Izzy and Moe

Infobox_Film
name =Izzy & Moe


imdb_id =0089358
writer =Steven Patrick Bell
Robert Boris
starring =Jackie Gleason
Art Carney
director =Jackie Cooper
producer =
distributor = CBS Television(USA)
released =September 23, 1985
runtime =
language =English
budget =|

"Izzy & Moe" is a 1985 made for TV prohibition-era crime/comedy film, starring Jackie Gleason and Art Carney. It is a fictional account of two prohibition-era policemen, Izzy Einstein and Moe Smith, and their adventures in tracking down illegal bars.

Plot details

During the prohibition era of the 1920s, a gangster named John Vanderhoff, alias 'The Dutchman', was quickly doing away with any competition and setting up his own speakeasys. In order to help fight this crime, the local police need to get some extra men. In steps Izzy Einstein (Jackie Gleason), a man who is desperate to come home with a steady paycheck to support his wife, mother-in-law and four daughters. Izzy is also interested in disproving his mother-in-law's assertion that he's just a 'bum', with the constant refrain that if he ever amounts to anything she'll light his cigar in Macy's Window.

When the police chief tells Izzy that there's no job for him, Izzie has a prepared speech for such occasions: "This is America. And I'm "proud" to be an American. My father came to this country when I was 10 years old. We left poverty and injustice, and landed on the shores of freedom and justice." The chief then informs Izzy that he's 'too old' for this kind of job, Izzy replies that he knows the perfect man to team up with him. That man happens to be Moe Smith (Art Carney), a man who recently lost his underground bar to the police and spends his days alone, getting drunk. Izzy confronts Moe, asking for his help, hoping to do right by society, even resorting to pulling out his speech. While the speech worked on the police captain, Moe has already heard it and isn't interested - until Izzy mentions the steady paycheck they'll both get.

When they and the police attempt to raid one of Dutch's bars, Dutch is ready for them - he transforms the bar into a 'reading hall'. Izzy and Moe decide they need to try a different tactic to get in the bar. They spot a local baseball team playing across the street, and ask the police chief for 10 men - no questions asked. Izzy and Moe dress themselves and the police as baseball players, who just beat an opposing team and want to celebrate. They're soon let into the bar, and have a good time - until they whip out their badges and arrest everyone in the bar.

Soon, Izzy and Moe have their own division within the unit - the only requirement being that they work alone, they can get costumes to fit various occasions, and no questions are asked. Using various costumes (such as dressing up as sailors), Izzy and Moe are soon successfully raiding underground bars all over the city. Their arrests even include such high-profile people as the governor. The police chief theatens to fire them, but when Izzy and Moe are confronted by the press, Izzy gives his "This is America, and I'm "proud" to be an American" speech, and they're soon back on the force.

During this time, Moe had caught the eyes of an entertainer at one of the bars they raided, Dallas Carter. Moe finds himself falling in love with Dallas, seeing in her eyes the same look that his late wife used to have. Dutch, meanwhile, is getting upset at losing so much money and booze to Izzy and Moe. He decides to finish them off once and for all. Using his inside man - the police chief - he lures the boys to where a large shipment of bourbon is being kept. Izzy and Moe manage to get out of the trap (despite the fact that while Moe loves guns, he "hates" bullets, and until now has not had any bullets in his own gun). Izzy and Moe manage to get the truck with the booze to a police impound site.

Desperate to get his liquor back, Dutch takes Dallas Carter hostage, and tells Izzy and Moe to meet them with the bourbon. Izzy and Moe make for Dutch's estate and dodge the bullets flying at them, including killing the corrupt police chief. When Moe confronts Dutch, Dutch is pointing a gun at Dallas' head. Moe offers himself instead of Dallas, and Dutch is about to shoot Moe when a gun blast knocks the gun out of Dutch's hands. Izzy then walks out with a shotgun, to which Moe tells him "How could you chance taking a shot like that?" Izzy's reply, "I just pretended he had an apple on your head." (See William Tell.) Izzy then mentions that now that they finally arrested Dutch, there's only one thing left to do. Izzy's mother-in-law grudgingly walks over with a lighted match, lights Izzy's cigar, and the family applauds. The camera pulls back to reveal that Izzy finally had his cigar in Macy's window, as a crowd of onlookers watch from the street.

Cast and roles include

*Jackie Gleason .... Izzy Einstein
*Art Carney .... Moe Smith
*Cynthia Harris .... Dallas Carter
*Zohra Lampert .... Esther Einstein
*Dick Latessa" .... Lieut. Murphy
*Drew Snyder .... Agent McCoy

External links

*imdb title|id=0089358|title=Izzy & Moe