THE PERFECT INTRODUCTION TO MONTY CAPULETTI
Some movie characters only need a few minutes to tell you exactly who they are.
Monty Capuletti is one of those characters.
Played by Rodney Dangerfield in the 1983 comedy Easy Money, Monty is a loud, irresponsible, gambling-loving family man whose everyday life constantly turns into another ridiculous situation.
And this opening scene gives viewers an early taste of his unique personality.
Monty is photographing children at a birthday party when he notices a little girl who is upset.
Instead of giving her a simple answer, Monty immediately starts treating her childhood heartbreak like a serious romantic disaster.
That is where the comedy begins.
“WHO’S THE BIG BIRTHDAY GIRL?”
The scene starts innocently enough.
Monty approaches the birthday girl and asks who she is.
She proudly responds that she is the birthday girl.
He then asks how old she is, and her answer becomes another opportunity for one of Monty's trademark jokes.
The interaction feels playful and casual.
But then Monty notices something is wrong.
The little girl has been hit by an emotional crisis that, to her, feels enormous.
Johnny does not like her anymore....
