The Big Bet (1985)

Director:

Bert I. Gordon

Writer:

Bert I. Gordon (writer)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

An older woman helps a teenager seduce a schoolgirl.

Plot Keywords:

Voyeurism | Bathtub Scene | Pretty Girl | Female Nudity | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Lance Sloane	...	Chris
Kim Evenson	...	Beth
Sylvia Kristel	...	Michelle
Ron Thomas	...	Norman
Robert Anthony Marcucci	...	Jeff
Kenneth Ian Davis	...	Frank
John Smith	...	Thomas
Stephanie Blake	...	Mrs. Roberts
Eldon Quick	...	Rev. Lowell
Ermal Williamson	...	Mr. Roberts
Deanna Shapiro	...	Rita (as Deanna Claire)
Norman Budd	...	Mr. Brown
Con Covert	...	Melvin
Troy Mack	...	Gregory
Jill Terashita	...	Koko
Monique Gabrielle	...	Fantasy Girl in Elevator
Elizabeth Cochrell	...	Sister in Stag Film
Karl Warkentien	...	Youth #1
Roseanna Rios	...	Girl #1
Tonya Valenzuela	...	Girl #2
Derek Wells	...	Youth #3
Mary Elena Deir	...	Angela Roberts
Alexandra Levine	...	Office Girl
Carla Reynolds	...	Other Girl
Kim Hillstrom	...	Sexy Girl
Ericka Marr	...	Anita
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sheri Mann Stewart	...	Sexy Voices (uncredited)

Directed by
Bert I. Gordon

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Bert I. Gordon		writer

Produced by
Bert I. Gordon	....	producer

Original Music by
Gary Pickus

Cinematography by
Thomas F. Denove

Film Editing by
Richard Moore

Production Management
Cheryl Fox	....	production supervisor

Editorial Department
Monique A. Le Bleu	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Tara Summers	....	stand-in

Production Companies

• G.T. Productions
• Golden Harvest Company

Distributors

• Esplanade Filmverleih (1988) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Cinema Group (video)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:16 | UK:18

Company:

G.T. Productions

Movie Connections:

References Malizia (1973)

"Another day, but hey....If you can find this movie in your video store, you're in for an amusing evening."

Whilst "The Big Bet" may not have the highest production values in the World, nor may it be a brilliant comedy, there's still no denying: It's pretty damn entertaining and more-funny-than-most eighties Hollywood teen sex comedies. Based around the usual theme of the likeable but slightly geekish 17-year-old teenager unable to get a gal, Lance Sloan is our hero for this picture, who, somehow or other, finds himself smitten with the new lass in town, a certain Kim Evenson. Ok, Ok, I haven't heard of any of these actors either, but this isn't a high budget movie.

It's more fun puzzling over just why a school bully is allowed to EXIST in a year at school that contains only seventeen and eighteen year olds, but this movie is just for fun. Meanwhile, across the Street from where Sloan lives with his parents, a rather attractive single woman has just moved in (The gorgeous Sylvia Kristel), who loves nothing more than to give our protagonist lots of practical advice.

Whilst "The Big Bet" isn't amazingly funny, when it IS funny, it's more than amusing enough, containing lots of decent verbal gags and site gags. There's the usual bunch of dirty teen-talk, and the performances are all good. There's lots of dream-sequences, and there's a memorable opening dreamo scene at the start, where Sloan recollects his life so-far. Meanwhile, Sylvia Kristel is on brilliant form as the middle-aged seductress, although one gets the impression that the script could have done much more with her character, and involved her much more in the narrative.

The film is at its most disappointing at the end:- It's a sudden, irritating ending that leaves too much explained, and doesn't do justice to an otherwise decent comedy. However, if you like 80's pictures, and are sick of those John Hughes movies where the sickening sentimentaility and morals seem to dominate as much as the funny gags and observational dialogue, there's plenty to enjoy in this movie. Naturally, there's also lots of nice 80's music, and plenty to satisfy those who pine for more of the finest decade in the 20th Century so far (!).