Kingpin (film)

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Kingpin
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Bobby Farrelly Peter Farrelly
Produced by	Brad Krevoy
Written by	Barry Fanaro Mort Nathan
Starring	Woody Harrelson Randy Quaid Bill Murray Vanessa Angel Chris Elliott Lin Shaye William Jordan Richard Tyson Rob Moran Prudence Wright Holmes Zen Gesner John Popper Don Julio Kevin Civale Brian Voss Mark Roth Justin Hromek Ron Palombi Jr. Parker Bohn III Randy Pedersen
Music by	Josh Clayton-Felt William Goodrum Freedy Johnston Chan Kinchla Kevin Kliesch Joe Kraemer John Popper David Wakeling John Keen Todd Rundgren
Cinematography	Mark Irwin
Editing by	Christopher Greenbury J. Randolph Harrison Jimmy Hill Sam Seig Pamela A. Sharp Jim Cricchi Michael J. Duthie Larry Madaras
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Rysher Entertainment
Release date(s)	July 4, 1996 U.S. release
Running time	113 min / USA:117 min (R-rated version)
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$25,000,000 (estimated)
IMDb profile

Kingpin is a 1996 Farrelly brothers film starring Woody Harrelson, Bill Murray, Vanessa Angel and Randy Quaid. It was filmed in and around Pittsburgh as a stand-in for Scranton, Amish country and even Reno, Nevada. As with typical Farrelly brothers movies, such as Dumb & Dumber, most of the film's humor is gross-out and slapstick. The film is loosely based on the life and exploits of 80's renaissanceman Leighton "Tugger" Zema's semi-autobiographical book, "Made of Steel: How to Get Through Life with a Sub-Par Tattoo." Zema's jobs included musician, businessman, wide receiver, asthma specialist, playwright, and at one-time pro bowler on the PBA circuit. He now is the lead vocalist for "Blue Ankle Tunderbolt."

The critical reception was mixed and it gets 54% at Rottentomatoes.[1] Roger Ebert had one of the more noteworthy positive reviews, giving it 3.5 out of 4 stars. [2]

This film is number 67 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies".[3]

[edit] Plot

Kingpin begins with Woody Harrelson as Roy Munson, a child bowling prodigy who won the 1979 Iowa state amateur championship. Young Roy is all set to leave his tiny hometown of Ocelot, Iowa to go on the professional bowling tour. He wins his first tournament, defeating a none-too-pleased Ernie McCracken (Bill Murray) in the finals. Roy is celebrated by adoring crowd.

The unhappy McCracken decides to get back at the young bowler, first by putting sugar in his gas tank, then convincing him to join him in as a bowling-alley hustler. Munson needs big money to repair his car engine, so he agrees. Everything goes horribly wrong. Roy is abandoned by the opportunistic McCracken and their "marks" shove Roy's right hand into a ball-return, amputating it.

In present day, a down-and-out Munson, sporting a hook which he covers with a fake rubber hand, sells bowling alley supplies with little success. He lives in a seedy apartment building in Scranton, Pennsylvania along with several winos and a landlady who constantly is after Roy because he never pays his rent on time.

On a sales call, Munson catches sight of Ishmael Boorg (Randy Quaid) rolling a respectable game. Munson tries to get him to turn pro, since he has a "265 or 270" average. The Amish man has little interest in worldly affairs, though -- he isn't even supposed to be bowling, as it is against Amish tradition.

Munson's troubles increase after he tries to scam his elderly landlady into a rent extension. In the end he has to pay in kind -- with sex. A headline on a bowling magazine alerts Roy to a $1,000,000 purse in a tournament in Reno, Nevada. Once again, he tries to convince Ishmael to become a pro -- this time by posing as an Amish from Ohio named "Hezekiah" Munson and visiting the Boorg family home. Ishmael again refuses, but soon receives news from his father that the family will lose their land unless $500,000 can be raised soon. The faithful Amish man reluctantly agrees to go along, only to earn enough to save his people.

