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

Despite the fact that this was filmed in the standard spherical format, "Filmed in Panavision" is listed in the end credits.

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Goofs

The train station called Grand Central in the film is in fact at Hoboken, operated by New Jersey transit.

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Quotes

C.W.: Don't work too late. The bags under your eyes are getting bigger.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tuner (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Two Sleepy People"
Music by Hoagy Carmichael
Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Performed by Earl 'Fatha' Hines
Courtesy of Fantasy, Inc.

User Reviews

The best movie Bob Hope never made

Most people seem to consider "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion" a failure, either because of casting or the joke-a-minute script. But I think they're wrong about that. It's just that it was made about sixty years too late. It's really an homage to the sort of comedy/mysteries that were produced in the early forties -- the same time period in which the movie is set. Seems to me most people didn't get that. Maybe people these days don't watch enough old movies.

Everyone was correct, of course, when they said Woody Allen was miscast (and since Woody Allen did the casting, he deserves the blame). But it's not that great a sin. Basically, this is a movie that should have been a vehicle for Bob Hope, but since Bob Hope wasn't exactly available in the year 2001, someone had to stand in for him. I daresay there isn't an actor in Hollywood these days who can do a good Bob Hope, and since there isn't, I have to say Woody Allen isn't such a bad substitute.

Actually, I remember reading somewhere that Bob Hope was a major inspiration for the young Woody Allen, and he was stung in the late sixties when Hope told a few mean-spirited jokes about him. Maybe, all these years later, Woody Allen decided that all was forgiven.

Anyway, don't let yourself be bothered by the fact that the lead actor is about 30 years too old for the part. Also, try to forget that nasty business with Soon-Yi. Just relax and let yourself laugh at the one-liners. Better yet, try and imagine that the lines are being delivered by someone with a ski-jump nose. You may see this movie for what it is -- a screamingly funny comedy, and the best movie Bob Hope never made.

You know, someday Hollywood might find another actor who can play a role the way Bob Hope did, back in his heyday. And when that happens, this movie would be an excellent candidate for a remake.