The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
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23% of critics liked it
(31 reviews) -
27% of users liked it
(11,733 ratings)
Brian De Palma's Hollywood sanitization of Tom Wolfe's scabrous satire stars Tom Hanks as Sherman McCoy, the "master of the universe," a shallow Wall Street investor who makes millions while enjoying the good life and the sexual favors of Maria Ruskin (Melanie Griffith), a Southern… More Brian De Palma's Hollywood sanitization of Tom Wolfe's scabrous satire stars Tom Hanks as Sherman McCoy, the "master of the universe," a shallow Wall Street investor who makes millions while enjoying the good life and the sexual favors of Maria Ruskin (Melanie Griffith), a Southern belle golddigger. Sherman and Maria are driving back to Maria's apartment from the airport when Maria takes a wrong turn on the expressway and the two find themselves in the South Bronx. She sees a black youth approaching Sherman's car and Maria, frightened, guns the engine, running over the teenager and killing him. The two drive away and decide not to report the accident to the police. Meanwhile, indigent alcoholic journalist Peter Fallow (Bruce Willis), anxious for a story to make good with his editor, comes upon the hit-and-run tale through local black community activist, Reverend Bacon (John Hancock). Bacon plans to use the hit-and-run case as a rallying point for the black community, while Fallow recognizes the press coverage inherent in prosecuting the callow Sherman. As Sherman is brought to his knees, the New York community fragments into different factions who use the case to suit their own cynical political purposes. Finally, Sherman is left without any allies to support him except for the sympathetic Judge White (Morgan Freeman) and the remorseful Fallow. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Directed By
- Brian DePalma
- Genres
- Comedy
- In Theaters
- Dec 21, 1990 Wide
- Studio
- Warner Home Video
Critic Reviews
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Has more embarrassing moments than good ones.
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Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Ugh, what a dog.
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Paul Schrodt, Slant Magazine
De Palma's characterizations may not have the subtle tongue-in-cheek wit of Tom Wolfe, but his version of the story is both more comic and angrier for it.
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Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily
An interesting failure that's not as bad as its reputation. Speaks a lot of truth, but the tone is too broad.
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Michael Cristofer's screenplay eviscerates Tom Wolfe's forceful work of social criticism of its moral meaning.
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Cast
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Tom Hanks
as Sherman McCoy
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Bruce Willis
as Peter Fallow
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Melanie Griffith
as Maria Ruskin
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Kim Cattrall
as Judy McCoy
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Morgan Freeman
as Judge Leonard White
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Saul Rubinek
as Jed Kramer
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F Murray Abraham
as D.A. Abe Weiss
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John Hancock
as Reverend Bacon
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Kevin Dunn
as Thomas Killian
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Clifton James
as Albert Fox
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Louis Giambalvo
as Ray Andruitti
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Barton Heyman
as Detective Martin
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Norman Parker
as Detective Goldberg
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Donald Moffat
as Mr. McCoy (Sherman's Father)
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Alan King
as Arthur Ruskin
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Beth Broderick
as Caroline Heftshank
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Kurt Fuller
as Pollard Browning
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Adam Le Fevre
as Rawlie Thorpe
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Richard Libertini
as Ed Rifkin
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Andre Gregory
as Aubrey Buffing
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Rita Wilson
as Public Relations Woman
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Kimberleigh Aarn
as Media Jackal
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Mary Alice
as Annie Lamb
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John Blythe Barrymore
as Restaurant Manager (uncredited)
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Jennifer Bassey
as Diplomat's Wife
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Paul Bates
as Buck
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Richard Belzer
as TV Producer
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John Bentley
as Bill Doorman
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Scotty Bloch
as Sally Rawthrote
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Katrina Braque
as Diplomat's Daughter
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Jeff Brooks
as Bondsman
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Judith Burke
as French Restaurant Patron
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Edye Byrde
as Poe Picketer
- Debbie Lee Carrington
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Channing Chase
as Shocked Woman
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O. Laron Clark
as Cecil Hayden
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Joy Claussen
as French Restaurant Patron
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T.J. Coan
as Bondsman
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Johnny Crear
as Manny Leerman
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Vito D'Ambrosio
as Intercom Man
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Kathryn Danielle
as Public Relations Assistant
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Roy Milton Davis
as Latino
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Anatoly Davydov
as Boris Karlevskov
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Brian DePalma
as Prison Guard
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Oliver Dixon
as Diplomat
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Kirsten Dunst
as Campbell McCoy
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Hal England
as French Restaurant Patron
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John Fink
as French Restaurant Patron
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Walter Flanagan
as Media Jackal
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Susan Forristal
as Well Wishers
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Staci Francis
as Gospel Singer
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Richard Gilbert-Hill
as Weiss' Aide
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Barbara Gooding
as Gospel Singer
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Fanni Green
as Prostitute
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Daniel Hagen
as Media Jackal
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Mike Hodge
as Media Jackal
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W.M. Hunt
as Nunally Voyd
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Ray Iannicelli
as Media Jackal
-
Ernestine Jackson
as Media Jackal
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Sam Jenkins
as Fox's Assistant
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Timothy Jenkins
as Billy Cortez
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Joyce Walker
as "Don Giovanni"
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Jon Rashad Kamal
as French Waiter
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James Lally
as Bondsman
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Louis P. Lebherz
as "The Commandatori"
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Doris Leggett
as Gospel Singer
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Noble Lee Lester
as Media Jackals
- Nickolas Levitin
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Shiek Mahmud-Bey
as Lockwood
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Patrick Malone
as Henry Lamb
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Camryn Manheim
as Poe Picketer
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Cynthia Mason
as Maid
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Malachy McCourt
as Tony Doorman
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Nancy McDonald
as Media Jackal
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Don McManus
as Bondsman
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Barry Michlin
as Funeral Director
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Marcia Mitzman
as Bondsman
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Marjorie Monaghan
as Evelyn Moore
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Lorraine Moore
as Gospel Singer
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Virginia Morris
as Weiss' Aide
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Barry Neikrug
as Aides to Weiss
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Novella Nelson
as Media Jackal
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Elizabeth Owens
as Inez Bavardage
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Kathleen Murphy Palmer
as Gospel Singer
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Sherri Paysinger
as Anchorwoman
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George Plimpton
as Well Wisher
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Geraldo Rivera
as Robert Corso TV Journalist
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Hansford Rowe
as Leon Bavardage
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Connie Sawyer
as Ruskin Family Member
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Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi
as Maitre D'
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Helen Stenborg
as Mrs. McCoy
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Robert Stephens
as Sir Gerald Moore
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Kirk Taylor
as Aide
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Nelson Vasquez
as Pimp
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Ermal Williamson
as Butler
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Adina Winston
as Female Guest
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William Woodson
as Gene Lopwitz
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J.D. Wyatt
as Poe Picketer
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Emmanuel Xuereb
as Filippo Chirazzi
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Stewart J. Zully
as Court Clerk
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William Clark
as Eddie Doorman
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David Lipman
as Poe Picketer
- Sarah Essex
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Troy Winbush
as Roland Auburn
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Marie Chambers
as Weiss' Aide
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George Merritt
as Poe Picketers
- John Hancock I
