Warren Beatty makes self-confidence entertaining even when the man possessing it is dangerous. His humour and assurance are worth seeking out; Bugsy also shows how easily a film can become too forgiving of the man he plays.
Fi1m perspective
In Bugsy (1991), Warren Beatty plays Ben Siegel as though agreement is merely taking longer than expected. His confidence makes the man's enthusiasms entertaining, while the threat of force keeps the charm from feeling harmless. We found ourselves warming to him and disliked how little resistance we put up, because the humour belongs to the same man as the violence. Beatty makes it easy to understand why people might enjoy his company despite knowing what he is capable of.
He has often had a say in more than the performance. Producing and starring in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) marked the breakthrough; co-writing Shampoo (1975) with Robert Towne gave him another means of shaping the leading role. With Heaven Can Wait (1978) and Reds (1981), he was also directing, a responsibility he kept on Bulworth (1998) and Rules Don't Apply (2016). But Bugsy is a useful reminder of what another director and strong supporting actors can give him.
Barry Levinson gets the confidence right but does not always question it enough. James Toback's screenplay gives Beatty wit to work with, and Beatty's self-belief carries stretches where Siegel's ambitions have begun to wear thin. The difficulty comes when the film treats his plans for Las Vegas as evidence of decency. We recommend the performance without accepting the film's indulgence of its subject.
Annette Bening is essential to keeping that performance in proportion. As Virginia Hill, she gives him someone to engage with rather than another reason to admire himself, and their attraction makes the romance worth following. Ben Kingsley's steadier Meyer Lansky offers a useful check on Siegel's enthusiasms. Beatty benefits from partners who have something to do besides agree with him.
Allen Daviau's glossy photography and Dennis Gassner's production design give that confidence a convincing home in the 1940s settings. Albert Wolsky's costumes make wealth and status readable before anyone explains them, and the polish helps us see why Siegel finds the life attractive. Start with Bugsy for Beatty's humour and the exchanges with Bening. Do not take its estimate of Siegel's decency on trust.
Biography
Warren Beatty is an American actor, producer, director and screenwriter. Born on 30 March 1937 in Richmond, Virginia, he briefly attended Northwestern University before studying with acting teacher Stella Adler in New York.
He made his film debut in Splendor in the Grass (1961) and is known for his performances in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), The Parallax View (1974), Heaven Can Wait (1978) and Reds (1981), the last of which he also directed, wrote and produced. He starred as and produced Bugsy (1991). He has received fourteen Academy Award nominations and won the award for Best Director for Reds.
He is the brother of actress Shirley MacLaine.
