Bugsy(1991)

Oscar Winner – Best Art Direction ; Best Costume Design.

Short pooper:
Bugsy (Warren Beatty) is murdered at his own house. Virginia (Annette Bening) returns the stolen money, flees to Austria and later dies by suicide. Ultimately, the “little dream” thought of by Bugsy grows to be a multi-billion dollar empire.

Longer version:
Unbeknownst to Bugsy, part of the reason for the project of the Flamingo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas spiraling out of control is Virginia’s mismanagement and embezzlement of the money provided by the mob for the funding. He finds himself having to cover a part of the losses and forcing its completion by means of selling his share of the project. Later, things get decidedly complicated for Bugsy when Harry Greenberg (Elliot Gould), an old acquaintance of his on the run due to poor gambling habits, prosecutors hounding him for testimony against Bugsy and being a snitch against fellow crew members, shows up at his doorstep begging for help.

Bugsy realizes this puts him at a crossroads, since protecting Greenberg would be seen as betrayal and make him a target, but killing Greenberg would bring upon himself the attention of the Law, already watching him for his activities. Nonetheless, he brings Greenberg to a secluded spot in the desert, ostensibly to discuss his situation, but makes the decision of killing him, for which he ends up getting arrested. Luckily, though, the case is thrown out due to the only witness being a cab driver who had driven Greenberg over to Bugsy’s but, then, “mysteriously disappeared without a trace” -Bugsy’s superiors paid the man off so he would leave town to avoid being found-.

When Bugsy is freed, his friend Lansky (Ben Kingsley) waits for him and provides him with money as a sign of severance, warning him he will no longer be protected due to the murder incident and the Flamingo project seemingly going downhill. Moreover, come the night of the grand opening of the Flamingo, a heavy rainstorm hinders the event and Bugsy discovers, not only there is $2 million of the budget unaccounted for, but that Virginia was the one who stole it. Incapable of taking any action against her due to his great passion for her, he forgives her and lets her keep it, even knowing this could cost him his life.

He acquaints one last time with Lansky, who reluctantly meets with him, to beg him never to sell his own share of the casino, since it might be something to be thankful for, one day in the future. Upon returning to his home in Los Angeles, one night, while watching old films in his living room and reading the newspaper, an unknown assailant repeatedly opens fire against Bugsy through his living room window, killing him. Back in Las Vegas, the incident makes the news and Virginia is devastated, but more due to the fact that she realizes the family will want retribution and come after her next for what she did, than out of any appreciation for Bugsy -which she never had-.

In the end, title cards inform that Virginia returned the stolen money to Lansky one week after Bugsy’s assassination, apparently being forgiven for her misdeeds, moved to Austria and died of a self-induced pills’ overdose in 1966. Also, by 1991 -the year the movie was released-, the $6 million invested into Bugsy’s dream of the Flamingo Hotel & Casino had grown to generate revenues in the order of $100 billion.