who was lawyer in my cousin vinny

by Ashleigh Renner 6 min read

Joe Pesci

Who are the actors in my Cousin Vinny?

Who played the stuttering lawyer on My Cousin Vinny? Mr. Zimmerman said actor Austin Pendleton, who has a stutter and portrays the attorney, …

What happened to Vinny and Lisa in my Cousin Vinny?

Vinny Gambini: Ralph Macchio ... Bill Gambini: Marisa Tomei ... Mona Lisa Vito: Mitchell Whitfield ... Stan Rothenstein: Fred Gwynne ... Judge Chamberlain Haller: Lane Smith ... Jim Trotter III: Austin Pendleton ... John Gibbons: Bruce McGill ... Sheriff Farley: Maury Chaykin ...

Who wrote my Cousin Vinny?

Mar 13, 1992 · Bill and Stan do not have enough money for a lawyer, so the good news is that Bill has a lawyer in his family, his cousin, Vincent Laguardia Gambini. The bad news is that Vinny is an inexperienced lawyer who has not been at a trial.

Is'My Cousin Vinny'based on a true story?

Feb 04, 2022 · "My Cousin Vinny" cast Joe Pesci — an actor best known for playing serious criminals in gory dramas — as the earnest but ill-equipped defense lawyer Vinny in …

See more

Apr 28, 2016 · My Cousin Vinny is an accurate portrayal of lawyers. “Every profession in the room watches TV, movies, reads books and says, ‘That’s not the …

image

Is Vinny a lawyer in My Cousin Vinny?

The film deals with two young New Yorkers traveling through rural Alabama who are arrested and put on trial for a murder they did not commit, and the comical attempts of a cousin, Vinny Gambini, a lawyer who had only recently passed the bar exam after five unsuccessful attempts, to defend them.

Was Vinny Gambini a lawyer?

Vinny Gambini was not a real lawyer, but he was a master of cross-examination. Gambini, of "My Cousin Vinny" fame, impeached a key witness during a criminal trial. If you don't know the scene, you missed out on one of the finer points of trial work. It's not always what you know about the law that wins.Mar 8, 2019

What was judge Haller's first name?

Judge Chamberlain Haller
Fred Gwynne: Judge Chamberlain Haller.

How legally accurate is My Cousin Vinny?

“My Cousin Vinny” is Considered one of the Most Accurate Law Movies Ever. It might seem like a ludicrous claim but My Cousin Vinny was actually considered one of the most accurate law movies ever made.

What kind of law did Vinny practice?

Vinny Gambini is a defense attorney who has been practicing law for almost six weeks. He failed the bar exam 5 times before he passed it, and this will be his first murder case.

How old was Joe Pesci My Cousin Vinny?

49
Joe Pesci was 49, while Marisa Tomei was 27 when this movie was released.

What was the age difference between Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei?

Joe Pesci is almost 22 years older than Marisa Tomei, who was 26 to his 48 when they made "My Cousin Vinny" in 1991. Although such age gaps are not uncommon between male leads and the actresses playing their female love interests, the production made some attempts to make Pesci look younger.Feb 3, 2022

Is My Cousin Vinny Based on a true story?

The Film Was Inspired by a Chance Encounter

My Cousin Vinny was the brainchild of screenwriter Dale Launer. Launer told ABA Journal in 2012 that back in the early '70s, he met a guy who was waiting for his bar exam results.

Where did dead on balls accurate come from?

A: As far as we can tell, “dead-on balls accurate” showed up for the first time in My Cousin Vinny. In the 1992 comedy, Mona Lisa Vito (played by Marisa Tomei) uses the expression in an argument with Vinny Gambini (Joe Pesci) over whether she's properly closed a dripping faucet.Sep 14, 2020

What was Vinny thrown into jail for?

Vinny getting thrown in jail for contempt of court. Vinny and Lisa's repeated inability to get a good night's sleep, due to the train running through town or the factory whistles or the pigs being readied for slaughter.

Are these magic grits?

Gambini: Well perhaps the laws of physics cease to exist on your stove! Were these magic grits? I mean, did you buy them from the same guy who sold Jack his beanstalk beans?! D.A. Trotter: Objection, Your Honor!

Where did the judge in My Cousin Vinny go to law school?

'My Cousin Vinny'—Judge Chamberlain Haller

In many ways, he's an anomaly: a Yale Law School graduate who winds up on the bench in a small town in Alabama; a strict enforcer of the rules of procedure who nonetheless gives Vinny quite a bit of leeway.

Storyline

Bill Gambini and Stanley Rothenstein are two friends from New York University who just received scholarships to UCLA. They decide to drive through the South. Once they arrive in Alabama, they stop at a local convenience store to pick up a few snacks. But, no sooner than they leave the store, they are arrested.

Did you know

The misunderstanding between Vincent Gambini and Judge Haller regarding the two "youts" was in fact a real conversation between Joe Pesci and director Jonathan Lynn. Lynn, who is British, at first had a hard time understanding Pesci's pronounced New York accent. He decided that the routine was quite funny and put it in the film.

Contribute to this page

What is the Japanese language plot outline for My Cousin Vinny (1992)?

When was My Cousin Vinny made?

My Cousin Vinny is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn, from a screenplay by Dale Launer. The film stars Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, Marisa Tomei, Mitchell Whitfield, Lane Smith, Bruce McGill, and Fred Gwynne in his final film appearance. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox and released on March 13, 1992.

