videorama-759-859391
The Public Eye, is one of many movies advertised with it's poster up, yet avoided a cinema release. It's one film, you don't want to avoid. Pesci plays an avid cameraman, Bernzy, who's always first on the scene to flash his camera, yet plays a very lonely type, who on his latest shoot, gets involved with a woman, Hershey, who implores him to find out who killed her husband, where soon, he's in over his head, with some high up, corrupt and powerful dudes, coming after him. After all, it is 1940, and the backdrops are awesome, where this little gem of a drama, offers a lot of color and taste, and it's great to see Pesci, a so underused actor (nothing can top his performance in Goodfellas) steer this one. Is he doing it all for her, cause he's smitten by her? Probably. Is she using him? Probably. But it is a cute little partnership, amidst some actions, yet again those 1940 backdrops are awesome. Sadly this movie is of course, one of those, that deserves much more recognition. If still able to spot it now, in the world of DVDS, or if by such a slight chance, you happen to spot it on sale on VHS. Buy it. I guarantee you'll be glad you did. Watch for Australia's Nick Tate in a cameo.
bkoganbing
The Public Eye was an attempt to elevate Joe Pesci to star status from respected character actor in the wake of his acclaimed Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Goodfellas. Though Pesci did give a great performance in the film, the public was not prepared to buy him as leading man status.The film is really Pesci's show in that there are no really developed characters outside of his in the film. However Robert Zemeckis really did a bang up job in creating the mood and atmosphere of the early 1940s with America just going into World War II.With the USA engaged in the 'war on terror' and no demands being made for civilian sacrifice, it is probably somewhat vague for people who are not our most senior citizens to realize what was being attempted. And curiously enough though the racket that is being investigated is gasoline rationing.Joe Pesci is an independent photo journalist who with police scanner always on is first on the scene for every event in town. He gets asked by this glamorous socialite, Barbara Hershey, who normally wouldn't go near someone like him to check out an acquaintance. The acquaintance is found dead by Pesci and that leads him into a racket involving collusion between gangsters and government employees of the Office of Price Administration to control gasoline with stolen ration cards.Back in that war food and other commodities like gasoline were rationed to the civilian public and the price strictly controlled. This was serious business indeed for those times.Pesci also fancies himself an artist, not just a paparazzi, he sees himself as a Matthew Brady or an Ansel Adams, a recorder of his times and his city. That vain but artistic streak leads him to take some real chances.The Public Eye is a good throwback film to the forties. I can see had this been made post World War II a grown up Mickey Rooney playing Pesci's role.
jamesrl48
I picked this up at the local grocery never having heard about it before, I thought it was a comedy, it is not. Joe Pesci scores one for the little guy that nobody likes in a big way. There is one confusing thing however. Was that Walter Winchell he was supposed to be friends with? That part confused me. There was also something said about the American mob families working with the Italian mob families to overthrow Italy in the movie era 1942. Was that true? Over all I really enjoyed it and for once could not predict the outcome. If you want something a little different, this is it.
Deamon
Remarkable movie, great photography, good script, very good acting, dialogues are superb.I never heard of this movie before i saw it, but i was gripped immediately. Pesci was great as always. The faint, quickly fading smile on his face when she tells him someone referred to him as her boyfriend. Worlds of emotion behind his tiny eyes.A quote i'm not likely to forget and which made my belly hurt from laughing: 'Like the guy (who) used to shovel elephants**t everyday said to the circus-owner: What? Give up showbizniz?Only thing i can't figure out though:*spoiler*Why does sal betray his whole family? What do they have on him?See this movie.
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