Mad Dog and Glory

Mad Dog and Glory
Directed by	John McNaughton
Produced by	Steven A. Jones Barbara De Fina Martin Scorsese
Written by	Richard Price
Starring	Robert De Niro Uma Thurman Bill Murray
Music by	Elmer Bernstein
Distributed by	Universal Studios
Release date(s)	March 5, 1993 (US)
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$19 million
Box office	$11,081,586 (USA)

Mad Dog and Glory is a 1993 American comedy-drama film directed by John McNaughton and starring Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman and Bill Murray.

Plot

Wayne Dobie (Robert De Niro) is a meek and lonely Chicago crime scene photopgrapher who has spent years on the job without ever having to draw his gun; his colleagues call him "Mad Dog" as an affectionate joke. He crosses paths one day with Frank Milo (Bill Murray), a bystander at a hold-up in a convenience store who turns out to be a mob boss. Mad Dog saves Milo's life, and the criminal pledges to grant him a favor in return, a debt that seems less motivated by Milo's code of honor than by the advice of Milo's therapist. In a desire to be "the expeditor of your dreams," Milo promptly offers Mad Dog a gift — for one week, he will have at his disposal the "personal services" of Glory (Uma Thurman), an attractive young woman who works at his club.

Mad Dog learns that Glory is trying to pay off a personal debt and wants nothing to do with Milo beyond that. After an awkward start, they fall in love. Mad Dog wants her to move into his apartment, but Milo has no intention of losing Glory permanently. Milo says that Mad Dog has to pay $40,000 to give Glory her freedom. He sends one of his thugs to back up this threat, but Mad Dog has his partner, Mike (David Caruso), fight the thug on his behalf.

Mad Dog does his best to get the money but falls short by $13,000. Knowing that Mike can no longer fight all of his battles, he works up the courage to fight for Glory himself. He ends up brawling with Milo in a fistfight in the street. Mad Dog is beaten but never gives up. Fed up, Milo washes his hands of Mad Dog and lets Glory go with no strings attached.

Cast

• Robert De Niro - Wayne 'Mad Dog' Dobie
• Uma Thurman - Glory
• Bill Murray - Frank Milo
• David Caruso - Mike
• Mike Starr - Harold
• Tom Towles - Andrew the Beater
• Kathy Baker - Lee
• Derek Annunciation - Shooter (as Derek Anunciation)
• Doug Hara - Driver
• Evan Lionel - Dealer in Car
• Anthony Cannata - Pavletz
• J. J. Johnston - Shanlon
• Guy Van Swearingen - Cop
• Jack Wallace - Tommy the Bartender
• Richard Belzer - M.C. / Comic

Changes after test screenings

According to a profile of producer Steven A. Jones written by Luke Ford, the film was delayed by a year because of studio-required changes. Jones and director McNaughton were contractually required to deliver the film with absolutely no changes to the script written by Price. After doing so, Universal test-screened the film, then insisted on reshooting the film's final scene. As written, when Milo and Mad Dog fight, Milo dominates Mad Dog. Mad Dog's one connecting punch did no damage, but did serve to prompt Milo to realize that Glory wasn't worth fighting over.

It was reshot to respond to an audience typecasting of De Niro, who they saw as the Raging Bull he had played more than a decade earlier. Those who saw the test screenings couldn't accept the fact that De Niro's Mad Dog had done so poorly against Murray's Milo. Such a reaction was ironic because De Niro had actually been offered the Milo role, and had insisted on the Mad Dog role instead precisely because of its meekness.

Other reshoots for the film were done to make Glory seem less manipulative and Milo more of a puppetmaster behind Glory's actions.

References

A DVD of Mad Dog and Glory appears in the Family Guy episode "Brian's Got a Brand New Bag"

External links

• Mad Dog and Glory at the Internet Movie Database
• Profile of producer Steven A. Jones, with details about the film, from the webblog of Luke Ford