In the early to mid-1980s, as writer and producer Nora Ephron was working on movies like Silkwood and When Harry Met Sally, her husband Nicholas Pileggi was working on a new novel. Pileggi was working closely with mafia informant Henry Hill on Wiseguy, a mostly biographical account of Hill’s life. Wiseguy would later be adapted for the screen and become one of the quintessential mob movies of all time, Goodfellas.
A Day in the Life of an Ex-Gangster in Suburbia
Image Capture by Andrew LazzaraNora Ephron became fascinated with the conversations she overheard between Pileggi and Henry Hill, a cold-blooded mobster who had entered witness protection after testifying against many of his former criminal associates in the Lucchese crime family. Ephron began listening in and even recording these conversations, amazed by the wild stories Hill told about his life in witness protection. Henry Hill later confirmed that he often spoke just to Nora Ephron for hours when her husband wasn’t available, affectionately calling her “Aunt Nora.”
Even though he was living anonymously, “like a schnook,” in Redmond, WA, Henry Hill still managed to get into, and often out of, legal trouble in his small town. He used his New York street smarts and small-time cons to get the best of the locals again and again. After years of gathering material on this comical side of Henry Hill’s life, Nora Ephron decided to make a movie about it.
Production of ‘My Blue Heaven’
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Nora Ephron brought her idea for My Blue Heaven to Goldie Hawn in late 1987, and Hawn initially expressed interest in playing the role of the District Attorney, Hannah Stubbs. Goldie Hawn would later decline the role, but stay on as an executive producer. After a few months in development with Warner Bros., production was delayed for nearly six months due to a Writers Guild strike. Finally, early in 1989, Ephron was able to complete the script, and casting for My Blue Heaven began.
There were numerous castings, re-castings, and role changes, and it’s hard to imagine what My Blue Heaven would have been if the original casting goals had been fulfilled. Danny DeVito was originally approached to play the gangster Vincent Antonelli but later declined the role. Arnold Schwarzenegger was then cast as Vincent but soon backed out to star in Kindergarten Cop. John Travolta also showed interest, but he declined in order to make Look Who’s Talking, Too.
Steve Martin had originally signed on to play the FBI Agent Barney Coopersmith. After multiple near-misses with the casting of Vincent Antonelli, Martin agreed to take on the role himself. He and Rick Moranis had previously worked together on Parenthood and had established on-screen chemistry, so Moranis signed on to play Coopersmith. Joan Cusack was cast as the small-town D.A., and the rest, as they say, is cult classic history.
Martin & Moranis Make Great ‘Odd Couple’
Image Capture by Andrew LazzaraSteve Martin’s role as Vincent Antonelli in My Blue Heaven is unlike any character he has played before or since. With a few exceptions, Steve Martin usually comes across on film as reserved, sardonic and often sanctimonious. While this is usually very funny, that is not at all the role he played in My Blue Heaven. Vincent Antonelli usually comes across as loud, gregarious, and often vulgar.
Rick Moranis plays the perfect foil to Vincent Antonelli as Barney Coopersmith, a nerdy FBI Agent given the low-level assignment of managing a federal witness in the relocation program. Coopersmith is constantly dismayed and embarrassed by Vincent’s outlandish behavior, all while he should be “keeping a low profile.” The two combine to create an unlikely pair that is first at odds but later finds common ground in their increasingly unlikely and ultimately dangerous situation.
How Much of ‘My Blue Heaven’ Is True?
While many of Henry Hill’s stories were surely changed to some degree and/or embellished, there are a few stories from the film that are at least partially true. For instance, Henry Hill, like Vincent Antonelli, did create a miniature crime wave while in witness protection, and he was arrested and had to be relocated multiple times.
Also, Hill did marry a woman using his assumed name while still married to Karen Hill, and he did, in fact, tell his handler, “Don’t worry, I didn’t marry her using my real name!” This love triangle led to quite a few domestic violence charges and restraining orders between Henry, Karen, and Henry’s new wife, Sherry. The marriage to Sherry was later annulled.
While it’s hard to call My Blue Heaven a “sequel” since it was released about a month before Goodfellas, it does follow the timeline, picking up right where Goodfellas left off. In fact, considering the timing of both releases, there’s a good chance that these two classics actually played alongside each other at many theaters around the country.
If you are a Steve Martin fan or just a fan of hilarious movies, do yourself a favor and watch My Blue Heaven. It’s one of those magical movies that captures lightning in a bottle and ends up being something much greater than the sum of its parts.
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