It is soon apparent that Ismael isn't as awesome as his "270" average would indicate. He explains that he normally rolls a 15-frame game, since Amish do everything half-again as much as everyone else. Roy decides to take Ishmael home, because he no longer believes he can win the $1,000,000. Ishmael convinces Roy to take him to Reno, saying he didn't want to be "Munsoned" out in the middle of nowhere (meaning up the creek without a paddle, much like Roy).

After a little cajoling, Roy convinces Ishmael to bowl for money. Both end up at gangster Stanley's house in the middle of the night. Stanley will resort to anything to win, including using his girlfriend Claudia (Vanessa Angel) as a teasing distraction. It does not work, as Ishmael is incorruptible. Stanley quickly realizes that the two were betting with money they did not have. Luckily, they are able to escape (the luscious Claudia leading the way), and continue their journey towards Reno, with Ishmael's bowling skills and Claudia's ability to distract male bowlers gaining them a significant cash "stash."

Roy's and Claudia's relationship is testy. It comes to a head one night when Roy tries to escape with Ishmael. After seeing what they have planned, Claudia beats up Roy, causing Ishmael to run away.

On their way to find him, Roy and Claudia stop off in Ocelot, where Roy hasn't been since he left for the pro tour. The town has changed quite a bit since Roy left, and not for the better- most of the people have moved away, all the businesses appear to have been abandoned, and the town is desolate. Roy reminisces sadly while Claudia tries to convince him that his dad, who died 10 years prior (and whose funeral Roy missed), would be proud of him for what he's doing with Ishmael. After Roy insists that he wouldn't, they head back to find Ishmael...who is dancing in drag in a strip club.

They finally reach Reno. While dining at a buffet restaurant, Roy runs into McCracken, who by this time has become a bowling celebrity. McCracken insults Roy, reminds Claudia of an old affair, and infuriates Ishmael to the point where the Amish man injures his hand trying to punch "Big Ern." His hand is broken, so he cannot bowl.

At the same time Stanley, who has tracked Claudia to Reno, takes her with him. Claudia also takes all of their ill-gotten gains, leaving the two men again broke and confused.

Ishmael decides that they still have a chance to win the $1,000,000...if Roy bowls instead of him. Failing to convince Ishmael that his idea is stupid, Roy signs up for his first tournament as a pro since 1979...only to find out that his pro bowler's dues are 17 years in arrears and he can't come up with the $38 he needs to compete. Fortunately he is able to use his state championship ring as collateral.

Throughout the tournament, Big Ern rolls through everyone, as expected. He makes the finals...where he meets up with Roy, who has had a Cinderella run through the tournament, bowling with the prosthetic rubber hand and knocking off pro bowlers like Mark Roth and Randy Pedersen. The two bowlers are evenly matched and head into the final frame with Roy ahead by 9 pin margin.

Ishmael is found by his brother Thomas, who has traveled the country on a horse and buggy to find him. A distracted Roy rolls a 7-10 split. He is able to miraculously convert and then roll a strike on his next ball, forcing Big Ern to roll 3 strikes in his final frame...which he does, earning him the $1,000,000 prize and leaving Roy with nothing but a rubber hand.

After a final run-in with Stanley and his goons (Claudia claimed to have run off with Big Ern, prompting Stanley to decide to go after Ern), Roy returns home to find a surprise visitor at his door...Claudia, who arrives with the money she stole(doubled, since Stanley bet on McCracken in the tournament). Though she tries to convince Roy to split it with her and Ishmael, Roy shows her an endorsement check from Trojan condoms for $500,000 (thanks to his fake hand, which earned him the nickname "Rubber Man").

He promptly gives the check to the Amish community and explains what had happened. Ishmael, who has just returned to the community, walks in and finds his friends. His father tells him what a hero he is to the community for what he has done. (Roy lied and described Ishmael's influence as nothing but positive.) In the end, the community is saved, Roy and Claudia hook up, and the movie ends with an Amish celebration.

