Sign Up | Log In

Write a Review
Post a Quick Tip
Create a List
Ask a Question
Create a Poll
Create a Community

Movies •Books •Music •Food •Tv Shows •Technology •Politics •Video Games •Parenting •Fashion •Green Living •more >

Lunch » Tags » Movies » Reviews » Other People's Money

Other People's Money

3 Ratings: 3.7

1991 motion picture starring Danny DeVito, Gregory Peck and Penelope Ann Miller.

Other People's Money is a 1991 "drama/romantic comedy" film starring Danny DeVito, Penelope Ann Miller and Gregory Peck. It is based on the play of the same name by Jerry Sterner. The director was Norman Jewison and the screenplay was credited to Alvin … see full wiki

Tags: Movies, Comedy Movies, Gregory Peck

Cast: Danny DeVito, Gregory Peck, Penelope Ann Miller, Dean Jones

Genre: Comedy

Release Date: October 18, 1991

MPAA Rating: R

1 review about Other People's Money

Showing 1-1 of 1

Sort by:

Danny DeVito is perfectly cast as "Larry the Liquidator".

Mar 10, 2010

by drifter51
posted in Screen Gems

Rating:

The 1980's has been dubbed by many "the decade of greed". It was a time of great prosperity in America. The tone was set by President Ronald Reagan who assured us all that it was "morning in America". Reagan championed policies that removed shackles from business. New technologies were sweeping the nation. During the 80's we embraced the fax machine, VCR, compact discs, CD-Rom and Nintendo. There was lots and lots of money to be made. But there was also a rather unseemly side to all of this opulence. In 1988 Jerry Sterner wrote a play entitled "Other People's Money". His timing was perfect. This was a play that reflected the headlines of the day about corporate raiders, hostile takeovers and stock-price rigging. The play was hugely successful and ran in Greenwich Village and in other venues all across America. The play would inspire the 1991 motion picture of the same name.

"Other People's Money" is centered around the fictional Lincoln, Rhode Island based company New England Wire and Cable. This a an old-line publicly traded family-owned company run rather conservatively by the aging "Jorgy" Jorgenson (Gregory Peck). Hostile take-overs of profitable companies was a rather unfortunate hallmark of the 1980's. Lawrence Garfield, a.k.a. "Larry the Liquidator" (Danny DeVito) was a man who pursued such opportunities with reckless abandon on a full-time basis. He was ruthless at what he did and extremely successful. It was Larry's vocation in life to ""finds companies worth more dead than alive, kills them and pockets the proceeds." "Larry The Liquidator" had no misgivings about what he was doing. "It's just business" he would quip. "Jorgy" Jorgenson would prove to be no match for the savvy and relentless Garfield. At his advanced age he simply could not grasp what was happening to him in time. Despite the best efforts of his lawyer Kate Sullivan (Penelope Ann Miller) the final result seems inevitable. The Jorgenson family was in all likelihood going to lose the company they had spent generations building and soon the plant would be shut down and all of its dedicated employees would be out of work. And all because of just one "greedy" individual.

In 1990 my wife and I saw a production of the play "Other People's Money" which starred Ralph Waite ("The Waltons") in the role of "Jorgy" Jorgenson. I thought it was brilliant. I have much the same opinion of the film. "Other People's Money " struck a raw nerve with me as I was a victim of just such a corporate takeover during the 1980's.  This movie portrays just what can happen when unfettered capitalism is allowed to run unchecked. Lots of people can get hurt for the benefit of just a few. The film concludes with a dramatic exchange of speeches by Garfield and Jorgenson at a meeting of the company's shareholders where "Jorgy" argues passionately to save his beloved company.   But figures do not lie. It is a fait accomplis.

If you are like me "Other People's Money" will evoke any number of emotions. At times you will become very angry with what is going on and you will likely sympathize will those most affected. Some may find that the film moves a bit too slowly for their taste. I thought director Norman Jewison hit all the right notes. An extremely thought-provoking motion picture.   Highly recommended!