Lookin' to Get Out
| Lookin' to Get Out | |
|---|---|
 Promotional movie poster for the film | |
| Directed by | Hal Ashby |
| Written by | Al Schwartz Jon Voight |
| Produced by | Andrew Braunsberg Robert Schaffel Edward Teets |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Haskell Wexler |
| Edited by | Robert C. Jones |
| Music by | Miles Goodman Johnny Mandel John Beal |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $17,000,000[1] |
| Box office | $946,461[2] |
Lookin’ to Get Outis a 1982 Americancomedy film,directed byHal Ashbyand written byAl SchwartzandJon Voight,who also stars. The film also starsAnn-MargretandBurt Young.Voight's daughter,Angelina Jolie,then seven years old, makes her acting debut.[3]
Plot
[edit]Alex Kovac, playing poker in New York City, drops $10,000 to gamblers Joey and Harry that he can not pay back. Alex persuades pal Jerry Feldman to hop on a plane to Las Vegas with him and try to win $10,000 to pay off the debt.
Finding out that a similarly named Jerry Feldman is a regular there, Jerry is comped $10,000 by the casino, no questions asked. A room and other perks go along with the comp. A waiter named Smitty, an old acquaintance of Alex's, is an expert card counter, so he is staked to a high-limit blackjack game by the guys.
Patti Warner, a former girlfriend of Alex's, is now the mistress of the casino's boss. Their mutual attraction returns, but trouble follows after a $500,000 victory at the tables, not only from the casino but from Joey and Harry, who have come to Vegas looking to get their money or get even.
Cast
[edit]- Jon Voightas Alex Kovac
- Ann-Margretas Patti Warner
- Burt Youngas Jerry Feldman
- Jude Ferrese as Harry
- Allen Keller as Joey
- Bert Remsenas Smitty
- Richard Bradfordas Bernie Gold
In addition, Voight's then seven-year-old daughter,Angelina Jolie(credited as Angelina Jolie Voight), made her acting debut[3]with a brief appearance as Tosh, the daughter of Alex and Patti, near the end of the movie. Among the Las Vegas acts seen performing at theMGM Grandduring the film areSiegfried & Roy(credited as magicians Siegfried and Roy Enterprises).
Production
[edit]The film was Voight's screenwriting debut.[3]
After initial delays,[3]the film started principal photography in May 1980.[1]Production was interrupted for five months due to an actors' strike.[1][3]
Director Ashby had notorious bouts with the studio and recut the film for himself before it was taken from his hands and recut by the studio. Years later, while speaking at the University of Southern California, Jon Voight discovered that the version of the film which had been shown to the students was not the theatrical version but instead Ashby's original cut (which was considered lost). This was brought to the attention ofWarner Home Videowho released the Ashby Director's Cut on DVD on June 30, 2009.
The filming took place inLas Vegas,including theMGM Grand Las Vegas[3]andVarietynoted in their review the "shameless plugging for the MGM leisure palace and its entertainment shows (particularlySiegfried & Roy's magic acts). "[1]
Release
[edit]The film was initially due to be released byUnited ArtistsbutLorimar's deal with UA expired before the film was released andParamount Picturesacquired the film as part of a package to distribute Lorimar product.[1][3]
The film received poor reviews.[3]Varietycalled it "an ill-conceived vehicle for actor (and cowriter) Jon Voight to showcase his character comedy talents in a loose, semi-improvised environment."[1]They noted that "Voight and Young are an entertaining team, but presented in an untenable vehicle".[1]
The film was released on October 8, 1982, in 850 theaters, and due to its poor performance, Lorimar made a $6.2 million write-off.[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abcdefgLor. (October 5, 1982)."Lookin' To Get Out".Daily Variety.Retrieved2009-07-21.
- ^"Lookin' to Get Out".Box Office Mojo.Retrieved28 December2021.
- ^abcdefghiLookin' to Get Outat theAFI Catalog of Feature Films
