American hustler Jack Flowers (Ben Gazzara) is scrapping by in Singapore. He's looking to be a big time pimp, and going home in luxury. He befriends straight-laced William Leigh (Denholm Elliot). With the Vietnam war raging, he receives an offer to host American soldiers on their R&R.
Director Peter Bogdanovich had been floundering for awhile at this point in his career. This is a little bit of return to form. It's a low budget film with a character actor as the lead in an exotic location. The first half is a little slow as I wondered where the plot is going with this movie. It still rambles around. It would help to have better Asian actors. It's fun that Bogdanovich got a midget but it's tough to find any great acting outside of the two veterans. Having a bunch of nobodies does have a feel of reality but it would be nice to have real actors. More than anything, this movie has an edge which is provided by Gazzara. He infuses this movie with an underground danger. Something could happen to him at any time as he surfs the underworld.
Director Peter Bogdanovich had been floundering for awhile at this point in his career. This is a little bit of return to form. It's a low budget film with a character actor as the lead in an exotic location. The first half is a little slow as I wondered where the plot is going with this movie. It still rambles around. It would help to have better Asian actors. It's fun that Bogdanovich got a midget but it's tough to find any great acting outside of the two veterans. Having a bunch of nobodies does have a feel of reality but it would be nice to have real actors. More than anything, this movie has an edge which is provided by Gazzara. He infuses this movie with an underground danger. Something could happen to him at any time as he surfs the underworld.