Hi, Mom! - 1970
Director(s)
Brian De Palma
Writer(s)
Brian De Palma also story
Charles Hirsch story
Producer(s)
Charles Hirsch producer
Cast
Charles Durning - Superintendant (as Charles Durnham)
Robert De Niro - Jon Rubin
Allen Garfield - Joe Banner
Abraham Goren - Pervert in Theater
Lara Parker - Jeannie Mitchell
Bruce Price - Jimmy Mitchell
Ricky Parker - Ricky Mitchell
Andy Parker - Andy Mitchell
Jennifer Salt - Judy Bishop
Robbie Heywood - Roommate #1
Leslie Bornstein - Roommate #2
Paul Bartel - Uncle Tom Wood
Gerrit Graham - Gerrit Wood
Nelson Peltz - The Playboy
Delia Abrams - Date #1
Tofer Delaney - Date #2
Margaret Pine - Date #3
Hector Valentin Lino Jr. - NIT Journal Revolutionary
Carole Leverett - NIT Journal Revolutionary
Ruth Bocour - NIT Journal #1
Bart DePalma - NIT Journal #2 (as Bart De Palma)
Arthur Bierman - NIT Journal #3
Bettina Kugel - NIT Journal #4
Buddy Butler - 'Be Black Baby' Troupe
David Connell - 'Be Black Baby' Troupe
Carolyn Craven - 'Be Black Baby' Troupe
Milton Earl Forrest - 'Be Black Baby' Troupe
Joyce Griffin - 'Be Black Baby' Troupe
Kirk Kirksey - 'Be Black Baby' Troupe
Rutanya Alda - 'Be Black Baby' Audience (as Ruth Alda)
Beth Bowden - 'Be Black Baby' Audience
Gene Elman - 'Be Black Baby' Audience
Joe Fields - 'Be Black Baby' Audience
Paul Milvy - 'Be Black Baby' Audience
Joe Stillman - 'Be Black Baby' Audience
Carol Vogel - 'Be Black Baby' Audience
Peter Maloney - Pharmacist
William Daley - Co-op Neighbor
Floyd L. Peterson - John Winnicove
Paul Hirsch - Avery Gunnz
Joseph King - Dr. Joe King
Wendell Craig - 'Straight' family With machine gun! (uncredited)
Review by Jack Gatanella
Hi, Mom! (1970)
One of De Palma's early plums, perhaps his most gleefully deranged
In this very late 60's irreverent, almost anarchic low-budget film, Brian De Palma defines more of his strange, given Hitchcock-like fascination of voyeurism, and attacks the issues of the day. The most prominent of which, both cringe-inducing and just plain funny, is when he focuses on the black-power movement (a black woman handing out fliers asking white people 'do you know what it's like to be black'), which is something that could only work for that time and place, not before or now.
But one of the key things to the interest in the film is 27 year old Robert De Niro (not his first or last film with the director), who plays this character who sits in a room looking out through his telescope at women in their rooms, setting up phony deals, and in the end basically throwing bombs. Those who have said that De Niro can't act and just is himself in every movie should see this movie, if only out of some minor curiosity. A couple of times in the film it's actually not funny, as when there's a disturbance in a black-power meeting (filmed in a grainer, rougher style than the rest of the film).
In the end it's capped off with a rambling monologue in an interview that tops De Niro's in King of Comedy. It's pretty obvious where De Palma's career would go after this, into slightly more mainstream Hollywood territory, but all of his trademarks are here; the dark, almost nail-biting comedy, the perfectly timed style of voyeurism, and interesting usage of locals. Think if De Palma and De Niro did a Monty Python film, only even more low-budget and in its New York way just as off-the-hinges, and you got Hi, Mom! It also contains an eccentric and funny soundtrack.
Hi Mom! (1979)
Review by Wayne Malin
Hard to believe DePalma did this comedy
Very strange and satirical look at a Vietnam vet (Robert DeNiro) and how he tries to get a job after being discharged. First he's a peeping tom--photographing neighbors without their knowledge. He also gets involved with one--Julie Bishop (Jennifer Salt). Then he joins a black theatrical group who basically rob all the white liberals who attend their plays! THEN he becomes an urban guerrilla willing to blow up buildings.
As you can see this is not for all tastes. The humor is sharp, absurd, no holds barred and VERY funny. This movie takes aims at many targets (blacks, whites, race relations, politics, liberals) and goes after them full force. This may be a little strong for some people (the movie almost got an X rating for nudity) but I loved it. There's a particularly funny episode with blacks questioning white people on the street if they know what it's like to be black.
DeNiro is a wonder---he's SO young and already talented. He plays every sequence perfectly. His bits with Allen Garfield are hysterical--the banter between them goes nonstop. DePalma already shows his directorial talents using split screen (in the opening credits) and having almost all of DeNiro's adventures shown through a video camera. Salt is sort of annoying--but she's supposed to be.
A VERY 1970s comedy. Lots of the opinions and situations here just don't happen anymore but still worth seeing. Who ever knew that Brian DePalma could do a comedy? ("Bonfire of the Vanities" doesn't count--that was unintentionally funny). I give this an 8.
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