Scorpion provides guaranteed
chuckle
By Ayall Sagi
Staff Writer
In a time of movies that don't mount up to their
expectations, one that actually gets a laugh is among us.
Woody Allen's latest flick, "The Curse of the Jade
Scorpion," consists of inside jokes and insults at which one can't help
but laugh.
Woody Allen plays C.W. Briggs, a typical Woody
Allen character that endures a constant flow of insults.
Set in the 1940's, Briggs is an insurance detective
who solves cases using street smarts. He is respected and liked by all
of his co-workers with the exception of perfectionist Betty Ann Fitzgerald,
played by Helen Hunt, who has been recently hired to make the company
more efficient.
According to Briggs, Fitzgerald's problem is that
she thinks with her mind instead of her heart, so she doesn't think
straight at all.
For the birthday of a co-worker, a group of employees
go to a restaurant where Voltan, an entertainment hypnotist played by
David Ogen Stiers, selects Briggs and Fitzgerald as subjects for an
experiment.
Voltan introduces the Jade Scorpion, a magical
charm, and explains its power. Within seconds, both subjects are under
hypnosis, each proclaiming their hate for the other.
This gives Voltan the idea of making the two fall
in love with each other. The audience gets a few laughs before both
characters snap out of the trance.
Unknown to Briggs, Voltan can now control Briggs
by simply stating a single "magic" word. Later that night Voltan instructs
Briggs to rob houses and then await further instructions.
The next day Briggs is assigned to investigate
the crimes he unknowingly committed. He can't find any solid clues and
he begins to suspect that Fitzgerald might be the one behind it. Through
careful investigation, many insults and a clever, yet predictable twist
in the plot, a classic Woody Allen movie is made.
This movie, like most Woody Allen Films, is one
that fans will appreciate.
The wit and irony in the plot expand this movie
into a classic comedic film that is guaranteed to get a chuckle.
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