Elaine May reveals the surprising journey of 'Mikey and Nicky' from lost film to cult classic

Elaine May, 92, recently gave a rare interview after a screening of her film "Mikey and Nicky" at Metrograph. She discussed the film's troubled post-production, including a lawsuit from Paramount and the film going missing, later found in a surgeon's garage. May shared that the characters were inspired by gangsters from her childhood. She recounted a story about a mother who mistakenly sent the wrong son to the door, leading to tragedy, highlighting the complex relationships within organized crime. The director clarified that while some scenes were improvised, much of the film was carefully scripted. She also detailed her legal battles with Paramount, which nearly led to her imprisonment over budget issues, before the film was ultimately recovered.