[edit] Trivia

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The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

As in the case with some of his films, Bill Murray ad-libbed every line he spoke.^{[citation needed]}
During the final tournament at the end, several PBA bowlers make an appearance, including Parker Bohn III and Mark Roth.
The movie, save for the tournament scenes in Reno, was mostly shot in the Pittsburgh area, where many actual bowling alleys were used for scenes in the movie.
Mars, Pennsylvania plays the role of Roy's hometown of Ocelot, Iowa. It also plays the role of Lancaster, Pennsylvania in other scenes. The scene with Roy attaching his fake rubber hand to his hook in front of Lancaster Bowling Alley is actually Mars Lanes.
Munson's hometown of Ocelot does not actually exist.
There is a mistake in the tournament finals scene. When Roy Munson bowls the first frame of the final he begins on the right lane approach (lane 26) he then clearly shoots on the left lane (lane 25), but after the shot he is again on the right lane and the machine on the right lane is shown resetting a new set of pins (as if it were the lane he just bowled on).
After Roy gets his final strike in the opening sequence set in 1979, he gets high-fived by three of his fans. The first one, in the tan sports jacket, is played by professional golfer Billy Andrade, and the second is played by another pro golfer, Brad Faxon. The third guy to high-five Roy, the tall guy in the paisley shirt, is played by Mark Charpentier, the assistant to co-director Bobby Farrelly.
Roy and Ernie try to hustle a "priest" and a bunch of other hustlers at the Beaver Bowl. Among the men are childhood buddies of directors Bobby and Peter Farrelly, as well as the film's stunt coordinator, Rick Barker, and stuntman Tom Lupo. The guy in the striped blue jacket is Mike Cerrone, who was the re-recording mixer for the Farrelly brothers' previous film, Dumb & Dumber.
The waitress who brings the priest his cocktail is played by Susan Huges, who actually won the part in a charity auction.
Roy wakes up in Scranton, leaves his boarding house and greets two winos sitting out front. Mike, the one who asks Roy if you can get sick drinking piss, is played by director Michael Corrente (Federal Hill, American Buffalo). Corrente grew up in Rhode Island with the film's director team, brothers Bobby and Peter Farrelly.
After Roy has sex with his landlady (Lin Shaye), she puts on her nylons in a parody of Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) in The Graduate. Simon and Garfunkel's The Sound of Silence is heard in the background as well, a reference to their song Mrs. Robinson in the previous film.
The Amish construct a barn with Roy, a reference to the Amish barn-raising scene in Witness.
Roy makes the Amish barn collapse when he goes to get his food. The two redheaded twin boys sitting on either side of Roy are played by Nicholas and Andrew Greenbury, sons of the film's editor, Christopher Greenbury.
As Roy coaches Ishmael, complete with his diagram on the dresser mirror, he is dressed in a red sweater and untucked shirt in a parody of notorious Indiana University basketball coach Bobby Knight.
In the middle of training Ishmael, Roy tries to give him a high-five. Roy's hand flies off and lands on the breast of a woman necking with a man. The man is played by the film's cable man, Mark "Chief" Wasler. The woman is played by Gretchen Treser, who worked in the film's art department.
Ish uses a urinal as a toilet, and the two guys at the urinals beside him are played by Patrick Healy (green shirt), Peter Farrelly's assistant, and Mark Charpentier (black shirt), Bobby Farrelly's assistant. Healy and Charpentier later became producers on the Farrelly Brothers' film There's Something About Mary.
After escaping from Stanley, Roy, Ish and Claudia (Vanessa Angel) sit and eat at a tavern. The singer-guitarist of the group onstage is played by real-life singer Jonathan Richman (Roadrunner). Richman would go on to play The Balladeer in There's Something About Mary.
