Getting Even: senior citizens seek revenge in flick by DE natives

This article was originally published in the May 14, 2004, issue of The Review, University of Delaware’s newspaper, and is reprinted here with the authors’ permission.

BY LINDSEY L. LAVENDER
Staff Reporter

Local independent filmmakers Gordon and Greg DelGiorno of Film Brothers Productions, with the help of co-writer Patty Blanchfield, debuted their full-length movie, Getting Even, to a packed house at the Newark Cinema Center March 25.

Even though the projector shut down 20 minutes into the movie, the delay was short, and the rest of the movie ran smoothly.

Getting Even, filmed in Wilmington and Newark, is about a group of four pissed-off senior citizens who murder everyone and anyone who is mean, annoying or just plain rude to them throughout the course of the film.

Gordon DelGiorno makes a wacky cameo as a feminine masseur in the senior community home who dresses up in tight cut-off denim shorts, an Indian headband and not much else. He ends up getting whacked by the leading character, Bob Wickelstaff, played by Larry Hulack of New York City.

Characters Jean, Harold and Larry proudly reminisce about past murders they have committed. Jean’s crimes include poisoning her entire family and stabbing a grocery store customer in the back with a carrot. Larry, played by Larry “The Captain” Parker of Wilmington, gives his ignorant optometrist a gory vision test, and Harold, played by Irv Gross of Wilmington, murders a cocky teenage pharmacy worker with his health insurance card.

Once news gets around in the retirement home, a private investigator is hired to get to the bottom of the gruesome murders — P.I. Dick Burns, played by Herbert Hernandez of Salem, N.J. One of the characters says, “Oh, you’re Dick Burns?” To which Burns replies, “Yeah, but I’m on penicillin now.”

At one point, Bob thinks his son and his Mohawked, aging love interest Jean, played by Barbara Wilhide of Wilmington, are having a secret affair and even tries to kill him.

Dry, dark and enjoyable humor are the prominent cutting-edge characteristics found throughout the movie.

Getting Even has the potential to appeal to more than senior citizens, as long as the audience is comfortable with the DelGiorno brothers’ sense of humor.