Who's Got The Action? (1962)

When an attorney (Dean Martin) gets addicted to playing the horses and starts losing large sums of money, his wife (Lana Turner) coerces a family friend (Eddie Albert) into acting as a middle man for Martin and his bookie. But the "bookie" would be Turner and she would pocket his losses. But things go awry when he starts winning and she must pay off his winnings! Based on the novel FOUR HORSE PLAYERS ARE MISSING by Alexander Rose and directed by Daniel Mann (I'LL CRY TOMORROW.This comedy falls flat on just about every level. Every punchline hits the screen with a thud. Martin can be an expert farceur on most occasions but he can't overcome the weak material here. It doesn't help that Turner is not a comedienne. Granted, even Doris Day would have difficulty milking laughs from Jack Rose's screenplay but at least she has comedic timing. It's an ugly looking film too which is surprising considering the cinematographer is four time Oscar winner Joseph Ruttenberg (GIGI). With Walter Matthau as a gambling syndicate mob boss, Nita Talbot as his mistress, Paul Ford, John McGiver, June Wilkinson and Margo (LOST HORIZON and Mrs. Eddie Albert) as the stereotypical Hispanic maid.