My Blue Heaven is a 1990 comedy crime film directed by Herbert Ross, written by Nora Ephron and starring Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, and Joan Cusack.

It has been noted for its relationship to the movie Goodfellas. Both movies are based upon the life of Henry Hill, although the character is renamed to "Vincent 'Vinnie' Antonelli" in My Blue Heaven.

In some ways My Blue Heaven is a preemptive sequel to Goodfellas, as Goodfellas ends with Hill's dissatisfaction with life in the Witness Protection Program, while My Blue Heaven starts out Hill's life after the move. Goodfellas stays much closer to the facts of Hill's life, but a lot of Hill's experiences are reflected in the latter film (in an addition, My Blue Heaven flashes title cards on the screen listing the chapter headings in Hill's books).

While Goodfellas was based upon the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, the screenplay for My Blue Heaven was written by Pileggi's wife, Nora Ephron, and much of the research for both works was done in the same sessions with Hill.

The movie was filmed primarily in the California city of San Luis Obispo and the surrounding area, though the nominal setting is a fictional suburb of San Diego, California. Some scenes were actually shot in San Diego.

Casting

Originally, Steve Martin was cast to play Barney Coopersmith, with Arnold Schwarzenegger playing the role of Vinnie Antonelli. However, Schwarzenegger was soon thereafter offered the role of Det. John Kimble in Kindergarten Cop, and left the production. Failing to find another suitable "Vinnie" for Martin's Coopersmith, Martin offered to take on the role of Vinnie himself. Producers agreed, and then cast Rick Moranis in the Coopersmith role.

Cast list

• Steve Martin - Vincent 'Vinnie' Antonelli
• Rick Moranis - Barney Coopersmith
• Joan Cusack - Hannah Stubbs
• Melanie Mayron - Crystal
• Bill Irwin - Kirby
• Carol Kane - Shaldeen
• William Hickey - Billy Sparrow
• Deborah Rush - Linda
• Daniel Stern - Will Stubbs
• Jesse Bradford - Jamie
• Corey Carrier - Tommie
• Seth Jaffe - Umberto Mello
• Robert Miranda - Lilo Mello
• Ed Lauter - Underwood
• Julie Bovasso - Vinnie's Mother
• Colleen Camp - Dr. Margaret Snow Coopersmith
• Gordon Currie - Wally Bunting
• Raymond O'Connor - Dino
• Troy Evans - Nicky
• Dick Boccelli - Rocco
• Ron Karabatsos - Ritchie
• Tony DiBenedetto - Benny
• Melissa Hurley - Angela
• Leslie Cook - Marie
• Darren Chuckry - Supermarket Manager
• Duke Stroud - Supermarket Employee
• Carol Ann Susi - Filomena
• Frankie Gio - Gaetano
• Joel Polis - U.S. Attorney
• Larry Block - Defense Attorney
• Arthur Brauss - Judge
• Greta Blackburn - Stewardess
• Eva Charney - Stewardess
• Ellen Albertini Dow - Nun
• David Knell - Checker
• John Harnagel - Motel Manager
• LaWanda Page - Hotel Maid
• Daniel Riordan - Removal Man
• Thomas Wagner - Umpire
• Jean Spray - Gatto
• James Emery - FBI Man
• Matt Roe - FBI Man
• John Rogers - Police Officer at Motel
• Valerie Wildman - TV Reporter
• Daniel Trent - Bailiff
• Rudy E. Morrison - Maitre d'
• Frank R. Roach - Judge
• Jeff Fredricks - ''Booking Cop
• Gregory Schmauss -Police Officer at Construction Site

Songs

• "My Blue Heaven"
• Music by Walter Donaldson - Lyrics by George Whiting - Performed by Fats Domino
• "Surfin' USA"
• Written by Chuck Berry and Brian Wilson - Performed by The Beach Boys
• "Stranger in Paradise"
• Written by Robert Wright and George Forrest - Performed by Tony Bennett
• "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)"
• Written by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddy Holland - Performed by Billy Hill
• "The Boy from New York City"
• Written by John Taylor and George Davis - Performed by The Ad Libs
• "New York, New York"
• Written by Fred Ebb and John Kander
• "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"
• Written by Albert von Tilzer and Jerry Northworth
• "The Star-Spangled Banner"
• Performed by United States Marine Band

External links