The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001)

An insurance investigator and an efficency expert who hate each other are both hypnotized by a crooked hypnotist with a jade scorpion into stealing jewels.

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen

Stars:

John Tormey, John Schuck, Woody Allen

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Tormey	...	Sam
John Schuck	...	Mize
Woody Allen	...	CW Briggs
Elizabeth Berkley	...	Jill
Kaili Vernoff	...	Rosie
Brian Markinson	...	Al
Maurice Sonnenberg	...	Office Worker
John Doumanian	...	Office Worker
Peter Gerety	...	Ned
Helen Hunt	...	Betty Ann Fitzgerald
Kevin Cahoon	...	Lunch Delivery Man
Philip Levy	...	Rocky's Waiter (as Phil Levy)
Wallace Shawn	...	George Bond
Dan Aykroyd	...	Chris Magruder
Vince Giordano	...	Rainbow Room All Star

Storyline

CW Briggs is a veteran insurance investigator, with many successes. Betty Ann Fitzgerald is a new employee in the company he works for, with the task of reorganizing the office. They don't like each other - or at least that's what they think. During a night out with the rest of the office employees, they go to watch Voltan, a magician who secretly hypnotizes both of them, in order to use them for his dirty schemes. The next evening already, Briggs makes his first robbery, and when he wakes up in the morning he has no memory of it. Things get really complicated when he starts investigating the case. Will he be able to uncover... himself?

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Plot Keywords:

insurance investigator | thief | scorpion | magician | efficiency expert | 

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Taglines:

Love stings

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Dreamworks

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 August 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Woody Allen Fall Project 2000

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$26,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$696,164 (France) (14 December 2001)

Gross:

$7,585,551 (Europe) (14 December 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks SKG, Perido Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

DTS (Mono) Dolby Digital (Mono) SDDS (Mono)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

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.

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Goofs

When being introduced by Voltan in his act at the nightclub, C.W. says he works for North Coast Casualty and Fidelity Insurance Company. The office door, however, reads North Coast Fidelity and Casualty Insurance Company.

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Quotes

C.W.: It's a match made in heaven... by a retarded angel.

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Connections

References Double Indemnity (1944)

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Soundtracks

"In a Persian Market"
Written by Albert W. Ketèlbey
Performed by Wilbur De Paris
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp. by arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Excellent Woody Allen Love Triangle

I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys Woody Allen movies. I've always enjoyed the movies he's starred in, the roles he's played, and his self-deprecating yet undaunted sense of humor, and this movie proved true to all of this!

Besides the comedy I expected in a Woody Allen movie, I found suspense, an excellent plot, and even some heart-warming romance.

Helen Hunt plays one of his character's antagonists, as well as his love interest, forming a three-dimensional love triangle or pyramid, with Dan Aykroyd's character, their characters' boss, as the third member/cornerstone.

Dan Aykroyd and Helen Hunt remained true to their forms in this movie, as the professional and unique actors they are, so if you like any or all three of these stars, you should enjoy "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion"!