40 Pounds of Trouble

While not one of the greatest of actors, Tony Curtis was always watchable and gave good performances (truly great actually in 'Some Like it Hot' and 'Sweet Smell of Success') in a fair share of good films. That '40 Pounds of Trouble' was directed by talented Norman Jewison, in his feature film debut, and had a promising cast were also good reasons to see it.

'40 Pounds of Trouble', the second of three re-workings of 'Little Miss Marker', may not be perfect or one of the all-time greats, nor did it try to be, or among the best work of those involved. Jewison especially went on to better things, such as 'Fiddler on the Roof' and 'In the Heat of the Night'. It is great fun though, with bags of charm. One of those films that doesn't try to do too much or play it too safe, knowing what it wanted to do and how to approach it, succeeding in its goal.

There is not an awful lot wrong here. It perhaps ends predictably and conveniently and occasionally loses momentum in the latter parts of the film where it could have done with more variety.

Phil Silvers overdoes it somewhat, a very enthusiastic performance that was mostly fun but at times over-eager, and could have reigned in more, had the sense that Jewison was not finding it easy to control him.

Curtis is like the film however, immensely likeable. Despite having less of the heroic, athletic quality of his early roles and more of the darker, meaty quality of others when he grew as an actor, he still manages to find the right touch of light-footed energy and charm. He shares amusing and tender chemistry with appealing, neither too cute or bratty, Claire Wilcox.

Suzanne Pleshette is a charmer in her role and Kevin McCarthy and Larry Storch have fun in theirs. Visually, '40 Pounds of Trouble' has a glossy and elegant look, while the witty and humorously light-hearted script, nostalgic Disneyland setting, generally lively pace (occasionally losing momentum in the latter parts), sparkling cast chemistry and engagingly likeable story make the film further appealing. As said, Jewison did go on to better things, for a feature debut though it is quite competent and at least seems to be in keeping with the film's light tone.

Overall, entertaining and easy to like. 7/10 Bethany Cox

This is pretty much a redo of little miss marker, it's better than the walter matthau version although it may not beat the shirley temple one ;) Movies always seem to look better in technicolour. A good excuse for Tony Curtis to take the crew to disneyland.

This is the third version of Damon Runyon's story and was previously made as "Little Miss Marker" (with Shirley Temple), "Sorrowful Jones" (with Bob Hope) and now with this film. All three are enjoyable, though if I were to recommend one (and I am) it would be the original "Little Miss Marker". Still, you could do a lot worse than watching this nice Tony Curtis/Suzanne Pleshette film.

When the film begins, Steve (Curtis) is evading process servers from California once again and just beats them across the state line to the casino he manages in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. He seems like a reasonably happy man...or at least successful. But when a loser leaves his cute little girl behind in his hotel room, Steve has got a problem. Oddly, instead of calling the police he and the staff grow to like the kid and keep her!! Later, the girl wants to go on an outing to Disneyland but this will mean Steve once again risking be served a summons to pay back alimony. Along for the ride is a night club singer with a heart of gold, Chris (Pleshette).

The plot is very familiar but has been rather de-Runyonized. In other words the lovable seedy characters you've seen in other Runyon productions as well as earlier versions of this story are mostly gone---cleaned up a bit and with dialog that clearly is more normal! I didn't mind this at all and everyone did fine in the film. I particularly liked seeing the footage of Disneyland circa 1962, as things have certainly changed a lot...and you do see a lot of Disney in the film. Not everything about Disney is perfect, however, as the chase scene did become a bit tedious. Still, it's a nice film that has aged well and is worth your time.

40 Pounds Of Trouble casts Tony Curtis as a somewhat jaded manager of one of Las Vegas's gambling palaces owned by Phil Silvers who has told him to find a singing spot for his niece Suzanne Pleshette. But he's got another crisis on his hands. One of his regular players has left a marker in the form of his daughter while he's out raising a bankroll. The daughter is little Claire Wilcox the 40 Pounds Of Trouble in the title.

It doesn't look like he's coming back this time and the little girl does work on melting the heart of this gambler. Suzanne Pleshette's working on her end as well. It might be working out if it weren't for the fact Curtis has an ex-wife in Mary Murphy whom he's into for a lot of back alimony and she's got a good attorney in Kevin McCarthy who is a one man collection agency.

This is a pleasant almost G-rated comedy with a climax in that most G-rated of places, Disneyland. It's where Wilcox has always wanted to go and Curtis and Pleshette plan on a day there. Only Murphy's bloodhound McCarthy sniffs them out and then it's a mad Keystone Kops like chase through Walt's Magic Kingdom to get the papers served.

Besides those mentioned there are a lot of familiar faces that line the cast of 40 Pounds Of Trouble which always makes for great viewing. In many ways Curtis is playing a comic version of the role Robert DeNiro did as the manager in Martin Scorsese's Casino.

I wonder how Ace Rothstein would have handled all this?

Nothing of earth-shattering significance here, but Tony Curtis is an ace in his role as McCluskey (do you buy him as a chip off the old Blarney Stone? Not I), a workaholic, alimony-dodging, anal-retentive manager of a casino who seems to be frenetically sleepwalking through his life -- until the blase munchkin of a destitute gambler is left to his care. The beautiful Pleshette, who plays convincingly (albeit not as a singer) as a slumming singer and the casino owner's niece, slides conveniently into place as the mother figure of this atypical family unit.

The little girl is mildly funny and already a little world-weary in a manner only a screenwriter might make a child, thanks to her old man saddled by gambling debts and a life bouncing from one casino hotel room to the next. She seems to handle herself a little too expertly no matter what life throws her, but has a tender side that tenderizes Curtis' heart and sets up a few too many close-ups of Curtis smiling sweetly at the wee bairn. Still, she doesn't wisecrack too hard and manages a few good and funny moments on camera.

When the trio lights off to Disneyland - and to California, the epicenter of earthquakes and his mounting legal troubles - this sets up a fun series of scrambles around Uncle Walt's dreamscape to avoid arrest from a bumbling cop who strangely seems to be at the beck-and-call of McCluskey's vindictive ex-wife and her attorney.

The ending is no surprise, but, then again, that's what we all tend to like in light-hearted movies of this type and era. A nice, fun movie to rent and spend a lazy afternoon watching.