What is the rating of My Cousin Vinny?

The film received generally positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 86%, based on 56 reviews. The site's consensus reads, "The deft comic interplay between Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei helps to elevate My Cousin Vinny 's predictable script, and the result is a sharp, hilarious courtroom comedy." On Metacritic the film has a score of 68 out of 100 based on reviews from 23 critics. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade of "A-" on an A+ to F scale.

Who is Vinny Gambini?

The film deals with two young New Yorkers traveling through rural Alabama who are arrested and put on trial for a murder they did not commit and the comical attempts of a cousin, Vinny Gambini, a lawyer who had only recently passed the bar exam after several unsuccessful attempts, to defend them.

Who is Vinny's fiancée?

Vinny travels there, accompanied by his fiancée, Mona Lisa Vito. Although willing to take the case, Vinny is a personal injury lawyer from Brooklyn, newly admitted to the bar and with no trial experience. Vinny manages to fool the trial judge, Chamberlain Haller, that he is experienced enough for the case.

What degree did Jonathan Lynn have in My Cousin Vinny?

Director Jonathan Lynn has a law degree from Cambridge University, and lawyers have praised the accuracy of My Cousin Vinny ' s depiction of courtroom procedure and trial strategy, with one stating that " [t]he movie is close to reality even in its details. Part of why the film has such staying power among lawyers is because, unlike, say, A Few Good Men, everything that happens in the movie could happen—and often does happen—at trial". One legal textbook discusses the film in detail as an "entertaining [and] extremely helpful introduction to the art of presenting expert witnesses at trial for both beginning experts and litigators"; furthermore, criminal defenders, law professors, and other lawyers use the film to demonstrate rules of evidence, voir dire, relevance, and cross examination.

Is there a sequel to My Cousin Vinny?

After additionally writing a novelization of My Cousin Vinny alongside the first sequel, a third book, titled Wing and a Prayer, was published in August 2020.

What song did Pesci sing for Vinny Gambini?

Pesci later reprised the Vinny Gambini character for his 1998 album Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You, which contains the song "Yo, Cousin Vinny ". The album cover portrays Pesci in a red suit similar to the usher suit he wore in the film.

Who is Vinny's girlfriend?

Interestingly, however, in My Cousin Vinny, the issue is turned on its head. After Vinny’s girlfriend Mona Lisa bails him out for a second time after having been found in contempt, she criticizes his performance in court and tells him it is pretty clear he does not know what he is doing.

Who is Vincent Gambini?

The film stars Joe Pesci as Vincent Gambini, a newly admitted New York lawyer who agrees to represent a family member and his friend facing the death penalty for a murder they did not commit in Alabama. Having failed the bar exam a few times, it would be Gambini’s first trial, of any kind, ever.

image

Overview

My Cousin Vinny is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn, and written by Dale Launer. The film stars Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, Marisa Tomei, Mitchell Whitfield, Lane Smith, Bruce McGill, and Fred Gwynne in his final film appearance. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox and released on March 13, 1992.

Plot

Driving through Alabama in their metallic mint-green 1964 Buick Skylark convertible, Bill Gambini and Stan Rothenstein, college students from New York who just got scholarships to UCLA, shop at a Sac-O-Suds convenience store and accidentally shoplift a can of tuna. After they leave, the store clerk is robbed and killed, and Bill and Stan are arrested for the murder. Due to circumstantial evidenceand a confession to the shoplifting that is misconstrued as one to the shooting, Bill is c…

Cast

• Joe Pesci as Vinny Gambini
• Ralph Macchio as Bill Gambini
• Marisa Tomei as Mona Lisa Vito
• Mitchell Whitfield as Stan Rothenstein

Development

Screenwriter Dale Launer had come up with the idea for My Cousin Vinny while he was in college in the 1970s, after hearing from a friend about a lawyer that had finally passed the bar after their 13th attempt. Launer thought it would be funny to have someone traveling through the southern United States, run into legal trouble, and end up being represented by that type of lawyer. Launer did not do much with the concept until after he had wrote a few successful screenplays such as Ruthless …

Release

My Cousin Vinny was released in the United States on March 13, 1992.

Reception

With a budget of $11 million, My Cousin Vinny was more successful than anticipated, grossing $52,929,168 domestically and $11,159,384 internationally, bringing its overall worldwide total to $64,088,552.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 87%, based on 60 reviews. The site's consensus reads, "The deft comic interplay between Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei helps to elevate My Cousi…

Legal accuracy

Director Jonathan Lynn has a law degree from Cambridge University, and lawyers have praised the accuracy of My Cousin Vinny's depiction of courtroom procedure and trial strategy, with one stating that "[t]he movie is close to reality even in its details. Part of why the film has such staying power among lawyers is because, unlike, say, A Few Good Men, everything that happens in the movie could happen—and often does happen—at trial". One legal textbook discusses the film in …

Sequels

In an interview on March 14, 2012, the film's screenwriter, Dale Launer, talked about a sequel he had written involving Vinny Gambini practicing law in England. Marisa Tomei dropped out. The studio hired another screenwriter to rework the script without Tomei's character. Eventually, the project was shelved.
In 2017, author Lawrence Kelter began a My Cousin Vinny novel series with Back to Brooklyn, wh…