The Freshman (1990 film)

"Clark Kellogg: But it's an endangered species! Carmine Sabatini: Not any more. It's in New Jersey, it's fine."

The Freshman is a 1990 American crime comedy film starring Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick, in which Brando parodies his portrayal of Vito Corleone in The Godfather. The plot revolves around a young New York film student's entanglement into an illicit business of offering exotic and endangered animals as specialty food items, including his being tasked with delivering a Komodo Dragon for this purpose.

Clark Kellogg (Broderick) leaves his mother and stepfather in Vermont to go to New York University to study film. After arriving at Grand Central Terminal, he's approached by Victor Ray, who at first offers to carry Clark's bags, then offers a ride. As soon as Clark steps out of the car, Victor drives off with Clark's luggage still in the trunk. Clark tells his professor, Professor Fleeber, who uses books he has written as required study, about losing his books. Clark notices Victor walking by and gives chase. Victor vows to give his luggage back in return for a favor. Clark is introduced to Victor's uncle, Carmine Sabatini (Brando). In a running gag, Clark mentions how much Carmine looks, sounds and acts like The Godfather -- though no one will tell Carmine this to his face. Victor explains that Brando's character in The Godfather, Vito Corleone, was based on Carmine. Carmine offers Clark the opportunity to make a lot of money just for running small errands. The first is to pick up a Komodo dragon from JFK Airport and transport it to a specific address. Clark enlists the help of his roommate Steve Bushak to pick up the animal and deliver it to Larry London and his assistant, Edward. Clark is also introduced to Carmine's daughter, Tina, who takes an immediate shine to him. Tina talks as if the two are soon to be married. A distracted Clark tries to pay attention in Fleeber's film class (where the professor shows clips of The Godfather Part II) but he's soon being chased by two agents of the Department of Justice. Upon being caught, Clark is told that Carmine -- also known as "Jimmy The Toucan" -- is not only a Mafia figure, he runs the Fabulous Gourmet Club. It is an illicit and nomadic establishment, never holding its festivities in the same place twice, where for enormous prices endangered animals are served as the main course, specially prepared by Larry London. Clark is told that "for the privilege of eating the very last of a species," a million dollars is charged. Clark finds out that his activist stepfather listened in on a conversation with his mother. Right after Clark mentioned the Komodo dragon, Dwight contacted the Department of Justice. Carmine admits that the Gourmet Club exists, but tells Clark that the two DOJ agents are being bribed by a rival crime family that wants both Carmine and Clark dead. While driving to the Gourmet Club, a plan is hatched to get Carmine out of the exotic animal business for good and to clear Clark. At the Gourmet Club's dinner, longtime Miss America pageant host Bert Parks sings a version of "There She Is" when the Komodo dragon is revealed. Clark steps outside to signal the DOJ agents, who raid the club. Carmine is upset that Clark has ratted him out. Carmine pulls a gun, the two wrestle and a shot fells Carmine. The two DOJ agents, who do indeed turn out to be corrupt, leave with a duffel bag filled with money, though they're soon caught by real FBI agents and arrested. Clark berates his stepfather, who leaves. Carmine then gets up off the floor, having faked his death. Larry London reveals tonight's expensive and exotic dinner is actually Hawaiian tigerfish mixed with smoked turkey from Virginia, not endangered species (a long-running con of Carmine's, swindling the rich out of their money). Clark was hand-picked by Carmine, working with the FBI, because they knew Clark's stepfather would contact the corrupt agents once he found out about Clark's "job." Tina's aggressive interest was an act as well, but she and Clark clearly now have a mutual interest. Carmine and Clark take the Komodo dragon for a walk, Carmine promising it will be taken safely to a new habitat at the zoo. He offers to help Clark make it in Hollywood, having a few connections there. Clark says, "Thanks, but no thanks."


 * Actor Allusion: Well, there's the honking big one at the heart of the movie -- that Carmine Sabatini is a dead ringer for Marlon Brando as The Godfather, and that Don Corleone was based on Sabatini.
 * Also, at the end of the film, Sabatini offers to pull a few strings for Clark in Hollywood, claiming to have "connections" there.
 * Big Applesauce: What action doesn't take place in New Jersey takes place in New York City.
 * Blackmail Is Such an Ugly Word: In a variant of this trope, the following dialogue occurs near the end:


 * The Con: The Gourmet Club, which is set up to rip off rich people with more money than sense (or social conscience).
 * Also the entire scheme in which Carmine employs an unknowning Clark as a catspaw.
 * Corrupt Cop: The DOJ agents.
 * Damn, It Feels Good to Be a Gangster!: Definitely in play for Carmine, and some of his underlings.  Clark gets a little taste of this as well, somewhat unwillingly.
 * Dawson Casting: Broderick was 28 playing an 18-year-old.
 * Disney Death: Carmine.
 * The Don: Carmine is strongly implied to be this -- he's explicitly described as the model for Don Corleone.
 * The Family for the Whole Family: Carmine and his organization -- mainly because they're not really the Mafia, they just put on a good show of looking like it.  In particular, Carmine seems to be a big softy under it all, offering to mentor Clark and use his connections to help him after everything instead of just cutting him loose.
 * I Know a Guy: Carmine's offer to pull strings for Clark in Hollywood at the end of the film.
 * Joisey: What action doesn't take place in NYC takes place in New Jersey.
 * Legitimate Businessmen's Dining Club: The Gourmet Club.  Subverted in that it really is a restaurant
 * Living MacGuffin: The Komodo dragon.
 * Mafia Princess: Tina.
 * The Reveal: The dinners made from the endangered animals?
 * Walk and Talk: The final moments of the film, only shot from behind instead of the front.