Dick Tracy Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A square-jawed detective fights rainbow-colored goons while juggling a dame in black lingerie and an orphan who really needs a bath.

🍿 Dick Tracy: Detailed Plot Synopsis

The Rise of Big Boy Caprice

The film opens with a ruthless power grab by Alphonse ‘Big Boy’ Caprice, who eliminates his rivals to consolidate control over the city’s underworld. He begins by orchestrating the Valentine’s Day-esque massacre of Lips Manlis’s crew and subsequently strong-arming Lips himself. This violent takeover sets the stage for a city-wide crime wave that Dick Tracy vows to stop.

Tracy’s Investigation and the Kid

Dick Tracy, already known for his incorruptible nature, takes on the challenge of bringing down Big Boy. Amidst the chaos, Tracy encounters a streetwise orphan known only as ‘The Kid,’ who witnesses some of Big Boy’s criminal activities. Tracy, with the support of his girlfriend Tess Trueheart, takes the Kid under his wing, providing him with a home and inadvertently gaining a valuable ally.

Breathless Mahoney’s Entanglement

As Tracy investigates Lips Manlis’s disappearance, he crosses paths with Breathless Mahoney, a sultry singer and Lips’s former girlfriend. Breathless becomes a key figure in the investigation, possessing potentially incriminating information against Big Boy. However, her motives are complicated by her obvious attraction to Tracy, creating a love triangle that threatens to distract him from his mission.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Dick Tracy (Warren Beatty): The incorruptible and square-jawed detective is determined to bring down the city’s crime boss, Big Boy Caprice.
• Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino): The ruthless and power-hungry crime boss seeks to unite all the city’s criminals under his control.
• Breathless Mahoney (Madonna): A seductive and enigmatic club singer who becomes entangled with both Dick Tracy and Big Boy Caprice.
• Kid (Charlie Korsmo): A streetwise orphan who becomes Dick Tracy’s loyal sidekick and helps him fight crime.
• Tess Trueheart (Glenne Headly): Dick Tracy’s loving and supportive girlfriend who yearns for a quiet life with him.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Breathless Mahoney: “You can buy anything with money.” – Breathless makes a crass generalization about the motivations of others.
• Breathless Mahoney: “I sweat a lot better in the dark.” – Breathless replies suggestively to Tracy when he threatens to sweat information out of her at the station.
• Big Boy Caprice: “Now, I didn’t get where I am today by killin’ people. I got here by inspiring people to kill people.” – Big Boy explains his leadership style to the assembled mobsters, showcasing his manipulative nature.
• Big Boy Caprice: “The enemy of my enemy… is my enemy!” – Big Boy twists the familiar adage to emphasize his ruthless approach to alliances.
• Dick Tracy: “You know, I thought you were smarter than you look.” – Said by Dick Tracy to Big Boy, underestimating Caprice’s ruthlessness and cunning.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $47,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $103,738,726
• Worldwide Gross: $162,738,726

💥 Dick Tracy Reviews

Personal Review

I remember seeing Dick Tracy as a kid and being completely blown away by the colors. It was like watching a comic book come to life. Al Pacino’s performance as Big Boy Caprice is still one of my favorites, so over-the-top but it works so well in this stylized world. The music, the costumes, it’s just a fun and unique movie experience, especially when Madonna sings those Stephen Sondheim tunes. I watch this one from time to time, I always love it.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of classic comic book adaptations”
  • “Those who appreciate stylized visuals and art direction”
  • “Al Pacino fans”
  • “Viewers interested in 1930s gangster stories with a unique twist”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Stylized violence”
  • “Gangster themes”
  • “Suggestive content (Madonna’s character)”

Professional Reviews

• The New York Times: “Dick Tracy is a visually arresting spectacle. Warren Beatty crafts a world of pure comic book fantasy, with Al Pacino stealing scenes as the villain. The film’s stylized visuals and bold performances make it a unique entry in the crime genre.
• Variety: “An eye-popping visual feast, with stunning makeup and art direction, Dick Tracy brings Chester Gould’s comic strip to vibrant life. The film’s performances, especially Al Pacino’s, are delightfully over-the-top.
• RogerEbert.com: “Dick Tracy succeeds in creating a world that feels like a living comic strip. While the plot may be straightforward, the movie’s visual style and performances make it a memorable experience. A must-see for fans of the comic book genre.

