Greedy

Greedy has taken some of the plot situations in the Paramount classic If I Had A Million and carried them to incredible heights. It has a whole string of good performances topped off by one of the last performances by Kirk Douglas before he had his stroke.

Kirk plays the Richard Bennett part here, the millionaire who doesn't like almost all of his relatives, but gets a certain sadistic joy in seeing them perform like trained seals, trying to stay in his good graces. The only honest one of them is one of Ed Begley Jr.'s young sons who is just like that kid in If I Had a Million who started playing that record of I'll Be Glad When You're Dead You Rascal You.

Unlike Bennett, Douglas does not decide to drop parts of his fortune on eight random strangers. He just keeps putting his family through their paces until they decide to dig up Michael J. Fox, a nephew he actually liked when he was a kid.

Fox is a second string professional bowler who's got a TV producer he's involved with, Nancy Travis. The two of them invade Douglas's three ring circus of relatives and get put through their paces also. All the family is against Douglas's 'nurse' Olivia D'Abo who the family is afraid will get the whole inheritance.

Greedy is a nicely paced amusing comedy which I think most of us can identify with. I know I've had a relative or two I can't stand either, but am forced to be nice to for a variety of reasons. The relatives are all greedy, but Douglas is one sadistic creep as well. I'd catch it the next time it's on the tube.

You must see this movie if you like Phil Hartman and offbeat comedies! And if you simply don't care about popular opinion and what critics say, then you should definitely see this movie!

This film tackles a subject matter that I've never seen in a movie: inheriting money and being included in a will. Kirk Douglas plays a wealthy and eccentric business man bound to a wheelchair who says what he wants and gets whatever he asks for. Retired from his coal mining business, his days now consist of toying with his asskissing moneyhungry family who secretly are waiting for him to die, and being with his sexy live in housemaid (played by The Wonder Years' Olivia D'abo, whom I did not know was British, not to mention the daughter of Doo Wa Diddy's Manfred Mann). Led by the hilarious and unfortunately late Phil Hartman in top form, the family take turns accomodating Douglas and verbally assaulting him in private. The movie takes a turn when they decide to call Douglas' favorite nephew, played by Michael J. Fox, who has moved away to get away from his gold digging cousins, in order to cheer up Douglas. Fox, and his wife, played by the charming Nancy Travis, are the only ones who aren't after their uncle's money. Or are they?

With many twists and an ending to die for, this movie is my pick for the most underrated comedy of the 90's. See it!

A wonderful, little known movie. I join the others here who wonder how this jewel slipped past recognition in theaters. I was amazed when I stumbled across it- I don't even recall how.

What a joy. I remain shocked that such a good film is so unknown. The timing, the dialogue, the hilarious writing... What distribution company dropped the ball on this one? The dinner table scene at the beginning is the best ensemble five minutes or so I have ever watched. It's like a brilliant verbal volleyball game, comments popped from one character to the next, no one letting the ball drop. This family deserves each other. I, like "Little Daniel" was rooting for "the Limey Chick."

The blending of actors is perfect. Michael J. Fox, being Michael J. Fox alone should have assured the movie's recognition...oh yeah, that's why I rented it. Phil Hartman- what a brilliant man- but enough of that. He was unique and perfect as the spearhead of the obnoxious clan.

This movie does not make the common mistake of relying on well known actors and letting the script fend for itself. The concept, writing, acting, and unusual twists are well crafted. Everyone did his job.

Except that distribution company. Does anybody have their address?

Well, I have to say I'm going to be a little biased. I have to appreciate the effort that Michael J. Fox went through to sell the bowling part of this role. No, he wasn't about to make a name on the tour or anything, but working the great Johnny Petraglia, he did turn into an above average bowler by the time he got done. A buck 75 bowler was a pretty good average in 1994 and not too shabby today.

I have always liked Kirk Douglas and I think he played all the little different levels of deception about as well as you could want. Phil Hartman is Phil Hartman...I do miss his humor. Davis and D'Abo are definitely enjoyable to watch, Ed Begley had his moments and who doesn't like a Jimmy Durante impersonation?

All in all, I think it succeeded as an above average comedy, but I can understand why the morality lesson doesn't appeal to everyone and probably even less today than it did in 1994.

Give it a chance...you never know when you might get a lucky strike.

I suppose saying that the end of this movie is great gives something away. Then again you don't know what that is so maybe not.

The plot of this film has Kirk Douglas dying as all of his relatives try to curry favor and get left his fortune. When every trick in the book fails they call in Michael J Fox as his long lost favorite nephew. Fox is now a down on his luck pro-bowler desperate for the cash the family promises him.

Some of what follows is sit-com material, some is highly inspired. The good part of it is that almost all of it is funny.

Certainly the film as a whole is not the best thing down the pike, but it has its moments, all of which make this film worth seeing.