Review of The Curse of the Jade Scorpion (2001) by Scott C — 16 Apr 2013

Armed with a deal at DreamWorks Pictures, Woody Allen creates an enjoyable homage to the old detective films of the 1940's, as well as the fast-talking screwball comedies of that era as well. Woody claims this one is his worst film because he cast himself in the lead when no-one else was available, but he couldn't be more wrong, it's a very enjoyable film with some good laughs along the way. Insurance investigator CW Briggs (Woody) is non-plussed at having the office where he works at being re-arranged by efficiancy expert Betty Ann Fitzgerald (Helen Hunt), despite his boss Chris Magruder (Dan Aykroyd) calling for peace and harmony. However, at a party, they're both hypnotized by a criminal hypnotist The Great Voltan (David Ogden Stiers), who after the show is finished, telephones Briggs and has him carry out jewel heists on estates for which he designed the security systems for, but after each crime, Briggs has no memory of having carried out the crimes, and can't figure out what's happened, until he's caught in the act. It's a light and breezy film, not Woody's best film but far from his worst. He does good with recreating the look of New York in 1940, and one saving grace is the brilliant soundtrack of jazz songs and has a good supporting cast, including Wallace Shawn, Elizabeth Berkley and Charlize Theron.

Woody Allen creates an enjoyable homage to the old detective films of the 1940's, as well as the fast-talking screwball comedies of that era as well. Woody plays insurance investigator CW Briggs, who is non-plussed at having the office where he works at being re-arranged by efficiancy expert Betty Ann Fitzgerald (Helen Hunt), however, at a party, they're both hypnotized by a criminal hypnotist The Great Voltan (David Ogden Stiers), who after the show is finished, telephones Briggs and has him carry out jewel heists on estates for which he designed the security systems for. It's a light and breezy film, not Woody's best film but far from his worst. He does good with recreating the look of New York in 1940, and has a good supporting cast, including Dan Aykroyd, Elizabeth Berkley and Charlize Theron.