Nov 05, 2006 05:50 PM
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(Updated Nov 08, 2006 01:36 PM)
Love stings
Movie The Curse of the Jade Scorpion
The Plot(screenit.com)
It's 1940 and CW Briggs (WOODY ALLEN) is one of the best insuranceinvestigators working for North Coast Casualty and Fidelity of NewYork. A sexist, middle-aged man who enjoys flirting with Jill(ELIZABETH BERKLEY), one of the office secretaries, CW uses hisintuition and street connections as much as standard detective measuresto crack various insurance claim cases.
Not surprisingly, he doesn't get along with Betty Ann Fitzgerald (HELENHUNT), the strong-willed and confident efficiency expert who's beenshaking up the status quo ever since joining the company. Since she'shaving an affair with their married office boss, Chris Magruder (DANAYKROYD), CW must put up with her changes and snide remarks thrown backat him.
Their antagonism is brought to an amusing head at a birthday party forcoworker George Bond (WALLACE SHAWN) where Voltan the Magician (DAVIDOGDEN STIERS) hypnotizes the two - using a jade scorpion pendant - andmakes them believe they're really in love. They then do just that, atleast until Voltan breaks the trance, and CW doesn't believe coworkerAl (BRIAN MARKINSON) afterwards when he explains what happens.
Nor can the investigator believe that someone is robbing places wherehe previously installed security systems. Having to deal with bothBetty Ann and a rich femme fatale, Laura Kensington (CHARLIZE THERON)while trying to crack those crimes, little does CW know that he's stillunder Voltan's spell and is repeatedly robbing homes under his command.From that point on, and as he becomes the prime suspect to outsidedetectives Joe Coopersmith (PETER LINARI) and Herb Coopersmith (MICHAELMULHEREN), CW does what he can to clear his name all while trying tosolve the case.
My Review
The title of the movie is misleading, no doubt.
A simple, clean & cute comedy set in the 1940s is not what you expect when you begin to take your seat to watch Woody Allen's impressive direction and well-lit visuals.
There's this lovely music (maybe jazz?) in the movie that follows our leading hero Woody Allen and the pretty Helen Hunt whevever they set out in a hypnotic trance to rob the rich.
The war of words between Woody Allen & Helen Hunt is another enjoyable aspect of this thriller. Hilarious & endearing! So many of the dialogues leave you in splits.
Woody Allen has an endearing screen presence. He may not beglamorous but who wouldn't go 'Aaaaaawwww' watching his innocent, vulnerable comical expression and those thick black glasses of the 60s. A wonderful actor too, he was even chosen by Empire magazine(1995) as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history! This is one man who's short, old, bald but whom the viewers continue to accept in a leading role anyday. Now that's called charisma!
I hear he has written, directed, and more often than not starred in a film just about every year since 1969!
Ace actress Helen Hunt & beautiful Charlize Theron are the other casts that adds spice and fun to this flick.
What's slightly disappointing was the movie doesn't take you on a longride of suspense & intrigue. The thriller seems to end quickly with our hero not taking much effort to nab the clever & dangerous mastermind behind the robberies. How Woody managed to trap the jewel thief didn't seem convincing to me.
Surely, I wish I'd more of Charlize Theron! She has essayed the role of the fatally beautiful, rich & naughty blonde actress to near perfection.
Some trivia(imdb.com)
~ Woody Allen is very secretive with his scripts when he is working. Helen Hunt was allowed to read the entire script when she was offered the part, but she had to read it in one sitting and then give it back to the courier who was waiting to take it back.
~ With its production budget of $26 million, this is Allen's most expensive film.
Director - Woody Allen
Year - 2001
Starring - Woody Allen, Helen Hunt, Charlize Theron
Verdict ~ Funny good entertainer that leaves you wanting for more....
