dspires

I have the movie and have watched it several times, but what I watch for is not the humor and not the plot. Johnny Weissmuller 'dives' off the cable supports of the Brooklyn Bridge. This is not a stunt double. This is not a special effect. This is an Olympic athlete 'diving' off the Brooklyn Bridge. I would score it an easy 9.5.

Get it. Watch it. Enjoy.

Thx, Dan

"Go around, man! What do you do, get paid by the beep?!" -- Victor Barbella, from under the hood of his car.

I saw this movie scheduled to play as a rerun back in the mid '80s. As there was nothing on the cable that I particularly wanted, I decided to record it. You see, I was in the military at the time and stocking up on films to take with me overseas. How apropos! Our hero for this little romp was born and raised in the streets of Little Italy, and here I am preparing for a trip to Big Italy.

I had made it my habit to record movies without watching them, giving me something to look forward to during my years out-of-country. This one, "Moonlight", got several overseas viewings -- as well as at home. With plot twists galore, and a most unfitting, and yet fitting, hero, played by a very memorable Anthony (Antony) Ponzini, he takes you on a grand tour of spy vs spy -- at layman level.

"E equals r square! Anything beyond that and I'm lost!" -- Victor Barbella's knowledge of Einsteinium physics, as shouted from his seat aboard the noisy Chinook helicopter.

The ever righteous Mr. White gives Victor Barbella (Antony) the lowdown on who's minding our nation's security in 1982. Looking at his history, it appears that Antony got his start in a little daytime drama soap called "General Hospital". The man is good and needs to do more -- much more. As for his boss and mentor, you may remember William Prince (playing the incomparable Mr. White, here) as Keyes in "Spies Like Us".

As for watching the movie, you've got three distinct levels of role playing here, and all done very, very well: Action; Suspense; Comedy. Rent the flick -- settle back -- enjoy the ride.

Barry Corbin, as multi-millionaire (does this guy have any other roles?) P.J. Downing, performs as the mystified victim rather well, always surprised with Harry's (John Candy) easy wit and wisdom, never realizing for a moment that the man is just as lost as anyone else in this case. Comedy, per se, is not on the screen, but rather in the heart. As a man with an eidetic memory who couldn't sleuth his way out of an open phone booth, Harry Crumb cleverly deciphers the clues and incorrectly solves the case, which ends up releasing all the right answers and surprising himself more than anybody else. Harry Crumb is the greatest criminal investigator the world has ever known -- just ask his sidekick, Nikki Downing, the millionaire's youngest daughter, played by a very effective Shawnee Smith.