Audience Reactions

The colorful visuals and stylized world are incredibly unique and memorable.: Fans love the film’s commitment to the comic book aesthetic, with its bold colors and exaggerated characters.

Al Pacino’s over-the-top performance as Big Boy Caprice is a highlight for many viewers.: Viewers often praise Pacino’s performance as the film’s most entertaining element.

Overall Consensus: Dick Tracy is a visually stunning and entertaining comic book adaptation with memorable performances, though the plot is secondary to its unique style.

Awards

1. Academy Award (Best Art Direction)- 1991
2. Academy Award (Best Original Song)- 1991

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Warren Beatty directed, produced, and starred in ‘Dick Tracy’, demonstrating his deep commitment to the project.”
• “The film’s unique visual style used only seven colors (red, yellow, blue, green, orange, purple, black, and white) to mimic the look of the original comic strip.”
• “Al Pacino received an Oscar nomination for his over-the-top performance as Big Boy Caprice, though many critics found his portrayal divisive.”
• “Madonna reportedly offered to work for scale (minimum union wage) to avoid accusations of nepotism, given her relationship with Warren Beatty at the time.”

🖥️ How to Watch Dick Tracy?

Dick Tracy is available to rent or purchase on various platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, and Vudu. Check your local listings for availability on cable on-demand services.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Dick Tracy, you might like these similar films:

• The Untouchables (1987): Both films depict a straight-laced lawman battling a powerful and flamboyant crime boss during the Prohibition era.
• Sin City (2005): Shares a visually stylized, comic book-inspired aesthetic, with exaggerated characters and a neo-noir atmosphere.
• Batman (1989): A comic book adaptation with a stylized setting and larger-than-life characters, released around the same time as Dick Tracy and sharing a similar visual ambition.
• L.A. Confidential (1997): A neo-noir crime drama set in a stylized version of Los Angeles, featuring corrupt cops and a complex criminal underworld.
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988): Combines live-action with cartoon characters and elements, creating a unique and visually striking world.

🛒 Dick Tracy Related Products

• Dick Tracy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack): Relive the film’s iconic music with this digital soundtrack, featuring original songs by Stephen Sondheim and performed by Madonna. Perfect for fans of the film’s unique musical style.
• Dick Tracy Action Figure (Vintage): A rare vintage action figure of Dick Tracy or one of his colorful villains. A nostalgic treasure for collectors and fans of the classic comic strip and movie.
• Dick Tracy Movie Poster (Framed): A high-quality framed movie poster of Dick Tracy, capturing the film’s iconic visuals. A great way to showcase your love for the movie and add a touch of vintage style to your home decor.
• Warren Beatty: A Life: A biography exploring the life and career of Warren Beatty, the star and director of Dick Tracy. Delve into the creative process behind the film and Beatty’s journey as an actor and filmmaker.

🎧 Soundtrack

Dick Tracy features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)” – performed by Madonna
• “Back in Business” – performed by Janis Ian
• “More” – performed by Madonna

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Dick Tracy (NES) – Angry Video Game Nerd (AVGN)

Ever wonder if the Dick Tracy game was as good as the movie? Spoiler alert: it wasn’t! AVGN hilariously dissects the NES game, and trust me, it’s way more entertaining than actually playing it. It’s a wild ride of awful game design!

10 Things You Didn’t Know About DickTracy

Think you know everything about Dick Tracy? Think again! This video is packed with behind-the-scenes secrets and little-known facts that will blow your mind. I was genuinely surprised by some of these!

Dick Tracy (1990) Retrospective / Review

Is Dick Tracy a misunderstood masterpiece or a flop that tried too hard? This retrospective dives deep into the film’s legacy, exploring its visual style, performances, and overall impact. Whether you love it or hate it, this review is a must-watch!

History of Dick Tracy

Where did Dick Tracy even come from? If you’re curious about the origins of the square-jawed detective, this video tells the tale of Dick Tracy from the pulp era to the big screen! Pretty cool to learn where these stories start.

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