The Longshot Reviews

Though labeled a comedy, THE LONGSHOT would more properly be classified as an excruciating travesty. Conway, Korman, Weston, and Wass are four losers whose collective life revolves around betting on horses. Their home lives are miserable, and penny-ante gambling is their only outlet. Cervera, a Mexican track worker, persuades these dumb lugs that he can arrange for a long-shot horse to win a race, reaping big bucks for anyone who bets on the nag. They agree to the scheme but now must raise $5,000 to place their wager. THE LONGSHOT isn't just unfunny; it's downright repulsive. Conway's script should take a good deal of the blame. It plods from one insufferable sequence to another, while would-be jokes drop leadenly from cast members' mouths. Bartel's direction is practically nil, merely pointing the camera, recording the action, then probably romping off to the bank to cash his check. Amazingly, this was the first feature film for which Nichols served as executive producer. Not even his presence can help this abysmal feature.