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True Identity

  • 19911991
  • RR
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
5.1/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
True Identity (1991)
  • Comedy
  • Crime
In order to escape from the mob, an African-American man must disguise himself as a white man.In order to escape from the mob, an African-American man must disguise himself as a white man.In order to escape from the mob, an African-American man must disguise himself as a white man.
IMDb RATING
5.1/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Charles Lane
  • Writer
    • Andy Breckman
  • Stars
    • Lenny Henry
    • Frank Langella
    • Charles Lane
Top credits
  • Director
    • Charles Lane
  • Writer
    • Andy Breckman
  • Stars
    • Lenny Henry
    • Frank Langella
    • Charles Lane
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 21User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos14

    Lenny Henry and Charles Lane in True Identity (1991)
    Charles Lane in True Identity (1991)
    Lenny Henry and Charles Lane in True Identity (1991)
    Frank Langella and Lenny Henry in True Identity (1991)
    Victor Colicchio, Lenny Henry, Bobby Johnson, and Michael Jai White in True Identity (1991)
    Lenny Henry, Anne-Marie Johnson, and Charles Lane in True Identity (1991)
    Lenny Henry in True Identity (1991)
    Lenny Henry in True Identity (1991)
    Lenny Henry and Anne-Marie Johnson in True Identity (1991)
    Lenny Henry in True Identity (1991)
    True Identity (1991)
    True Identity (1991)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Lenny Henry
    Lenny Henry
    • Miles Popeas Miles Pope
    Frank Langella
    Frank Langella
    • Leland Carveras Leland Carver
    Charles Lane
    Charles Lane
    • Duaneas Duane
    J.T. Walsh
    J.T. Walsh
    • Houstonas Houston
    Anne-Marie Johnson
    Anne-Marie Johnson
    • Kristias Kristi
    Andreas Katsulas
    Andreas Katsulas
    • Anthonyas Anthony
    Michael McKean
    Michael McKean
    • Harvey Cooperas Harvey Cooper
    Peggy Lipton
    Peggy Lipton
    • Ritaas Rita
    Bill Raymond
    Bill Raymond
    • Grunfeldas Grunfeld
    James Earl Jones
    James Earl Jones
    • James Earl Jonesas James Earl Jones
    Darnell Williams
    • Tyleras Tyler
    Christopher Collins
    • Frank LaMottaas Frank LaMotta
    • (as Chris Latta)
    Melvin Van Peebles
    Melvin Van Peebles
    • Taxi Driveras Taxi Driver
    Ruth Brown
    Ruth Brown
    • Marthaas Martha
    Fantasia Owens
    • Ruthas Ruth
    Joe Bellan
    • Janitoras Janitor
    James Landi
    • FBI Driveras FBI Driver
    Beth Robbins
    • Female FBI Agentas Female FBI Agent
    • Director
      • Charles Lane
    • Writer
      • Andy Breckman
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    True Identity is a comedy about a black actor named Miles Pope who wants to play a part in Othello. After a plane ride home from a failed acting job Miles meets a producer named Leland Carver who slips out his mob identity when the plane is about to crash but after all of that the plane does not crash. Now Miles is the only man who knows the past to this mob man. Miles gets the help of his best friend make-up artist Duane to turn him into a White man. As Miles is packing his stuff to get out of town, the hitman walks in and a struggle is in affect. Miles wins the fight and kills the hitman in an electrical fashion. Now Anthony (Leland Carver's top man) comes in to confirm that Miles is dead. Now Miles is mistaken as the hitman. Now Miles must assume a parade of identity's to get away from the Mob's guns hot on his trail. —D.B. Dickerson <dbdiii@juno.com>
    • mob
    • hitman
    • actor
    • makeup artist
    • movie producer
    • 6 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Ever since the mob's been after him... Miles Pope hasn't been himself!
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Crime
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for language
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film was designed as a vehicle for Lenny Henry as part of a 3-picture deal the actor signed with the Walt Disney Company, which thought that he had the potential to be a big star in the United States. When this film flopped at the box office, Henry's deal with Disney was canceled, and the other films were never made.
    • Quotes

      Miles Pope: Yo, Frankie, when you get to jail, you might want to talk to some of the brothers on your views of racial equality.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Dead Again/True Identity/Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man/Defenseless/The Pope Must Die (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      Small People
      Written by Ziggy Marley (as David Marley)

      Performed by Ziggy Marley

    User reviews21

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Light, Funny Comedy
    True Identity is my go-to movie for an entertaining escape from reality. All of the actors are good and play off one another very well. Maybe I'm more easily entertained than some people on IMDb but I liked this movie, a lot. My only regret is that I can't find it on DVD.

    Lenny Henry plays Miles Pope, an aspiring Shakespearean actor with dreams of one day taking on the role of Othello. Instead, he gets roles that stereotype him as the neighborhood pimp or as a raisin. Not as in "A Raisin in the Sun" but as a raisin in a bowl of cereal. His luck, however, changes during a return flight from Florida when he discovers that the man seated next to him is none other than the famous and powerful producer, Leland Carver! Well, you can't be a struggling actor and let a golden opportunity like that pass you by, so Pope makes sure that Mr. Carver knows every detail about him: His name, his agent's name, his experience, training, where he lives, how to contact him... As bad luck would have it, that's when the pilot loses control of the plane and the passengers all believe they are about to die. With nothing to lose, that's also when Mr. Carver decides to get something off his chest and quietly divulges a deep, dark secret that wouldn't be safe for Pope to know if the plane weren't about to crash...If the plane weren't about to...If the plane...If...Oops...
    helpful•1
    0
    • MarcPerroquet
    • Oct 30, 2021

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 23, 1991 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Galen identitet
    • Filming locations
      • New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Touchstone Pictures
      • Silver Screen Partners IV
      • Sandollar Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $15,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $4,693,236
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,541,581
      • Aug 25, 1991
    • Gross worldwide
      • $4,693,236
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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