It Could Happen to You (film)

Infobox_Film
name = It Could Happen to You


caption = Theatrical release poster
director = Andrew Bergman
producer = Mike Lobell
writer = Jane Anderson
starring = Nicolas Cage
Bridget Fonda
Rosie Perez
Claudia Shear
Issac Hayes
music = Carter Burwell
Joe Mulherin
cinematography = Caleb Deschanel
editing = Barry Malkin| distributor = TriStar Pictures
released = July 29, 1994
runtime = 101 min.
language = English
country = United States
budget =
music =
imdb_id = 0110167
|

"It Could Happen to You" is a 1994 romantic comedy-drama film starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda. The story is based on a New York City police officer (Cage) who wins the lottery and splits his winnings with a waitress (Fonda). The movie bears a striking resemblance to an actual event as documented by Snopes. [ [http://www.snopes.com/luck/lottery.htm "Lottery luck"] , Snopes]

tory

Policeman Charlie Lang (Nicolas Cage) is a kind and generous person who loves his job. His wife Muriel (Rosie Perez) works in a manicure salon and, unlike Charlie, is selfish, greedy and materialistic, constantly complaining about their situation in life. Waitress Yvonne Biasi (Bridget Fonda), is also a very kind and generous person. However she is bankrupt because her husband (Stanley Tucci), whom she had not yet been able to afford to divorce, took her credit card and spent $12,000 without her permission.

Charlie meets Yvonne when she waits on him at the diner she works. Since Charlie doesn't have enough money with him, he promises Yvonne to give her half of his prospective lottery winnings instead. He wins $4 million (in 21 annual payments) in the lottery the next day and keeps his promise, despite the protests of his wife. He and Yvonne become media stars almost immediately.

Yvonne buys the diner she was working in. She sets up a table with Charlie's name at which people who cannot afford food can eat for free.

Muriel gets to know the newly rich Jack Gross, who also won the lottery. She flirts with him and later starts an affair. Meanwhile, Charlie and Yvonne spend a lot of time together, often giving gifts to passengers of the subway or to children, about which the media report. Muriel gets fed up with Charlie's constant donations and throws him out of their apartment.

Yvonne leaves her apartment, after her husband shows up and threatens to stay until he gets the money. Charlie and Yvonne run into each other at the Plaza Hotel and get together.

When Muriel and Charlie divorce, Muriel wants all the money that Charlie won for herself. Charlie doesn't mind giving his share of the money but Muriel also wants the money he gave Yvonne, which causes Charlie to take the case to court. The jury decides in Muriel's favor. Yvonne feels guilty that Charlie won $4,000,000 and now has nothing; he replies that money does not matter to him. Just as they are giving up and moving out of town, the citizens of New York City send "the cop and the waitress" thousands of letters with tips totaling about $600,000.

It is only after Charlie and Muriel get divorced, that Muriel's new husband "Jack Gross", takes off with all her money, revealing himself to be a con-man. She then moves in with her mother in the Bronx and goes back to her old manicure job. At film's end, Charlie and Yvonne get married and begin their honeymoon by taking off from Central Park in a hot air balloon that bears the New York Post headline "Cop Weds Waitress", just before the closing credits roll.

oundtrack

Release date: 19 July 1994

Label: Sony

Track listing
*"Young At Heart" - Tony Bennett and Shawn Colvin
*"They Can't Take That Away From Me" - Billie Holiday
*"Now It Can Be Told" - Tony Bennett
*"Swingdown, Swingtown" - Wynton Marsalis
*"She's No Lady" - Lyle Lovett
*"Always" - Tony Bennett
*"Overture" - Carter Burwell
*"I Feel Lucky" - Mary-Chapin Carpenter
*"Round Of Blues" - Shawn Colvin
*"The Search" - Carter Burwell
*"Young At Heart" - Frank Sinatra

References