The Cotton Club (1984)
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Cast
as Dixie Dwyer
as Sandman Williams
as Vera Cicero
as Lila Rose Oliver
as Dutch Schultz
as Vincent Dwyer
as Abbadabba Berman
as Owney Madden
as Frenchy Demange
as Tish Dwyer
as Frances Flegenheimer
as Clay Williams
as Sol Weinstein
as Mme. St. Clair
as Bumpy Rhodes
as Joe Flynn
as Irving Stark
as Mike Best
as Ed Popke
as Patsy Dwyer
as Winnie Williams
as Norma Williams
as Sugar Coates
as Cab Calloway
as Charles `Lucky' Luciano
as Monk
as Sullen Man
as Gloria Swanson
as Ed Popke
as Kid Griffin
as Holmes
as J.W.
as Ling
as Messiah
as Danny
as Caspar Holstein
as Bub Jewett
as Bib Joe Ison
as Solly
as Marcial Flores
as Myrtle Fay
as Duke Ellington
as Butch Murdock
as Trigger Mike Coppola
as Gypsy
as Charlie Chaplin
as Ted Husing
as Bumpy Hood
as Elida Webb
as Stage-Door Joe
as James Cagney
as Fanny Brice
as Vince Hood
as Vince Hood
as Vince Hood
as Vince Hood
as Bumpy Hood
as Bumpy Hood
as Gypsie
as Clerk
as Cop
as Cop
as Child in Street
as Hoofer
as Hoofer
as Dancer
as Dancer
as Dancer
as Dancer
as Dancer
as Dancer
as Dancer
as Screen Test Thug
Critic Reviews for The Cotton Club
All Critics (24) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (18) | Rotten (6) | DVD (3)
Given its garish production history, one rather expected The Cotton Club to sing with hot-jazz desperation. Instead, we get the mediocre craftsmanship of a pit band in Vegas.
It was the most assured film Coppola had made in a decade, full of casual wit and visual invention.
The narrative is a mess despite the simplistic twinning of tales.
Whatever it took to do it, Coppola has extracted a very special film out of the checkered history of this project.
Sharply uneven, Coppola's period musical about he famous Harlem club is lavishly produced but shallow.
This musical gangster movie is a tour de force, even if a little muddled.
Audience Reviews for The Cotton Club
The main reason why I watched this was that I worked on a stage show starring Maurice Hines and he mentioned this as a highlight of his and his brother's career. Most of the song and dance numbers don't advance the plot, which weakens the story overall. However, it is too bad that this lost so much money upon release because, separately, the musical numbers and the plot about crime and fame have such good production values. Gregory and Maurice Hines play tap dancing brothers based on their own relationship and performing styles. Gregory's character goes solo at the famous Cotton Club in Harlem, which was only open to white audiences. His character falls for a woman of mixed race. Otherwise, Coppola and whoever really deserves credit for writing don't seem to know how to develop the black characters. They are still pushed to the background. Bob Hoskins and James Remar play real life gangsters, Owney Madden and Dutch Schultz, respectively. Richard Gere and Nicolas Cage play a pair of brothers, as well. And each of them is loosely based on a real person, though not a real pair of brothers. Gere, who is really playing the trumpet on the soundtrack, plays the character Dixie Dwyer, who is likely a version of the 30s and 40s actor George Raft. The award nominated editing and art direction are eye catching. Coppola does generally direct a team that can visually quote other classic films of the genre and the era. But mainly, because of the ensemble cast, and actors playing celebrities in cameo roles, this deserves another look.
Super Reviewer
Good motion picture, but The Cotton Club presents some cliches of gangsters movies. Whatever, Coppola made a remarkable film.
Super Reviewer
While not the Godfather (and what is really...besides Godfather 2, but I digress) The Cotton Club is a great entertaining little movie. All controversy about it's making aside Coppola and Evans managed to craft a thoroughly entertaining film with several great scenes and mostly solid performances (I'm looking at you Nic Cage and James Remar). I can say however, that this is hands down, the single best tap dancing gangster film ever made.
Super Reviewer
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