A redneck named Skidmark sees Ish dancing with his woman and gets mad. Skidmark is played by baseball player Roger Clemens, then pitching for the Boston Red Sox. The character of Skidmark is a not-too-distant cousin of Sea Bass, who was played by professional hockey player Cam Neely of the NHL's Boston Bruins in the Farrelly brothers' Dumb and Dumber. Being from Rhode Island, Boston was the "home team" sports town of the Farrellys, and they often cast local sports heroes in their films. *Skidmark's girl, or "squirrel", is played by actress Libby Langdon, the wife of the Farrellys' buddy, director Michael Corrente (see above). Langdon went on to co-produce Strangers in Transit with her husband.
Skidmark's buddy in the green cap is played by the Farrellys' brother-in-law, John Jordan.
Roy, Ish and Claudia set out to play all kinds of bowlers. First, they face some steelworkers who Claudia distracts. She stands over the ball dryer and her skirt blows up in a parody of Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch.
The steelworker who is distracted as she bowls is played by post-production assistant Clem Franek. He is billed as Clem "Mandingo" Franek.
The bowler in the white beard who watches her fix her shoe is played by transportation coordinator Gordie Merrick.
The third bowler with the glasses and blue and yellow hat is played by script supervisor Steve Gehrke. Bobby Farrelly said, "Our script supervisor, Steve Gehrke, is a pretty good bowler, so he became our bowling consultant. If we did something stupid – I mean more stupid than normal - he'd set us straight."
Next, they beat some bikers. One biker stares at them as they leave and gets shoved by his woman. The biker girl is played by the Farrellys' sister, Kathy Farrelly.
They then take on some farmers in overalls. The first farmer in the black and yellow hat is played by Peter Farrelly's neighbor in Massachusetts, Alex Stohn.
The farmer who is distracted by the sheep is played by the film's production sound mixer, Johnathon "Earl" Stein.
And then they play some seniors. One of the women is played by Cecile Krevoy, mother of the film's co-producer, Brad Krevoy.
After Ish runs away, Roy and Claudia go looking for him. The trail leads them to Uncle Willee's Reptile Farm. Uncle Willee is played by an actor credited as “The Artist Formerly Known as Docky”. The actor is actually Bob Farrelly, the physician father of co-directors Bobby and Peter Farrelly. He often appears in their films, only credited as “Docky” (as in “doctor”). The credit is a parody on the name of the singer Prince, who had just changed his name to The Artist formerly known as Prince.
Ish walks alone along the highway, and joyriding Indians zoom past him and throw bags of garbage at him. The camera pans up from the trash to a profound close-up of Ish, one tear rolling down his cheek. This is a reference to the Public Service Announcements with Native American actor Iron Eyes Cody. In the commercial, Cody sees the waste the world is coming to and a lone tear trickles down his face.
Hollywood Reporter columnist George Christy appears in the film as the announcer at Stiffy’s, the strip club that Ish ends up dancing in... maybe. Christy wrote the gossip column The Great Life for the Reporter for over twenty-five years. There was some controversy in 2001 over Christy allegedly accepting credits in producers’ films without actually appearing in them in exchange for mentions in his column and also to receive benefits from the Screen Actors Guild health and pension fund. Christy denied it, claiming that many of his scenes were cut from the films he was in, and quit the paper. A number of his colleagues at the Hollywood Reporter also quit, supporting Christy and protesting the Reporter’s choice in running a story about the allegations. He actually does not appear in the final cut of this film.
There is a sign advertising the fictitious ice show Jeffersons on Ice on the hotel when Roy, Claudia and Ish arrive in Reno. The show is even seen when the Gambler approaches Roy and Ish at the bar. These are references to The Best of the Jeffersons, a real-life touring stage version of the popular television sitcom The Jeffersons. The stage show, which began in 1993, featured all of the cast members of the original series.
When Roy, Ish and Claudia arrive in Reno, they eat in the Casino restaurant, The Silver Legacy. The waitress who brings them their food is played by actress Joanne Wolfe, the wife of the film's music consultant, Tom Wolfe.
Ernie is being interviewed by a television crew in Reno when he first sees Roy. The interviewer is Jane Pratt, the editor of the popular Jane Magazine.
