Director: Christopher Ashley
Cast: Dominic Marsh, Nikki M. James, Pamela Shaw, Jason Alexander, Dennis Farina
Certificate: TBC
Running Time: 78 minutes
Synopsis: A young down-and-out British shoe salesman named Harry Witherspoon takes his dead American uncle (a murdered casino manager) to Monte Carlo for the best time of his life – a week of fun, dancing, gambling and sun. If the young man fulfills his uncle’s request to the letter, he will inherit the $6 million left to him. If he doesn’t, the money will go to the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn.
It’s likely you’re reading this review having never heard of LUCKY STIFF; THN certainly hadn’t. If we had, we might have known that in 1988 it debuted off-Broadway and, whilst only running for 15 performances, it won a prestigious theatre award. We may have also been aware that it has had several worldwide revivals including, in 1997, a run in the West End. Based on a novel by Michael Butterworth, lyricist Lynn Ahrens has adapted the play for the screen and alongside composer Stephen Flaherty has written additional music and songs for this version. So, now we’re all comfortable with the history, let’s move on to the adaptation.
Loud, proud and instantly daring, LUCKY STIFF is a musical comedy telling the rags-to-riches quest of mousy shoe salesman Harry Witherspoon (Dominic Marsh). Harry is average, very average. He’s a quiet, all round nice-guy who spends his Friday nights doing inventory (a witty Mr. Witherspoon’s Friday Night). When he discovers an unknown Uncle has died and left him an inheritance of $6 million he agrees to do whatever it takes to fulfil his Uncle’s final will and inherit the money to change his life. What he later discovers is that the will requests Harry take his dead Uncle on a lavish holiday to Monte Carlo – WEEKEND AT BERNIE’S style – and if he doesn’t the entire inheritance goes to a local dog’s charity. On hand to make sure Harry follows the request to the letter is a representative from the charity, Annabel Glick (Nikki M. James). Glick, an over-bearing and stubborn dog-lover, soon rubs Harry up the wrong way and the two begin to make each others’ lives a misery (a playfully humorous Dogs Vs You).
Harry and Annabel aren’t the only ones interested in his Uncle’s whereabouts – there’s also legally blind Rita LaPorta (Pamela Shaw), his former lover chasing the cash on behalf of her and her brother (Jason Alexander). The hilarious irreverence of the jokes involving Rita’s eyesight and inability to shoot a gun are just one example of the imaginative and surreal humour you can expect from LUCKY STIFF.
At a running time of just 78 minutes the comedy whizzes you along at pace, with instantly catchy musical numbers populating a witty script. There’s show-stopping numbers, one scene in particular will have you reminiscent of a Moulin Rouge rooftop, and laughs-a-plenty in each superbly well-blended song.
LUCKY STIFF won’t appeal to everyone; if the thought of actors bursting into song makes you want to gauge your eyes out then this isn’t the film for you. If, however, you are looking for a laugh-a-minute, feel-good quirky satire that is stylishly put together and performed by a superb ensemble of actors, look no further.
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THN will continue to review of our favourite Raindance films in the coming days.
