Mystery about an ex-prizefighter who embarks on a journey to find 13 missing diamonds
Acting
Kirk Douglas's late-career swagger plus Bacall's scene-stealing cameo
Direction
John Asher somehow keeps this tonal mess charmingly watchable
Writing
Dialogue that thinks it's smarter than it is—but Douglas sells it
Director
John Asher
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director John Asher was married to Jenny McCarthy at the time—he literally cast his wife as a prostitute opposite his father-in-law. Hollywood nepotism hits different.
This was Kirk Douglas's final leading role before his 1996 stroke; he insisted on performing despite speech difficulties, making Harry's stubborn determination oddly autobiographical.
US
