Alright, settle in, grab your preferred beverage (maybe something stronger than Hi-C this time), and let's rewind the tape back to 1998. Remember scanning those video store shelves, the slightly worn cardboard sleeves promising cinematic delights (or disasters)? Tucked somewhere between the fading blockbusters and the straight-to-video oddities, you might have stumbled upon a title so gloriously nonsensical it demanded a rental: Jane Austen's Mafia!. Yes, you read that right. No, the author of Pride and Prejudice did not secretly pen a lost gangster epic. The title itself is the first gag in a film determined to throw everything, including the kitchen sink (probably literally, knowing this crew), at the screen.
An Offer You Can Laugh At
From the mind of Jim Abrahams, one-third of the legendary Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker team that gifted us Airplane! and The Naked Gun, comes this late-entry spoof. While the ZAZ magic wasn't quite firing on all cylinders here compared to their earlier masterpieces, Mafia! still packs that signature style: a relentless barrage of visual puns, background absurdity, non-sequiturs, and direct parodies of genre classics. This time, the targets are primarily the iconic mob movies – think The Godfather trilogy, Casino, and Goodfellas, all filtered through Abrahams' distinctly silly lens.
The plot, such as it is, follows the trajectory of Vincenzo Cortino (played with game earnestness by Jay Mohr, fresh off Jerry Maguire), the youngest son of a powerful Mafia Don, Anthony Cortino. Unlike his volatile older brother Joey (a hilariously unhinged Billy Burke), Vincenzo is a decorated war hero who initially wants nothing to do with the "family business." Sound familiar? Of course, it does. The film gleefully mirrors Michael Corleone's arc, twisting iconic scenes into comedic pretzels. The baptism scene? The attempts on the Don's life? The rise to power? It's all here, just... much, much stupider, in the best possible way for this kind of flick.
Gags Galore (Hits and Misses)
This is pure, unadulterated scattershot comedy. For every gag that lands with a chuckle (like the recurring bit involving Vincenzo’s uncanny ability to dodge bullets Matrix-style, years before The Matrix!), there might be one that sails wide. But the pace is key. Abrahams keeps the jokes coming so fast, you barely have time to register a dud before the next one hits. Remember the sheer density of jokes in Naked Gun? Mafia! tries hard to replicate that, filling the frame with sight gags and rapid-fire dialogue. A fun "Retro Fun Fact": that infamous scene involving Peeps marshmallow candies? It’s a direct, sugary spoof of the intense scene in Martin Scorsese's Casino where they meticulously weigh the casino skim money.
The humor is broad, occasionally crude, and unapologetically goofy. We get exploding sheep, disastrous assassination attempts involving rogue Rube Goldberg devices, and misunderstandings galore. It’s the kind of film where subtlety went out for pizza and never came back. While some critics at the time absolutely savaged it (it barely recouped its estimated $10 million budget, pulling in around $19 million worldwide), there's an undeniable charm for those of us who grew up renting these kinds of spoofs, expecting silly escapism rather than high art.
A Fond Farewell to a Comedy Legend
Beyond the central performances, the film is elevated – significantly – by the supporting cast. Olympia Dukakis (an Oscar winner for Moonstruck) clearly enjoys chewing the scenery as Vincenzo's mother, Sophia. But the real heart, and perhaps the most poignant aspect of Jane Austen's Mafia!, is the final screen appearance of the legendary Lloyd Bridges. As the aging Don Anthony Cortino, Bridges is simply magnificent. He brings the same manic energy and perfect comedic timing he displayed in Airplane! and Hot Shots!, delivering absurd lines with utter conviction.
Seeing him navigate the chaos, whether surviving increasingly ridiculous assassination attempts or delivering rambling, nonsensical advice, is a pure joy. A particularly bittersweet "Retro Fun Fact": Lloyd Bridges sadly passed away shortly after completing his work on the film, before its release. Knowing this lends his performance an extra layer of warmth and makes his screen time truly precious. He goes out on a high note, reminding us why he was such a treasure.
The Verdict on This Wiseguy Wannabe
So, does Jane Austen's Mafia! reach the comedic heights of Airplane! or The Naked Gun? Honestly, no. It arrived when the spoof genre was arguably past its prime, and some of the gags feel a bit tired or forced compared to the ZAZ peak. Jay Mohr does a decent job as the anchor, but he lacks the deadpan brilliance of a Leslie Nielsen.
However, judging it solely against those titans feels unfair. Taken on its own terms, as a late-night VHS discovery promising goofy laughs and affectionate ribbing of gangster movie tropes, it largely delivers. It’s packed with jokes, features some game performances, and offers that final, wonderful showcase for Lloyd Bridges. If you enjoyed the ZAZ style, even in its slightly diluted form, you’ll likely find enough here to warrant a nostalgic revisit. It’s silly, uneven, but possesses a certain goofy charm that’s hard to entirely dislike, especially if you remember finding it nestled on those rental shelves.
Rating: 5/10 - Justification: While far from perfect and certainly not top-tier Jim Abrahams, the film offers enough rapid-fire gags (some genuinely funny) and benefits immensely from Lloyd Bridges' fantastic final performance to provide decent entertainment for spoof fans. Its flaws (uneven humor, less sharp writing than ZAZ classics) keep it from scoring higher, but its nostalgic value and Bridges' presence earn it a passing grade for the right audience.
Final Thought: Like finding a forgotten novelty tie at the back of the closet, Jane Austen's Mafia! might be a bit dated and garish, but it can still raise a nostalgic smile for its sheer, unashamed silliness – a relic from the era when throwing pasta at the screen and calling it parody was perfectly acceptable viewing.