Her cameraman is played by the film's co-producer, Steven Stabler.
A waitress comes up to Ernie and asks for his autograph. She is played by Steven Stabler's assistant, Danielle Parsons.
Roy and Ish come into Claudia's hotel room to find two maids making her bed. The blonde maid, who tells them that Claudia left with two men, is played by Bobby and Peter's sister, Cynthia Farrelly Gesner. The brunette maid, who says that the men were good-looking, is played by another of Bobby and Peter's sisters, Elizabeth Jordan. Cynthia is also the wife of actor Zen Gesner, who appears in the film as Ish's brother, Brother Thomas.
The gambler (Chris Elliott) offers Roy one million dollars to sleep with Ish in a parody of Woody Harrelson's film Indecent Proposal. Roy is then seen covered in dollar bills, gleefully throwing them in the air, just as Demi Moore did in Indecent Proposal.
The first woman seen in Ernie's United Way-type television commercial is played by Peter Farrelly's wife, Melinda Kocsis.
As he heads into the tournament, Roy grabs a piece of pizza from a man's plate and the guy grabs it back. He then sees a player with "Nouchi" written on his back speaking with a woman. She is played by Bobby Farrelly's wife, Nancy Farrelly. The man she is speaking with is producer Brad Thomas.
Roy goes to register for the tournament and, in the background, a page for a courtesy call for "Warren Tashijan" is heard. Warren Tashijan is a mentally handicapped buddy of Bobby and Peter Farrelly, and he was the inspiration for the character of Mary's brother Warren in There's Something About Mary. The real Warren even has a cameo in There's Something About Mary.
The two sign-up ladies for the tournament are played by the Farrellys' mother, Mariann Farrelly (in blue, on the right), and Bobby Farrelly's mother-in-law, Aggie Byers.
The announcer at the tournament is played by John Popper, guitarist, harmonica player and lead singer of the group Blues Traveler. Popper and Blues Traveler are also seen as the Amish rock group performing But Anyway over the end credits.
Many of the bowlers that Roy and Ernie compete against in the tournament are real-life pro bowlers.
Real-life sportscasters Chris Schenkel and Jon Dennis appear as the commentators in red jackets at the competition. Roy is interviewed by Dennis, a local Boston sports announcer, during the finals.
After Roy's interview, a bowler with "Roth" on a blue star on the back of his shirt is seen bowling. The bowler, who later shakes Roy's hand after Roy does the splits, is played by professional bowler Mark Roth.
Claudia watches Roy play in the final on television in a bar. The blonde guy in the black shirt behind her is played by writer-director Kenny Griswold (Net Worth).
The Chicago-based rock group Urge Overkill sings the national anthem at the bowling tournament finals.
Preston Thomas, the brother of producer Brad Thomas, takes Ernie's coat at the finals.
A woman runs out on to the lanes and kisses Roy during the finals. She is played by Morganna, known as "the kissing bandit". She has made a name for herself by running out onto sporting arenas (mostly baseball diamonds) and kissing the players.
The two tournament liaisons who show up to usher Morganna away are played by Preston and Jeff Thomas, brothers of the film's co-producer, Brad Thomas.
Just as Roy gets ready to bowl, a voice yells out from the crowd, "Attaboy Luther!" This is a reference to one of the Farrelly Brothers' favorite films, Don Knotts' The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. In that film, Luther Heggs (Don Knotts) gets up and makes a speech at a picnic luncheon and a heckler in the crowd calls out "Attaboy, Luther!" a couple of times.
The film is dedicated to the memory of Jack Krevoy, the brother of producer Brad Krevoy. Jack, who died during the making of this film, had previously worked on Dumb and Dumber.
When Roy first meets Ishmael in the bowling alley Roy helps him to throw a strike. When the ball hits the pins you can see a pole swing down from above the pins, knocking them all down. This may have been because Randy Quaid wasn't a very good bowler and often needed help to make his shots.
Will Ferrell can be heard yelling, "Ernie, you da man!" right before Ernie McCracken bowls in the movie's climax.