Today we pick on Shell Game, a 1975 made-for-TV movie that launched John Davidson's career into hosting duties for "The Great American Quiz Show" and "That's Incredible!" Unfortunately, Davidson does not sing on this soundtrack.
I gotta admit, I didn't expect such copyright protection from a supermarket-bought DVD. But this is a review of the film, East West Productions LLC, so it counts as fair use.
I found a cool DVD Easter Egg: if the menu is left alone for 5 minutes, Joan Van Ark picks out food from John Davidson's teeth for nutrients. It's called a symbiotic relationship.
Plot summary: A convicted con artist sets out to expose the head of a charity fund who has been embezzling money to cover his huge gambling losses. The opening credits featured some nice loungy jazz.
Lyle Rettig works for a charity but also steals from them. He accuses a kindly old lady of embezzling all of it. Another worker, Max Castle (John Davidson), catches onto his game.
Conveniently enough, Max Castle is a former con man who has been just itching to get back in the game. But here, his con is to get stolen money back, so that makes it morally okay.
Castle meets Rettig blowing all the money at the races. A good question to ask here would be "Why doesn't Rettig recognize Castle?" Another one is "If War Pass finishes under four furlongs ahead of Bim Boom Bop, does it still match the 3-1 payout?"
Castle and Joan Van Ark, whose character's name I never got, pretend to be a wealthy couple who win a lot of money based on an "inside tip." They help Rettig win a few thousand bucks, so he's totally on the hook now. They decide to meet later on Castle's yacht...
... which is actually just a rented boat, apparently full of dozens of people who are also in on the con. They introduce Rettig to a third, older dude, who's important to the story.
Blah blah blah, the bad guy is buying all the flimflammery. They talk of investing in a gold mine. On a yacht. With caviar being served. Why they didn't also wear tuxedos and top hats with monocles, I'll never know.
They get the gold mine assessed by Bob the Builder, who says it's worthless. But through some trickery and boring dialogue, they have Rettig convinced that the gold mine is virtually a goldmine of gold.
So Rettig buys the gold mine from Castle, yah yah yah, you see where this is going.
The slow realization that he's been had is exactly that. But as an actor, this is a fine opportunity to give the nuanced performance that can win you an Emmy (He didn't).
Confirmation that he's been screwed comes in the form of Andy Travis, manager of a struggling radio station in Cincinnati.
Overall, I'd say the movie was pretty decent. It promised grifting and a con game, and it did deliver that. But it wasn't as surprising as it could have been.
The plot was not as intricate as most con or heist movies, but it's not like Dave Mamet penned the gosh darned thing.
John Davidson was shirtless in at least 2 scenes, so that gave me something to masturbate to. Or ON. Hello!
EADJ Crappinema rating: *** 3 Stars. A tidy, casual Sansabelt movie with all the intrigue and excitement that 50¢ can buy.
Some possible taglines for Shell Game:
He's taking back what's his, and taking names.
How do you con a conman? With dimples.
CONNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
You're sitting on a gold mine! Not!
A man. A woman. A few horses. A shaft.
In con space, no one can hear you scream as you get conned out of a lot of money.
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