Harold, a professional gambler, and his girlfriend Bonita, a lounge singer, follow Willie, a young blackjack dealer, around the western U.S. Harold has a jinx on Willie and can't lose with him. Bonita and Willie meet and fall for each other and plot to do away with Harold and collect on his life insurance.
Acting
Midler and Torn's unhinged chemistry carries the chaos.
Direction
Don Siegel's final film—an oddball swan song.
Director
Don Siegel
Bette Midler
Bonita Friml
Ken Wahl
Willie Brodax
Rip Torn
Harold Benson
Jack Elam
Otto
Val Avery
Milt Hawkins
Benson Fong
Mr. Wing
Jacqueline Scott
Woman Bettor
F. William Parker
Art
Ian Wolfe
Morley
Kathryn Kates
Miss Nina
James Nolan
Father
Woodrow Parfrey
Insurance Agent
Joan Freeman
Woman Agent
Don Siegel
Owner Adult Bookstore
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Don Siegel directed this immediately before his death, making it the bizarre bookend to a career that started with Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
The film's disastrous reception and Midler's public trashing of it helped tank her movie career until The Rose became undeniable.
US
