Forte
as Hood
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Michael Joy
as Chorus Girl
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Jerome Michaels
as Reporter Diering
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Edward Short
as Porter
- Gordon Zimmerman
