Warren Beatty directed and starred in this big-budget action comedy featuring Chester Gould's square-jawed, two-dimensional comic strip detective. Ruthless gangster Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino) touches off a gang war against underworld boss Lips Manlis (Paul Sorvino), with Big Boy and his minions rubbing out enough of Manlis's goons (along with Manlis himself) to take over his nightclub, and a healthy percentage of the city's criminal activities in the process. Caprice also gains proprietary rights to Manlis's girlfriend, nightclub chanteuse Breathless Mahoney (Madonna). Big Boy's next move to is unite the rest of the city's crooks under his command; this wave of corruption attracts the attention of lawman Dick Tracy, who is determined to smash Caprice's criminal network once and for all. As Tracy plots to put Big Boy behind bars where he belongs, Breathless uses her considerable charms in an attempt to sway Tracy from the path of righteousness; this causes no small amount of anxiety for Tracy's long-suffering female companion, Tess Trueheart (Glenne Headly), and the street-smart kid (Charlie Korsmo) they've been keeping an eye on. The various bad guys, heavily made up to resemble Gould's cartoon characters (though Beatty is not made up to resemble Tracy), include Dustin Hoffman, James Caan, R.G. Armstrong, and William Forsythe. Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Category Superhero Film, Gangster Film, Action Comedy
- Theme: Star Detectives, Disfigured Criminals, One Against the Mob
- Studio: Walt Disney Video
- Run Time: 01 hr 45 min
- Language: French
- Subtitle Language: English
- Picture Format: widescreen
- Release Date: April 2, 2002
- Lead Actor: Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, Madonna, Glenne Headly, Charlie Korsmo
- Supporting Actor: Mary Woronov, Michael J. Pollard, Frank Campanella, Bert Remsen, James Caan, Henry Silva, Catherine O'Hara, Kathy Bates, James Tolkan, Charles Fleischer, John Schuck, Allen Garfield, James Keane, Seymour Cassel, Dick Van Dyke, R.G. Armstrong, Paul Sorvino, Mandy Patinkin, Charles Durning, William Forsythe, Dustin Hoffman, Dee Hengstler, Lew Horn, Tom Finnegan, Rita Bland, Michelle Johnston, Michael Hagerty, Michael Gallup, Colm Meaney, Robert Beecher, Billy Clevenger, Arthur Malet, Stig Eldred, Robert Costanzo, Neil Ross, Jack Kehoe, Michael Donovan O'Donnell, Bing Russell, Marshall Bell, Tom Signorelli, Walker Edmiston, Chuck Hicks, Karyne Ortega, Sharmagne Leland-St. John, Ian Wolfe, Neil Summers, Jim Wilkey, Tony Epper, Ned Clafin, Ray Stoddard, Marvelee Cariaga, Liz Imperio, Lada Boder, Karen Russell, John Moschitta, Jr., Jack Goode, Jr., Hamilton Camp, Ed O'Ross, Lawrence Steven Meyers, Ed McCready, Mike Mazurki, Henry Jones, Estelle Parsons
- Director: Warren Beatty
awards
- Awards: Academy Awards (3)
- Winner: Academy Awards, Best Song, 1990, Stephen Sondheim
- Winner: Academy Awards, Best Art Direction, 1990, Rick Simpson, Richard Sylbert
- Winner: Academy Awards, Best Makeup, 1990, John Caglione, Jr.
- Nominations: Academy Awards (5), Golden Globe Awards (2)
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Costume Design, 1990, Milena Canonero
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Sound, 1990, Thomas D. Causey, David E. Campbell, Chris Jenkins, Doug Hemphill
- Nominee: Golden Globe Awards, Best Original Song, 1990, Stephen Sondheim
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Makeup, 1990, Doug Drexler
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Supporting Actor, 1990, Al Pacino
- Nominee: Golden Globe Awards, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, 1990, Al Pacino
- Nominee: Academy Awards, Best Cinematography, 1990, Vittorio Storaro
