Les Jones

The Usual Suspects > Actor Peter Greene, Uncredited Roles, and Missing Scenes

Reader Tana responded to a Usual Suspects post and praised Peter Greene, the actor who plays Redfoot the jewel fence. I hadn't known that actor's name before, so I looked up his filmography on Internet Movie Database.

It turns out I had seen him before and hadn't realized it. Peter Greene was Zed in Pulp Fiction. He also played Dorian Tyrell in The Mask (the Jim Carrey movie), which I didn't watch until after I saw Tana's post. It was on TBS tonight.

The reason I hadn't known his name in The Usual Suspects is that he was uncredited. The movie manages to make room in the credits for Smuggler, Old Cop, and Bodyguards #1-4. It's a mystery why Greene didn't get credit for an excellent performance in a named speaking role.

Tana also points to this Peter Greene profile, which unflinchingly describes the heroin habit Greene had during most of his film career:

Unlike some no less tragic has-been actors, the fiercely talented Greene delivers. Marginally talented or charismatic screwups are a dime a dozen, but a true junkie artist is a rarity. And in Hollywood, such creatures are deified for living outside of the lines of self-control and responsibility until an industry of celebrity winds up flourishing around their tombstones.

During filming on The Usual Suspects, Greene luxuriously improvised a memorable filmic moment by flicking a lit cigarette into Stephen Baldwin's face. Suspects writer Christopher McQuarrie calls Greene a "million-dollar day player," which could be translated as "Get him in, nail the money shot, and get him out before he wreaks havoc."

Greene improvised that scene? Then I guess Stephen Baldwin improvised acting like he was going to rip Greene's arms off.

Here's another piece of Greene trivia from that scene. In the original script, Redfoot's men ride in the Cadillac, and Redfoot drives a motorcycle:

The car, Redfoot's escort Caddy, is now in front of them. The horn lets out three short blasts. Redfoot comes around from behind the Caddy on his motorcycle. He gets off the bike, trying to hide a faint smile. McManus throws Saul's case on the ground in front of him.

In the movie, you never see Redfoot again, but the script had a grisly end planned for him.

79 EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT - TWO WEEKS PRIOR 79

Redfoot's Harley rests on the roof of the Caddy in a mangled
heap. The body of the Caddy is riddled with bullet holes.

Redfoot's dead body has been shoved head-first through a hole
in the windshield up to his waist, recognizable only by the
trademark red boot.

So Redfoot was supposed to wear red boots. The red boots sticking out of the Cadillac sounds like a Wizard of Oz reference.

So who killed Redfoot? The script makes that clear during the scene when the suspects abduct Kobayashi.

Verbal and McManus grab the dead bodies and drag them out of the elevator. They drag them to the next elevator which has been forced open, revealing an empty shaft.

KEATON
The answer is no.

KOBAYASHI
Mr. Soze will be most -

KEATON
Listen to me, cocksucker. There is no
Keyser Soze. If you say his name again,
I'll kill you right here.

KOBAYASHI
A strange threat. I can only assume
you're here to kill me anyway. Pity about
Mr. Redfoot.

McMANUS
Fair trade for Fenster.

Here's the setup for Redfoot's final scene in the movie. Greene (Redfoot) buys stolen jewels from the suspects. Then he gives them another job, stealing jewels and money. The job goes wrong, the suspects kill Saul Berg and his bodyguards, and then crack the stolen attache case to discover heroin instead of jewels. The gang meets Redfoot and his men at an Asian temple at night. McManus wants to kill Redfoot.

MCMANUS: (throws bag of heroin to Redfoot) What am I supposed to do with that?
REDFOOT: I don't know. Feed it to the gimp. Ease his pain. I don't know what that is.
KEATON: What do mean you don't know?
REDFOOT: I don't know. I got thrown this job by some lawyer.
KEATON: Who?
REDFOOT: I don't know. Some limey. He's a middleman for somebody, OK? He doesn't say, I don't ask.
MCMANUS: You're fucking full of shit!
REDFOOT: Fuck you!
MCMANUS: Fuck you!
KEATON: Listen. We want to meet him, OK?
REDFOOT: That's funny. He called last night. He says he wants to meet you guys.
MCMANUS: OK. We'll meet him.
REDFOOT: I'll call you.
MCMANUS: Good. Do that. No problem.
MCMANUS: I don't like it, Dean. (skirmish) One more thing, tough guy. Any more surprises, and I'm gonna kill you.
REDFOOT: (laughing slightly) You're such a tough guy, McManus. Do me a favor, all right? Get the FUCK OFF my DICK. (Redfoot flicks his lit cigarette into McManus's eye and both sides draw guns.) Put a leash on that puppy. (going back to car with his crew, guns drawn) You know it's an awful shame about Saul gettin' whacked. The cops are gonna be looking for the guys who did it. Sooner or later, they're gonna come around askin' me. You have a sweet night, ladies.
MCMANUS: (lightly) Fuck you.