BUGSY
(1992; d. Barry Levinson, w. James Toback)

Hearts of Darkness (Coppola documentary) II: Deluded Dionysian visionary goes into desert/jungle to create mammoth, plague-ridden money-eater, changing it as he goes, investing own $ + rep in project that busts on opening but goes on to profitability à la Apocalypse Now (Meyer Lansky as Cop’ producer-supporter Fred Roos); stylistic + other references to Cotton Club, Godfather, Tucker et al tipping Levinson/Toback’s hand, Flamingo Hotel Zoetrope (as all of Hollywood).

Wanting to start over, Bugsy strips self of earthly goods (body/the physical [lunk best-friend Elliott Gould] on descent into sleep) to fulfill "dream," where people similarly trapped in unreal world "gambol" + engage in other revelry-vice out in desert (sleeper’s isolation + ghettoized underbelly of American Dream).

Vulgarity of new Eden (must practice to effect refinement + maintain civility) destroys him: Bugs America, foray into desert as into frontier (base end of AmDream), film mocking him by taking hated nick- as name (lowly + despicable), tho allowing him humanity; sentient enuf, still, to permit own-woman Virginia Hill to be business partner + life-mate (opposite Beatty/Disney’s Dick-Tracy whore Breathless Madonna), B’s Mussolini assassination plot sublimated will to stop violent impulses that’re killing Jews (i.e. himself).