Les bons tuyaux

Watched this recently for the first time in many years on Netflix, as I thought it might be the same movie I enjoyed when I was a kid, and it was! 'The Longshot' is a fun, breezy way to pass a rainy afternoon with a few chuckles, and I must say some good laughs.

The plot concerns four buddies who love betting horses at their local track. With not much else going on in their lives (They are presented as lovable losers), they fall into a scheme to bet a fixed horse race with money borrowed from the mob! Tim Conway (Who wrote the script) Harvey Korman, Jack Weston, and Ted Wass are the four buddies who take part in the action. We get a glimpse into each characters home life, where they are browbeaten husbands, content to play cards in Conway's garage, or, in a great scene, happy to grill steaks in the back of Ted Wass' possessed station wagon. It really is a funny movie with some good comic performances from all the actors. I won't give away the ending, but suffice to say it'll leave a smile on your face as the credits roll.

Two bonuses, Eddie Deezen (Of 'Grease' fame plays a funny bellhop in a cameo, and Jonathan Winters brings the laughs as an old tow truck driver. Give the 'Longshot' a chance, you'll be happy you did!

Imagine a rap song by Ice-T... and Tim Conway! That's how it starts. There are a lot of funny moments throughout the movie. The scene where Tim is in Stella Steven's room is hilarious.

I watched this movie especially to see the cameo by Ernie Anderson. I was disappointed that he didn't get a close-up, I recognized him by his voice.

Most movie guides give this movie one star. Highly underrated. I'd give it two and a half.

If you like Tim Conway, watch this one.

Awesome comic cast is pretty much wasted in this only sometimes funny story of a bunch of losers trying to make it big on the horse racing circuit. Best is Jonathan Winters. If you're a fan of any of the cast members (Winters, Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, etc.) you may like this, others beware!

Tim Conway (writer) really knew how to put together a fine comedic project. These characters' logic reminded me of that of my gambling friends but the main point is that I was laughing throughout this thing (while watching it on TV, with lots of naughty words cut out). Yeah, Conway, Jack Weston, & Harvey Keitel really knew their stuff. They made each line work. As much as I enjoy Anne Meara, I also appreciate Stella Stevens bringing a different element to this flick. Sure, this was rather formulaic -- I wish there were MORE 26-year-old formula comedies for me to watch over lunch to get me started on my weekend. What did a running toilet have to do with gambling? So what? Conway made it so that I'll never look at a toilet the same again.

It appears that the major Hollywood studio that backed this so-called comedy didn't give it much of a promotional or distribution push. Watching the movie, it doesn't take long to figure out why the studio heads got nervous. "The Longshot" is an unbelievably lame comedy. Most of the fault has to go to Tim Conway, who wrote the not ready to be filmed screenplay. There is barely a story here, and the movie frequently comes to a complete stop for minutes on end to try and deliver humor. That wouldn't be bad if the humor was actually funny, but for the most part it isn't. In fact, I only laughed once, at a sight gag involving Tim Conway dressed only in his underclothes. Conway and the rest of the cast have shown talent elsewhere, but they simply can't do anything with this screenplay and the dull direction by Paul Bartel. However, if you've ever wanted to hear Tim Conway do an old school style rap number with Ice-T, this movie will give you your chance.