For the 1951 American film, see The Big Night.

For the Big Time Rush song, see Big Night (song).

Big Night is a 1996 American motion picture drama with comedic overtones directed by Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci. Produced by David Kirkpatrick and Jonathan Filley for the Samuel Goldwyn Company, the film met with much critical acclaim both in the United States and internationally. It was nominated for the "Grand Jury Prize" at the Sundance Film Festival and the "Grand Special Prize" at the Deauville Film Festival.

Scott and Tucci won the New York Film Critics Circle Award and the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best New Director. Tucci and Joseph Tropiano won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay. Tucci also heads the cast, with Tony Shalhoub, Minnie Driver and Isabella Rosselini.

Plot[link]

The film, presumably set in a small town on the New Jersey Shore in the 1950s, tells the story of two immigrant brothers from Abruzzo (Italy) who own and operate a restaurant called "Paradise." One brother, Primo (Tony Shalhoub), is a brilliant, perfectionist chef who chafes under their few customers' expectations of "Americanized" Italian food. Their uncle's offer for them to return to Rome to help with his restaurant is becoming more and more appealing to Primo. The other brother, Secondo (Tucci), is the restaurant's manager, who is enamored of the possibilities presented by their new endeavor and life in America. Despite Secondo's efforts and Primo's magnificent food, their restaurant is failing.

Secondo's elusive success as a businessman makes him unable to commit to his girlfriend Phyllis (Minnie Driver), and he has recently been sleeping with Gabriella (Isabella Rossellini), the wife of a competitor. Her husband's self-named restaurant, Pascal's (Ian Holm), has enjoyed great success despite (or perhaps due to) the mediocre, uninspired food served there. Desperate to keep Paradise afloat, Secondo asks Pascal for a loan. Pascal demurs, repeating a past offer to have the brothers come work for him. This Secondo in turn refuses; he and his brother want their own restaurant. In an apparent display of generosity, Pascal instead insists that he will persuade Louis Prima to dine at Paradise when he comes to town, assuming the celebrity jazz singer's patronage will revitalize the brothers' business. Primo and Secondo plunge themselves into preparations for this "big night," spending their last savings on the food and inviting dozens of people (including a newspaper reporter) to join them in a magnificent feast centered around a timpano (a form of timballo, a complicated baked pasta dish). Primo pours his heart into each dish, lavishing care and great expertise on the cooking.

As they wait for Prima and his entourage to arrive, the crowd indulges in the exquisite food and partakes in a fabulous celebration. Hours pass, however, and it becomes apparent that the famous singer is not coming. Phyllis catches Secondo and Gabriella kissing and runs away to the beach. At Gabriella's insistence, Pascal admits that he never even called Louis Prima, thus ending the party.

Secondo follows Phyllis to the beach where they have a final quarrel. Primo and Secondo have a fiery, heartwrenching argument, chafing at their mutual differences. In the wee hours of the morning, Pascal admits to Secondo that he set the brothers up for failure; not as revenge for Secondo's affair with Gabriella but because then the brothers would have no choice but to either return to Italy or work for Pascal. Secondo denies him, saying they will never work for him. The film closes with an uninterrupted, nearly wordless long take: as dawn breaks, Secondo silently cooks an omelette. When it is done, he divides it among three plates, giving one to Cristiano (Marc Anthony), their waiter, and eating one himself. Primo hesitantly enters: Secondo hands him the last plate. They eat without speaking, but lay their arms across each others' shoulders as they do so.

Primary cast[link]

• Tony Shalhoub: Primo
• Stanley Tucci: Secondo
• Marc Anthony: Cristiano
• Larry Block: Man in Restaurant
• Caroline Aaron: Woman in Restaurant
• Andre Belgrader: Stash
• Minnie Driver: Phyllis
• Peter McRobbie: Loan Officer
• Isabella Rossellini: Gabriella
• Liev Schreiber: Leo
• Pasquale Cajano: Alberto N. Pisani
• Christine Tucci: Woman Singer
• Gene Canfield: Charlie
• Ian Holm: Pascal
• Allison Janney: Ann
• Campbell Scott: Bob

Production[link]

The outside shots of the "Paradise" restaurant were filmed in the small town of Keyport, New Jersey.

