Used Cars (1980)

Rudy "Trust Me" Russo (Kurt Russell) is a used car salesman with dreams of political office.  In order to secure his nomination, he must provide a cash donation; he's $10,000 short.  His boss, Luke Fuchs (Jack Warden), offered to give him the money.  Rudy is so grateful that he offers a 50-50 split on all the graft once he's in office.  However, Luke's brother, Roy (Jack Warden), owns a used car dealership across the street and has eyes on securing a monopoly.  If something happened to Luke, he would inherit the lot.  Well, as long as Luke's daughter didn't show up.  Barbara Fuchs (Deborah Harmon) came looking for her father and found herself as the owner of a failing car dealership.  Could she and Rudy keep it solvent long enough to benefit from a new highway exit?

The movie is a series of zany gags and crazy humor.  In order to drum up business, Rudy contacted Freddie (David Lander) and Eddie (Michael McKean) to hijack the local TV signal and air a commercial for the dealership.  That Lenny and Squiggy appear was itself hilarious.  The commercial goes horribly wrong with the female model (Cheryl Rixon) somehow made topless; the lot was packed the following day.  Further such antics saw the pair hijack a presidential address!

Jack Warden makes for a terrific villain as Roy Fuchs.  There is no underhanded tactic that is beneath him, including an effort to put his niece in jail.  Kurt Russell inhabits his role as a sleazy car salesman, only too happy to do whatever it took to sell a car.  Despite his dishonesty, manipulativeness, and general lack of morals, he was somehow likable.  Gerrit Graham was a great wingman to Russell.  His faith in superstitions from rabbit's feet to saltshakers to fear of red cars made him a constant source of laughs.  By contrast, Deborah Harmon is left as the straight man in most of the gags.  To add yet another classic guest appearance, Al Lewis (best known as grandpa from The Munsters) played Judge Harrison.

At the time this was released, it was quite the raunchy comedy.  Today, it feels tame.  Nonetheless, it is a lot of fun.  Recommended.

The Verdict (1982)

Frank Galvin (Paul Newman) is a broken lawyer who regularly drinks himself into a stupor.  Ten years ago, he narrowly dodged being disbarred.  Now, he is an ambulance chaser with few cases.  Mickey (Jack Warden) is an old friend who steers cases to Frank, only to have Frank lose in court.  However, the case of Deborah Ann Kaye looks like a winner.  Better yet, he meets a gorgeous woman, Laura (Charlotte Rampling), at his regular bar and is soon in a relationship with her.  Yes, things are looking up.  In fact, it looks so good that he declines a settlement check, infuriating his clients. And then everything starts crashing.  Defense counsel is Ed Concannon (James Mason), a truly formidable lawyer.  Frank's star witness has suddenly gone to the Carribean for an extended vacation.  His easy win is now looking like a certain loser and the offered settlement has been withdrawn.  Can Frank dig himself out?

Though Frank has a sad backstory that explains his current troubles, he is still hard to like.  Of course, he is a lawyer, which is already big strike against anyone.  Concannon is competent and smooth but likewise entirely unlikeable; again, lawyer.  As for Laura, she seemed a little too eager to hop in the sack with an alcoholic, even if he was Paul Newman.  She likewise proves to be a less than worthwhile character.  Really, it's all up to Jack Warden to provide a likeable character.  Of note, this was one of David Mamet's first screenplays.  Also, Bruce Willis appears as an extra in the courtroom audience.

Just okay.