HOOK, LINE AND SINKER (1969) Movie on DVD

HOOK, LINE AND SINKER (1969) — DVD | Jerry Lewis | Peter Lawford | Anne Francis | Rated G

He spent $100,000 living it up. Then found out he wasn’t dying. Then found out why.

One of Jerry Lewis’ most cleverly plotted comedies, Hook, Line and Sinker takes a delightfully dark premise and reels it in for laughs — with a twist that catches you completely off guard.

Peter Ingersoll is living a humdrum existence as a family man and insurance salesman when he finds out from his doctor friend Scott that he has a terminal illness. Thinking his life is nearly over, he lives it to the fullest, building up insurmountable debt. When the damage is done, Scott reveals that Peter is actually not sick at all. To escape the debt, Scott proposes staging Peter’s death — allowing him to return once the statute of limitations has passed. But when Peter discovers that his wife and Scott have been having an affair all along, and that the entire scheme was a setup to get rid of him, Peter has some serious work to do. Amazon

The word “restrained” doesn’t often fit into analysis of Jerry Lewis’ film career, but in Hook, Line and Sinker he is notably restrained compared to most of his characters — playing a typical middle-class suburbanite living the American dream, with a boring but steady 9-to-5 job, a pretty wife, two kids, a comfortable home, and a devoted best friend who turns out to be anything but. Cinema Retro

This is a truly underrated gem. Lewis’ performance is quite good, balancing drama and comedy, and the plot twists are just right to keep the audience interested. Non-Lewis fans might be genuinely surprised. Movie Buffs Forever

A good comedy with a theme that still feels relevant today, with all the great late 1960s décor, cars, and period atmosphere to take you right back to that era. eBay The film marked the final directorial effort of George Marshall, whose Hollywood career stretched back to 1916 — a fitting send-off for a true industry legend.

Format: DVD | Color | NTSC | English Genre: Comedy Runtime: 92 minutes | Rated G Director: George Marshall