The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
- Jan 21, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 8
After his mistress runs over a young teen, a Wall Street hotshot sees his life unravel in the spotlight and attracts the interest of a down-and-out reporter.
Trivia
The 330-second Steadicam shot of Peter Fallow arriving at the Palm Court of the Winter Garden was a tour de force for operator Larry McConkey. He had to track backwards, get on a golf cart, ride it for 380 feet, get off of it, track backwards 234 feet, get into the elevator, get out, and track for another 250 feet.
Steadicam operator Larry McConkey coordinated the complex, nearly 5-minute opening tracking sequence that included a cramped ride in a service elevator. It was the first of McConkey's collaborations with Brian De Palma.
Brian De Palma: In the opening tracking shot, dressed as a security guard, when Bruce Willis gets in the elevator. It was physically impossible for the camera crew and De Palma to stay off camera in that shot, so De Palma chose to do a cameo. To be unrecognizable, he shaved off his trademark beard.
Director
Brian De Palma
Writers
Screenplay
Michael Cristofer
Based on The Bonfire of the Vanities
Tom Wolfe
Cast
Tom Hanks as Sherman McCoy
Bruce Willis as Peter Fallow
Melanie Griffith as Maria Ruskin
Kim Cattrall as Judy McCoy
Saul Rubinek as Jed Kramer
Morgan Freeman as Judge Leonard White
John Hancock as Reverend Bacon
Kevin Dunn as Tom Killian
Clifton James as Albert Fox
Louis Giambalvo as Ray Andriutti
Donald Moffat as Mr. McCoy
Adam LeFevre as Rawlie Thorpe
Alan King as Arthur Ruskin
Kurt Fuller as Pollard Browning
Richard Libertini as Ed Rifkin
Andre Gregory as Aubrey Buffing
Beth Broderick as Caroline Heftshank
Mary Alice as Annie Lamb
Robert Stephens as Sir Gerald Moore
Kirsten Dunst as Campbell McCoy
F. Murray Abraham as D.A. Abe Weiss (uncredited)
More elevator scenes like this
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Tom Hanks: You've Got Mail (1998), Bachelor Party (1984), Road to Perdition (2002), Philadelphia (1993), Toy Story 2 (1999)
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Bruce Willis: Pulp Fiction (1994), Die Hard (1988), 12 Monkeys (1995), Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995), Four Rooms (1995), Lucky Number Slevin (2006), Live Free or Die Hard (2007), Planet Terror (2007)
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Melanie Griffith: Body Double (1984), Pacific Heights (1990), Working Girl (1988)
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Kim Cattrall: Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Saul Rubinek: Wall Street (1987), True Romance (1993)
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Morgan Freeman: Batman Begins (2005), Lucky Number Slevin (2006), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), The Dark Knight (2008), Thick as Thieves (2009), Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Kevin Dunn: I Heart Huckabees (2004)
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Clifton James: Superman II (1980)
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Louis Giambalvo: Weekend at Bernie's (1989)
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Donald Moffat: Earthquake (1974)
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Adam LeFevre: I Think I Love My Wife (2007), Philadelphia (1993)
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Richard Libertini: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Kirsten Dunst: Spider-Man 2 (2004), Fargo (2014)
More elevator scenes from titles featuring Murray Abraham: Scarface (1983), Moon Knight