The Impostors
Directed by	Stanley Tucci
Produced by	Elizabeth W. Alexander, Stanley Tucci
Written by	Stanley Tucci
Starring	Oliver Platt, Stanley Tucci, Alfred Molina, Tony Shalhoub, Steve Buscemi, Billy Connolly
Music by	William Cook, Gary DeMichele
Cinematography	{{{cinematography}}}
Editing by	{{{editing}}}
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Released	October 2, 1998 (USA)
Running time	101 min.
Language	English
Budget
Preceded by	{{{preceded_by}}}
Followed by	{{{followed_by}}}
IMDb profile

The Impostors is a 1998 farce motion picture written and directed by Stanley Tucci, starring Oliver Platt, Stanley Tucci, Alfred Molina, Tony Shalhoub, Steve Buscemi, and Billy Connolly. Image File history File links The_Impostors_DVD.jpg Summary The DVD cover of the movie The Impostors. ... Stanley Tucci (born January 11, 1960 in Katonah, New York) is an American actor and film director, known for his work in films such as Road to Perdition and Big Night, and in the television series Murder One. ... Stanley Tucci (born January 11, 1960 in Katonah, New York) is an American actor and film director, known for his work in films such as Road to Perdition and Big Night, and in the television series Murder One. ... Stanley Tucci (born January 11, 1960 in Katonah, New York) is an American actor and film director, known for his work in films such as Road to Perdition and Big Night, and in the television series Murder One. ... Oliver Platt Oliver Platt (born January 12, 1960 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian film and television actor. ... Stanley Tucci (born January 11, 1960 in Katonah, New York) is an American actor and film director, known for his work in films such as Road to Perdition and Big Night, and in the television series Murder One. ... Alfred Molina (born May 24, 1953) is an English actor of Spanish-Italian parentage, born in London. ... Tony Shalhoub stars as Adrian Monk on USA Networks Monk. ... Steve Buscemi Steve Buscemi (born December 13, 1957 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American film and stage character actor of Italian and Irish descent. ... William Billy Connolly, CBE (born November 24, 1942) is a comedian, musician, presenter, and actor. ... Fox Plaza, the company headquarters. ... October 2 is the 275th day (276th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 90 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... // Definition A farce is a comedy written for the stage, or a film, which aims to entertain the audience by means of unlikely and extravagant - yet often possible - situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include puns and sexual innuendo, and a fast... Films are produced by recording actual people and objects with cameras, or by creating them using animation techniques and/or special effects. ... Stanley Tucci (born January 11, 1960 in Katonah, New York) is an American actor and film director, known for his work in films such as Road to Perdition and Big Night, and in the television series Murder One. ... Oliver Platt Oliver Platt (born January 12, 1960 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian film and television actor. ... Stanley Tucci (born January 11, 1960 in Katonah, New York) is an American actor and film director, known for his work in films such as Road to Perdition and Big Night, and in the television series Murder One. ... Alfred Molina (born May 24, 1953) is an English actor of Spanish-Italian parentage, born in London. ... Tony Shalhoub stars as Adrian Monk on USA Networks Monk. ... Steve Buscemi Steve Buscemi (born December 13, 1957 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American film and stage character actor of Italian and Irish descent. ... William Billy Connolly, CBE (born November 24, 1942) is a comedian, musician, presenter, and actor. ...

The film, in which Oliver Platt and Stanley Tucci play a Laurel and Hardy-like odd couple of out-of work actors, is set in the depression-era 1930s; indeed, the retro style of the film is very much a recreation of the 30s screwball comedy. The opening silent sequence, in particular, harks back to the golden days of silent film. Laurel and Hardy Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are probably the most famous comedy duo in film history. ... The Great Depression was a massive global economic recession (or depression) that ran from 1929 to approximately 1939. ... // Events and trends The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the global depression. ... Retro is a contemporary term used to describe things from a bygone era. ... The screwball comedy has proven to be one of the most popular and enduring film genres. ... A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ...

