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Bullets Over Broadway is a 1994 American comedy film directed by Woody Allen. The film stars John Cusack, Dianne Wiest, and Jennifer Tilly in the lead roles, and also features Chazz Palminteri, Mary-Louise Parker, and Jack Warden in important supporting roles. The film is set in New York City in the 1920s and revolves around the life of David Shayne (Cusack), a failed playwright who finally gets his big break when a rich gangster named Nick Valenti (Palminteri) agrees to produce his latest play. The catch? Valenti insists that his girlfriend, the untalented and self-absorbed Olive Neal (Tilly), be given a leading role.

The film is a hilarious and chaotic tribute to the Golden Age of Broadway, full of colorful characters, vivid sets, and sparkling dialogue. It is a clever and witty exploration of the artistic process and the strange and often perilous world of show business.

The film begins with the struggling writer David Shayne being informed by his agent that a wealthy mobster named Nick Valenti is interested in producing his new play. David is overjoyed until he learns that Valenti has a clause in his contract stipulating that Olive Neal, his dim-witted and talentless girlfriend, must be given a starring role in the play. David resigns himself to the fact that he must accept Valenti's demands in order to have his play produced.

The characters in the play are all thinly veiled versions of the people in David's life. The play's leading lady is Helen Sinclair (Wiest), a fading star of the stage who still holds a powerful allure for men. There is also the aging actor Warner Purcell (Warden), who is struggling with alcoholism and infatuated with Olive. Rounding out the cast is the playwright's literary muse, Ellen (Parker), who is pursued by both David and the hapless hitman Cheech (Palminteri).

As the rehearsals progress, the tensions between the director, the actors, and the gangsters begin to escalate. Olive is so terrible in her role that the cast and crew can hardly stand it, and everyone begins to worry about how to handle the situation. Olive, oblivious to her shortcomings, is convinced that she is a brilliant actress, and behaves accordingly. Things go from bad to worse when Cheech reveals that he is actually a hitman hired by Valenti to keep an eye on Olive.

Despite these obstacles, the play opens to rave reviews, with Helen Sinclair receiving particular praise for her performance. Olive, however, steals every scene she is in, much to the dismay of the others. Just as everything seems to be going well, a tragic turn of events threatens to derail the entire production.

Throughout the film, Woody Allen explores themes of creativity, obsession, and the corrupting influence of power. He portrays the playwright as both a brilliant artist and a helpless victim of circumstance, forced to compromise his vision in order to achieve fame and success. He also exposes the darker side of the entertainment industry, with its greedy producers, vain actors, and ruthless mobsters.

Bullets Over Broadway is a delightful and entertaining film that pays tribute to the magic of the theater while also poking fun at its pretensions and foibles. It features a sparkling script, brilliant performances, and stunning production values that make it one of the most memorable films of the 1990s. It's a must-see for anyone who loves theater, comedy, or just great movies in general.

Bullets Over Broadway is a 1994 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 38 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4.