Reception[link]

Big Night was well-received by critics and currently holds a 96% 'Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes.^[1]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Big Night

• Big Night at the Internet Movie Database
• WSU.edu
• "Heaven and Hell in Big Night"

Stanley Tucci
Tucci in October 2010
Born	(1960-11-11) November 11, 1960 (age 51) Peekskill, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, writer, producer, director
Years active	1982–present
Spouse	Kate Tucci (1995–2009; her death)
Children	3
Relatives	Christine Tucci (sister)

Stanley Tucci (born November 11, 1960) is an American actor, writer, film producer and film director. He has been nominated for several notable film awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his critically acclaimed performance in The Lovely Bones (2009). He also has won an Emmy for his performance in Winchell, and has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for Children – "The One And Only Shrek".

Early life[link]

Tucci, an Italian American,^[1][2][3] was born in Peekskill, New York, the son of Joan (née Tropiano), a secretary and writer, and Stanley Tucci, Sr., an art teacher at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, New York.^[4][5] His sister is actress Christine Tucci, and his cousin is the screenwriter and retired history teacher Joseph Tropiano.^[6] He grew up in Katonah, New York, and attended John Jay High School. Tucci played on the John Jay soccer team and baseball teams; his main interest lay in the school's drama club, where he and fellow actor and high school buddy, Campbell Scott, son of actor George C. Scott, gave well-received performances at many of John Jay's drama club productions. Tucci attended SUNY Purchase, and completed his B.F.A. degree after four years in the school's Conservatory of Theatre Arts.

Career[link]

Tucci made his Broadway debut in The Queen and the Rebels on September 30, 1982. His film debut was in Prizzi's Honor (1985). Tucci is known for his work in films such as The Pelican Brief, Kiss of Death, Road to Perdition and Big Night, and in the television series Murder One as the mysterious Richard Cross. Big Night (1996), which he co-wrote with his cousin Joseph Tropiano, starred in, and co-directed with Campbell Scott, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The film also featured his sister Christine and mother, who wrote a cookbook for the film. It won him and Tropiano the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay. He's typically cast in supporting roles such as the sidekick or the villain, but has had the lead in two films, both romantic comedies: A Modern Affair (1995) and The Whole Shebang (2001).

He has been nominated three times for Golden Globes, and won twice – for his title role in Winchell (1998), and for his supporting role as Adolph Eichmann in Conspiracy (2001), both for HBO films. He also received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Winchell. He was nominated for Broadway's Tony Award as Best Actor in a Play for his role as Johnny in the 2002 revival of Terrence McNally's Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.

In July 2006, Tucci made an appearance on the USA Network TV series Monk, in a performance that earned him a 2007 Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor – Comedy Series. Tucci's TV series, the medical drama 3 lbs., debuted on CBS in the 10:00 pm EDT time slot on November 14, 2006. It was canceled on November 30, 2006 due to low ratings. He can be heard as the voice over in the AT&T Wireless "Raising the Bar" marketing campaign. Tucci also played Nigel in the screen adaption of The Devil Wears Prada alongside Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway. In 2007, Tucci had a recurring role in medical drama ER. In 2009, Tucci again starred opposite Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia playing husband Paul Child to her Julia Child.

That same year, Tucci portrayed George Harvey, a pedophile and serial killer of young girls, in The Lovely Bones, Peter Jackson's adaptation of Alice Sebold's novel, for which he received high critical praise and Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. To prepare for the role, he consulted with retired FBI profiler John Douglas.^[7]

In 2010, Tucci directed a revival of the Ken Ludwig play Lend Me a Tenor on Broadway, starring Tony Shalhoub.^[8] Tucci played Dr. Abraham Erskine in Captain America: The First Avenger.^[9]

In July 2010, it was announced that Tucci will direct an upcoming comedy entitled Mommy & Me starring Meryl Streep and Tina Fey as mother and daughter.^[10]

In the 2011 movie Margin Call, Stanley Tucci portrayed Eric Dale, one of the fired employees who works in risk management.

In February 2011 it was reported that Tucci had been cast as the villain in Jack the Giant Killer.^[11]

On May 9, 2011, it was announced that Tucci would play Caesar Flickerman in The Hunger Games film (released 2012). On May 15, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Tucci also has joined the cast of Gambit, a remake of a 1966 film, which stars Colin Firth. He is also expected to star in David Yates' psychological drama film Your Voice In My Head.^[12][13]

Personal life[link]

Tucci married social worker Kate Tucci in 1995. They had three children: twins Isabel Concetta and Nicolo Robert (born in 2000) and Camilla (born in 2002). Kate Tucci also had two children from a previous marriage whom the actor raised.^[14] He and his wife were separated between 2003 and 2004, during which time he dated Edie Falco. Kate Tucci died of breast cancer in April 2009.^[15] Tucci told the New York Post, "My wife was an extraordinary person who showed us all what great strength is."^[16]