Plot details

Arthur (Tucci) and Maurice (Platt), two out-of-work actors, scrape a living by petty swindles and practice their acting technique whenever opportunity presents. Following a drunken confrontation with pretentious and dreadful Shakespearean actor Sir Jeremy Burtom (Alfred Molina), they are forced to hide as stowaways on a cruise ship. Unfortunately for the duo, Burtom himself turns out to be a passenger on the ship, along with a vividly diverse ensemble of larger-than-life characters — Steve Buscemi plays a suicidal lounge singer named Happy Franks who sobs through a song; Billy Connolly is an ageing gay tennis star who enjoys wrestling "in the Greek style" — that is, naked; Tony Shalhoub is the first mate who is also a mad bomber with his own language; and many more. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... A stowaway (also stoweaway) is a person who travels illegally, by airplane, ship or train. ... MV Pride of Aloha docked in Port of Nāwiliwili, Kaua‘i in the Hawaiian Islands A cruise ship, or less commonly cruise liner or luxury liner, is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the amenities of the ship are considered an essential part... Lounge music refers to music played in the lounges and bars of hotels and casinos, or at standalone piano bars. ... Tennis balls This article is about the sport, tennis. ... The sport of wrestling involves clinch and/or ground fighting, and has ancient roots. ... The head of the deck department on a merchant vessel, second in command after the ships Master (the Captain). ...

Mistaken identities, pratfalls, slapstick, and general mayhem ensue. Although the plotting is undeniably light, the film is a warm-hearted and charming tribute to the early days of film comedy, fuelled by the eclectic mix of characters, who (as the title suggests) all turn out to be impostors of some kind; but it is the very diversity of the ensemble which turns out to be the film's central point. Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated physical violence. ... Airplane! is considered by some critics to be one of the funniest movies of all time. ...

Despite the star-studded cast (among the uncredited cameos are Woody Allen as a neurotic casting director), the critical reception of the film was generally negative. However, a core of critics and fans alike connected with the 30s-era style of filmmaking, and continue to rate it highly. Woody Allen. ... In the performing arts, casting is a vital pre-production process for selecting a cast of actors, dancers, singers, and other talent for a live or recorded performance. ...

Cast and roles include

• Oliver Platt — Maurice
• Stanley Tucci — Arthur
• Walker Jones — Maitre D'
• Jessica Walling — Attractive Woman
• David Lipman — Baker in Kramer's Pastries
• E. Katherine Kerr — Gertrude in "Hamlet"
• George Guidall — Claudius in "Hamlet"
• William Hill — Bernardo in "Hamlet"
• Alfred Molina — Sir Jeremy Burtom
• Michael Emerson — Burtom's Assistant
• Jack O'Connell — Stage Manager
• Matt Malloy — Mike/Laertes in "Hamlet"
• Ted Blumberg — Francisco in "Hamlet"
• Lili Taylor — Lily 'Lil'
• Tony Shalhoub — Voltri, First Mate
• Teagle F. Bougere — Sheik
• Elizabeth Bracco — Pancetta Leaky
• Steve Buscemi — Happy Franks
• Allison Janney — Maxine
• Matt McGrath — Detective Marco
• Richard Jenkins — Johnny Leguard
• Isabella Rossellini — The Veiled Queen
• Campbell Scott — Meistrich
• Billy Connolly — Mr. Sparks, the Tennis Pro
• Woody Allen — Audition Director (uncredited)

Oliver Platt Oliver Platt (born January 12, 1960 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian film and television actor. ... Stanley Tucci (born January 11, 1960 in Katonah, New York) is an American actor and film director, known for his work in films such as Road to Perdition and Big Night, and in the television series Murder One. ... Alfred Molina (born May 24, 1953) is an English actor of Spanish-Italian parentage, born in London. ... Lili Taylor Lili Taylor (born February 20, 1967 in Glencoe, Illinois, USA) is an American film and television actress. ... Tony Shalhoub stars as Adrian Monk on USA Networks Monk. ... Steve Buscemi Steve Buscemi (born December 13, 1957 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American film and stage character actor of Italian and Irish descent. ... Allison Brooks Janney (born 19 November 1960) is an American actress, best known for portraying C.J. Cregg on the American television series The West Wing. ... Isabella Rossellini, 1990 Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna Rossellini, born in Rome on June 18, 1952, is a model and an actress, daughter of Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini. ... Campbell Scott (born July 19, 1961 in New York City, New York, USA) is an American actor. ... William Billy Connolly, CBE (born November 24, 1942) is a comedian, musician, presenter, and actor. ... Woody Allen. ...

External links

• The Impostors at the Internet Movie Database
• San Francisco Chronicle, a negative review of the film
• James Berardinelli's ReelViews, a positive review