Don Ameche plays Gino, a veteran shoeshine who makes a deal with the Mafia to take the rap for a slaying, while Joe Mantegna plays Jerry, a Mafia hood assigned to supervise Gino before his court appearance. Ignoring orders, Jerry takes his charge to the gambling resort at Lake Tahoe for his last weekend of freedom where the old man is mistaken for a major figure in organised crime. Through the complications that result, the two men forge a trusting and compassionate friendship in complimentary roles that earned them a combined Best Actor Award at the Venice Film Festival. Screenplay by David Mamet and Shel Silverstein.