A naive young Amish woman runs away from her home in Pennsylvania to New York City, where she hopes to act in religious stage plays but ends up performing in Burlesque theatre.A naive young Amish woman runs away from her home in Pennsylvania to New York City, where she hopes to act in religious stage plays but ends up performing in Burlesque theatre.A naive young Amish woman runs away from her home in Pennsylvania to New York City, where she hopes to act in religious stage plays but ends up performing in Burlesque theatre.
- Pockets
- (as Dick Libertini)
- Mother Annie
- (as Judith Lowery)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe first cut of the film was considered disastrous by all involved. Editor Ralph Rosenblum worked for more than a year to save it, with director William Friedkin long gone. The extensive use of period film clips was Rosenblum's idea. The technique of returning from these clips to the movie by starting with a black-and-white version of a shot and changing to color was invented accidentally when the editor's assistant couldn't find the color copy of a piece of film fast enough.
- GoofsRachel refers to herself as "Amish". The word "Amish" is a term used by non-Amish; the Amish would refer to themselves as the "plain folk".
- Quotes
Jacob Schpitendavel: Louis Minsky, if you do not now go at once to prevent thy son from bringing my daughter to such ignominy, I shall, as Agnon
[?]
Jacob Schpitendavel: did, raise the finger of righteousness
[raises index finger]
Jacob Schpitendavel: to call down the wrath of heaven.
Vance Fowler: My father, an Episcopal vestryman, used this
[raises pinkie finger]
Vance Fowler: as the finger of righteousness.
Louis Minsky: Bah! And again, Bah! There is no finger of righteousness. This
[raises pinkie and turns it in his ear]
Louis Minsky: is the finger of cleanliness. This
[raises ring finger]
Louis Minsky: is the finger of marital bliss
[points to wedding band]
Louis Minsky: . This
[raises index]
Louis Minsky: is the finger of vengeance. This
[levels middle finger toward Fowler, palm downward]
Louis Minsky: is the finger of meddling in other people's lives
[pokes Fowler in chest with middle finger]
Louis Minsky: . And this
[sticks out thumb]
Louis Minsky: is the finger of transportation. It will get us a taxi to the theater. You speak with the fist of authority, gentlemen, but you do not know your fingers.
- Crazy creditsThe words in the title flash on the screen individually in between shots of the raiding vice cops.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Casting By (2012)
The lovable and endearing Norman Wisdom is the primary scene-stealer, whether mooning over a girl, doing pratfalls on stage, or trading barbs with Jason Robards. Unfortunately, many of Wisdom's scenes with Bert Lahr were cut when the Cowardly Lion died during production. If the lost footage were found, Wisdom fans would welcome its restoration as a supplement to a future DVD release. Another scene-stealer is Joseph Wiseman, who, as the elder Minsky, delivers some of the movie's best lines with pitch-perfect precision. Lovely Britt Eklund is naive perfection as the talent-less Amish girl, Denholm Elliott makes an excellent puckered prude, Harry Andrews fumes as the stern Amish father, and Elliott Gould as the younger Minsky and Forrest Tucker as a smooth gangster fill out the capable cast. Only the caddish Jason Robards seems out of place; while his comic delivery is good, his mistreatment of the likable Wisdom comes across as harsh, and he has an unconvincing character shift that has necks snapping in disbelief.
William Friedkin directs with a fast pace and uses rapid-editing techniques that keep the movie moving at a good clip. The fine photography by Andrew Laszlo captures the period, and the memorable music by Charles Strouse is engaging. "The Night They Raided Minsky's" seems to have been undeservedly forgotten. If the film had been a hit and Lahr had not passed away, Norman Wisdom would have gone on to a successful career in the United States. Unfortunately, events worked against the multi-talented Wisdom and, except for his Broadway role in "Walking Happy," his major work was done in Britain, where his legacy is a national treasure. Perhaps those who appreciate Norman's comic genius in this film will locate his British films from the 1950's and 60's and discover a talent unfairly overlooked in this country.
- dglink
- Aug 25, 2012
- How long is The Night They Raided Minsky's?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $3,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 39 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1