The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight

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The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight

PG-13

1971

1h 36m

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

20%

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10 Reviews

27%

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250+ Ratings

A Brooklyn mobster and his gang try to rub out their rivals, as in the Jimmy Breslin novel.

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Rex Reed

New York Daily News

Jul 25, 2023

Pure silliness, of course, but I don't mind telling you I had a very good time.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Oct 31, 2018

2/4

One of the hazards of movie comedy is that it's almost impossible to be sure that what reads funny will look funny. The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight, an uncertain comedy based on Jimmy Breslin's funny novel, supplies plenty of examples.

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Michael Billington

Birmingham Post

Oct 25, 2023

Generally the film is full of sound and fury signifying nothing and, looking at some of the mediocre camerawork, one reflects that it's not only the New York gang leaders who apparently can't shoot straight.

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George Melly

Observer (UK)

Oct 24, 2023

I laughed a lot at The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight, a Runyon-esque Mafia comedy dominated by Jo Van Fleet's arthritic, gravel-voiced Big Momma.

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Madeleine Harmsworth

Sunday Mirror (UK)

Oct 24, 2023

Neither thrilling or funny, though it tries hard to be the latter.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Jul 21, 2022

2/5

…may still be a by-word from criminal incompetence, but this gang don’t bring much in the way of funny by today’s standards…

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Steve D

@RT35616104 Aug 1, 2023

Unfunny and completely lame.

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Jan 5, 2021

Not a great movie overall, but 5 stars for Robert De Niro's charming and light (in the best way) performance. There's a chaplinesque quality to his physical humor in early scenes, and later scenes between Mario and Angela are surprisingly touching. He is young and heartbreakingly beautiful here.

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Aug 4, 2019

It's so bad that you have to watch it.

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May 31, 2013

Dated and dull slow paced comedy about rival mafia gangs.Lots of star tho.

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Feb 23, 2013

An early Rob't DeNiro flick with Jerry Orbach, Lionel Stander, Herve' Villechaise (with dubbed-in tough guy bass voice), Burt Young and a host of great character actors like Jo Van Fleet, frank Campanella, Phil Bruns, Jack Kehoe, Michael V. Gazzo and ad infintum. This is a crude awkward black comedy, based on the Jimmy Breslin novel. It still makes me laugh.

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Feb 16, 2013

The two best things in this film are one, that I figured out where Big Audio Dynamite got one of their samples ("I'm concerned over the possibility of another gang war.") and two, Jerry Orbach's gorgeous head of hair. Other than that, there's not a lot to recommend about this not so funny mafia comedy.

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James Goldstone

Director

Jerry Orbach

Kid Sally

Leigh Taylor-Young

Angela

Jo Van Fleet

Big Momma

Lionel Stander

Baccala

Robert De Niro

Mario

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Synopsis

A Brooklyn mobster and his gang try to rub out their rivals, as in the Jimmy Breslin novel.

Director: James Goldstone
Producer: Robert Chartoff, Irwin Winkler
Screenwriter: Waldo Salt
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 22, 1971, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 18, 2008
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Stereo

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