Jogando com a Vida

Gambler Harold (Rip Torn) and his girlfriend Bonita (Bette Midler) follow blackjack dealer Willie (Ken Wahl) where ever he works. It seems Harold is a jinx to Willie--Harold always wins big when Willie deals. Willie and Bonita meet and fall for each other and plot to kill Harold for all his money.

This movie was plagued with problems. Wahl and Midler hated each other and were always fighting and arguing--at one point Wahl likened kissing Midler to kissing his dog! Unfortunately director Don Siegel also hated Midler and it comes through loud and clear. This movie was being called a disaster before it even came out! I remember seeing it opening night in Boston in a nearly empty theatre. It's not a good movie but it's not a disaster either.

Wahl is pretty terrible in his role. Handsome but blank. Siegel's usually good direction seems off (I think on purpose). The plot is more drama then comedy--despite Midler's performance in "The Rose" she was much better and more comfortable doing comedy. Still, she's the only reason to see this. Despite all the problems she was having while filming this she's full of life and energy. She's especially good while doing a stage number and interrupting it to plot with Wahl how to kill Torn. Torn is good but he's hardly in the movie.

All these years later look at who's still popular. Siegel died in 1991 and Wahl's career died quickly in the mid 1980s. Midler is still going strong. So I liked it but I'll never say it's a GOOD movie. For Midler fans this is a must.

"I'll never walk again."

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.

Harold Benson (Rip Torn) is a professional gambler, who always wins the bets against the blackjack dealer Willie Brodax (Ken Wahl). Harold has a jinx on Willie and ca not lose with him. The bad lucky of Willie is getting famous in Reno, and he is fired of all casinos after losing for Harold. The singer Bonita Friml (Bette Midler) is the abused girlfriend of Harold, who has an affair with Willie and plots to kill Harold simulating an accident with the trailer where they live, to get his life insurance. Ten years ago, I bought this VHS in a sale offer based on the name of Don Siegel, but I was not able to finish watching this movie, since I found it boring. Yesterday I decided to see it until the 'The End' and now I can say that it is really silly and boring. The story is an unsuccessful dark comedy, with very few funny parts. It is very hard to believe that a handsome man, like Ken Wahl, could fall in love for the character of Bette Midler. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): 'Jogando Com a Vida' ('Gambling With the Life')

This film, had a very good feel to it, although it did seem to be taking the micky out of itself a little, but that didn't matter because, it was a story that delved into the ridiculous, the storyline was quirky enough to carry the film through.

Bette Midler was a slight more subdued than her usual roles, but then again, it was way before she was really known for for her more famous films, like BIG BUSINESS AND GYPSY but towards the end her character perked up a little.

But how 2 people can fall in love so quickly, and then to plan her husbands end was a bit ( right)ok

but you should really go rent it if you want laughs and enjoyable oneliners like saying to the stripper, HEY YOU KNOW HAROLD BENSON, stripper replys YEA I KNOW THE CREEP, WELL GUESS WHAT HE'S DEAD. and they both fall about laughing, great stuff.

No one wears Levis better than Ken Wahl as Vinnie Terranova. Like most baseball players, I think Ken has / had great legs. Wiseguy provided us some hot above the towel views but in this utterly stupid movie, you will get a below the towel shot. Ken's calves do not disappoint. Add a comment if you might know where I might catch a glimpse of his thighs.