The Chess Board Getting Knocked Over Was Accidental
Comedic brilliance often emerges from unscripted moments, and “My Cousin Vinny” is no exception. One standout scene that came about by accident involves Joe Pesci’s Vinny trying to explain his real name to Fred Gwynne’s Judge Haller. During this exchange, Pesci accidentally knocks over the chess board the judge was using. Director Jonathan Lynn found the mishap so funny and genuine that he decided to keep it in the film, adding an extra layer of humor to the scene.
The Chess Board Getting Knocked Over Was Accidental
Screech Owl Was a Real Owl
Morning after morning, Vinny and Mona Lisa are jolted awake by a cacophony of noisy pigs, a steam whistle, and a screech owl. According to director Jonathan Lynn, the screech owl in the scene was a real, barely trained bird that needed to remain calm around gunfire. To get the owl to open its mouth, the crew fed it pieces of beef, and the screeching sounds were added in post-production. Remarkably, the owl’s reaction was captured perfectly in just one take. “We got amazingly lucky with that screech owl,” Lynn recalls in the film’s DVD commentary.
Screech Owl Was A Real Owl
