Photo submitted

” ANNETTE BENING as Hollywood starlet Virginia Hill in the Barry Levinson film Bugsy.

The dream derailed

Bugsy builds a city in the Nevada desert;
Kennedy dies on a strange day in Dallas

Bugsy *& & ¥% (Tri-Star) Rated 14 years (at the Park Royal, Capi-.
tol, Eagle Ridge, Station Square and Willowbrook cinersas)

charm-oozing mobster, a womanizer, or a well-read
philosopher. He'll flash his killer smile and thank
you with self-taught perfect diction.

But call him “Bugsy” and he'!l
go from elocution to execution.

It’s not that he’s crazy; he’s just
a misunderstood visionary — well,
like Galileo. Except of course,
Galileo didn’t pack heat to back
up his beliefs.

- And the ftalian astronomer
limited his range to observables,
like stars, while Ben sees a glitzy
city of gambling palaces in the
Nevada desert.

It’s the stuff the mob’s dreams
are made of — legal garnbling and
prostitution with all the booze you
can wash it down with. Don’t
worry about the heat cutside, it’!l
be cooi inside the air-conditioned
Flamingo Hotel.

Unfortunately, there are a cou-
ple of snags. The price is as vast as
the desert, Las Vegas is a tumble-

Y OU CAN call Benjamin Siegel (Warren Beatty) a

Tim Bell
FILM REVIEW

weed’s throw from Death Valley
and the mob, unlike its customers,
hates to gamble. Only his life-long
Meyer Lansky (Ben Kingsley) backs
him on this scheme. :

But Bugsy’s real problem is not
his grandiose, sometimes
ludicrous, dreams (including a hit

on Mussolini). It’s his moll,
Hollywood starlet Virginia Hill
(Annette Bening).

Their passion and his blind eye
to her faults eventually earns him
seinething he needs like a hole in
the head — a hole in the head.

While the acting on all levels is
excellent, Barry Levinson’s film
leaves a sour taste. _

_ Sure there’s lots to gawk at —

‘glossy production values, tough,

witty dialogue and Ben-
ing’s/Beatty’s undeniable beauty.
But fet’s face it, Bugsy was a thug
with two credits. He built a

- monument to greed and snapped

whenever he heard his infamous
nickname, Jike a brutal! variation of
the Niagara Fails routine (“slowly

I turn, step by step ...”’).

With all the gangster movies of
late, though, mest audiences are
all thugged cut.

JFK & & & % (Warner Bros.)
Rated Mature (at the
Esplanade, Vancouver Centre,
Richmond Centre, Eagle Ridge
and Guildford cinemas)

; See Stone page 46

What a Greek cafe
was meant fo be!

Outstanding. qisine, with a casual yet
intimate atmosphere. Live music Mon., Tues. & Wed.

eecinbe a aie 02 : I 9%

TAKE-OUT MENU AVAILABLE

925-2218

FOOTWEAR FOR THE

Wednesday, February 5, 1992 - North Shore News - 39

at
affordable

up to

ENTIRE FAMILY
FACTORY: ( UTLET™ 229 Maat avy Haghitac at Soe ;
2 . .

2 L290 Mating Drae by Sai -Ouek ods 5
. ” wo wl me

Saturday, February 8/92
10-4pm Free Admission
Enjoy an afternoon of information on travel opportunities
% Travel Display ¥ Travel Films & Talks
* Cappuccino Bar * International Food
%* Cruise Wear Fashion Shows 11am & Ipm
% Door Prizes

BIG BAND DANCE

February 8 — 8 to i2 midnight
© Jazz Duo ° Jazz Floor Show
® Hors d’Qeuvres © No Host Bar
Tickets $12 available at

WEST VAN SENIOR CENTER 926-4375

" 21st Street, West Van
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* Roseway Travel
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B.C. RESIDENTS’ SPECIAL

CELEBRATE
VALENTINES DAY.
ALL MONTH LONG.

oe

—}

AK
WN

sunt

by

Is ou

At The Westbrook Whistler, you can enjoy
Valentine's Day for as long as you like. Ail through
February you can enjoy a special Valentine's price
on every suite in the house. {magine the luxury ofa
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Mail newspaper every moming, breathtaking view,
and, in our deluxe units, a jacuzzi and a hot tub!

Step outside, and you're right at the chairliits
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So call (604) 932-2321 or
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THE

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Whistler is a 90-minute drive, bus or train ride from Vancouver.
You can also fly in by chartered plane or helicopter.