In October 2011, Tucci became engaged to English literary agent Felicity Blunt, the sister of Tucci's The Devil Wears Prada co-star Emily Blunt, who introduced the couple.^[17] They are set to be married in London in September 2012. ^[18]

Tucci was co-owner of the Finch Tavern restaurant in Croton Falls, New York.^[19]

Filmography[link]

Film[link]

Television[link]

Awards[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Stanley Tucci

• Stanley Tucci at the Internet Movie Database
• Stanley Tucci at the Internet Broadway Database
• Stanley Tucci quotes

Campbell Scott
Scott at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival for the premiere of Handsome Harry
Born	Campbell Whalen Scott (1961-07-19) July 19, 1961 (age 50) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, director, producer, voice artist
Years active	1986–present
Spouse	Kathleen McElfresh Anne Scott (1991–2002) (divorced) 1 child

Campbell Scott (born July 19, 1961) is an American actor, director, producer, and voice artist.

Life and career[link]

Scott was born in New York City, the son of George C. Scott, an actor, director, and producer, and Colleen Dewhurst, a Canadian-born actress. He graduated from Lawrence University in 1983. His brother is Alexander Scott. He has a son, Malcolm, born in 1998.^[1]

In 1990, Scott played a lead role in the ground-breaking film Longtime Companion, which chronicles the early years of the AIDS/HIV epidemic and its impact upon a group of American friends. In the following year, Scott co-starred in the movie Dying Young (in which his mother also appeared) alongside Julia Roberts. He also appears in the 1992 movie Singles, and in 1996, he teamed up with Stanley Tucci to direct the film Big Night. The film met with critical acclaim and was nominated for the "Grand Jury Prize" at the Sundance Film Festival. For their work, Scott and Tucci won both the New York Film Critics Circle Award and the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best New Director.

In 2002, he was awarded the Best Actor prize from the National Board of Review for his notable performance in Roger Dodger. Scott starred in Six Degrees on ABC in 2006.

In 2005 / 2006, Scott served as the reader for the audiobook versions of Stephen King's bestsellers The Shining and Cell.

In 2007, Campbell Scott lent his voice for the narration of a Chevron Corporation television ad, as well as the critically acclaimed Iraq War documentary film, No End in Sight. Next up for Scott is the 2009 drama Handsome Harry.^[2] Scott also has a recurring role on the USA drama Royal Pains.

On August 28, 2009, TVGuide.com confirmed Campbell Scott was cast for the third season of Damages. Scott was a series regular, playing Joe Tobin, the son of indicted Bernie Madoff-like Louis Tobin (Len Cariou). The season aired from January to April 2010. It has not yet been confirmed if the show will return for a fourth season, or if Scott will return with it.^[3]

In May 2010, Campbell Scott provided the voice-over for a new Häagen-Dazs TV commercial called "Ode to Flavor".^[4] The ad was created by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, directed by Noah Marshall with art direction by Croix Cagnon.^[5]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Campbell Scott at the Internet Movie Database
• Campbell Scott at the Internet Broadway Database
• Campbell Scott at the Internet Off-Broadway Database

George Digweed MBE was born in Hastings, Sussex on 21 April 1964. He is a multi-World and European English sport shooter clay-shooting champion.^[1]

He became the first man ever to shoot '100 straight' in a World Championship event^[2] and in October 2011, while being filmed for a programme for Fieldsports Channel TV and using standard cartridges, he broke a clay at 130 yards, breaking his own previous record set in America of 118 yards.^[3]

Digweed won his 16th World Championship title at the World Sporting Championship in Texas, USA on 25 & 26 April 2009, an event created in 2007 to find out who is the best all-round Shooting Champion in the world.^[4]

In 2009 he won the World Sporting Championship, the European Championship,^[5] the Mitsubishi World Series,^[6] the Pan African and the Italian Grand Prix.^[7]

In July 2010, he became the first sportsman to win a world title in four different decades (the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s) when he won the FITASC World Championship. Georges' Facebook page^[8] now shows an image of him shooting with the text "George Digweed/19 World Titles/4 Decades".

He has now won 19 World titles (11 Sporting and 8 FITASC), 11 European FITASC titles, 2 European Compak titles and 9 World Cups.^[9][10]

He also has an entry in Wisden, the cricket bible, for an extraordinary cricketing achievement when his bowling figures in a Sussex league cup match were 5 overs, 5 maidens, 8 wickets, 0 runs.^[11]

He and his wife Kate run a commercial shoot at Owley Farm, Wittersham, Kent.

George is the brother of renowned DJ and record producer John Digweed.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website