Jinxed! (1982)

Harold, a professional gambler, and his girlfriend Bonita, a lounge singer, follow Willie, a young blackjack dealer, around the western U.S. Harold has a jinx on Willie and can't lose with ... See full summary »

Director:

Don Siegel

Writers:

Frank D. Gilroy (screenplay) (as Bert Blessing), David Newman (screenplay)

Stars:

Bette Midler, Ken Wahl, Rip Torn

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bette Midler	...	Bonita Friml
Ken Wahl	...	Willie Brodax
Rip Torn	...	Harold Benson
Val Avery	...	Milt Hawkins
Jack Elam	...	Otto
Benson Fong	...	Mr. Wing
Jacqueline Scott	...	Woman Bettor
F. William Parker	...	Art
Ian Wolfe	...	Morley
George Dickerson	...	Tahoe Casino Manager
Cletus Young	...	Dealer
Tom Pletts	...	Tahoe First Monitor
Archie Lang	...	Tahoe Second Monitor
Kathryn Kates	...	Miss Nina
James Nolan	...	Father (as Jim Nolan)

Storyline

Harold, a professional gambler, and his girlfriend Bonita, a lounge singer, follow Willie, a young blackjack dealer, around the western U.S. Harold has a jinx on Willie and can't lose with him. Bonita and Willie meet and fall for each other and plot to do away with Harold and collect on his life insurance.

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Plot Keywords:

gambling | luck | woman smokes a cigar | cigar smoking | dark humor | 

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Taglines:

America's favorite tootsie is on a roll.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Don Siegel had been a mentor to Sam Peckinpah twenty-five years earlier, and by the time this film was made, Peckinpah was almost banished from the industry due to his troubled film productions, often involving clashes with producers and studios. Siegel gave him a chance to return to filmmaking. During production of this movie, he asked Peckinpah if he would be interested in directing twelve days of second unit work. Peckinpah immediately accepted, and his earnest collaboration with his longtime friend was noted within the industry. While Peckinpah's work was uncredited, it would lead to his being hired as the director of his final film, The Osterman Weekend (1983).

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Goofs

When Willie starts to carry Harold over his shoulder, Harold's arm is sticking straight out. Before they go through the door, Harold crooks his arm which is surprising since he's dead.

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Quotes

Willie Brodax: How 'bout a beer?
Bonita Friml: That's no good for a radiator!
Willie Brodax: Thought it might start your motor.
Bonita Friml: I haven't got a motor!
Willie Brodax: You will.

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Connections

Referenced in Bette: In My Life (2000)

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Soundtracks

No Jinx
Music and lyrics by Bruce Roberts, Allee Willis and Brock Walsh
Performed by Bette Midler
Produced by Bruce Roberts

User Reviews

Not The Way They Expected

Rip Torn is a professional gambler who's made a decent living at it for years, but over the past year this man's income has skyrocketed because he's found a patsy. Seems like he's got the hoodoo sign on blackjack dealer Ken Wahl which causes him to clean up when he plays his table. The casino bosses notice it too as Wahl moves from job to job, but always Torn catches up to him.

Scouting the way is Bette Midler who is Torn's abused spouse, a lounge singer and somehow Wahl just never notices he happens to be working with her always. I guess the dealers and the entertainment really do move in different universes.

But when casino boss Val Avery says to do something underhanded to Torn, Wahl mounts a campaign to go after Bette. With his looks, Bette's needs and Torn's attitude, this one is an easy campaign. After that Midler gets Wahl involved in a plot to murder Torn and run away with Bette and the loot he's stashed. At this point the plot starts to resemble Billy Crystal's and Danny DeVito's efforts to Throw Momma From The Train.

It all works out, but just not quite the way they expected.

This film was the last one of director Don Siegel who started out back in the Hollywood Studio days. Not too many folks can claim to have directed Ronald Reagan and Bette Midler in their careers. This was Siegel's only venture into comedy albeit black comedy, he just didn't have the touch required for this film. His film with Ronald Reagan was not a high point of Siegel's career either.

Bette's best working alone which for about 20 minutes she does as Mr. Torn sends her on a treasure hunt. It'a almost a comic version of Clint Eastwood being sent all over San Francisco by Andy Robinson to deliver ransom in Dirty Harry. Which was also a Siegel film.

Fans of Bette Midler will like Jinxed however.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 October 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Jinxed

Filming Locations:

26th St. and Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,209,311, 24 October 1982

Gross USA:

$2,869,638

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,869,638

Company Credits

Production Co:

Herb Jaffe, Pacific Bay Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1