• Wide Release
• Director: Howard Avedis
• Written by: Howard Avedis, Ralph B. Potts, Marlene Schmidt
• Running Time: 93 minutes
• Language: English
• MPAA Rating: R - Restricted
• Cast: Adam West, John Anderson, Ahna Capri, Harvey Jason, Alvy Moore, Marlene Schmidt, Howard Avedis, Charles Knapp, Chuck Boyd, Robert Shayne, Christiane Schmidtmer, Jacqueline Jacobs, Alec Jason

Over the years I’ve come to realize that men do some crazy things in the face of acute anxiety and Howard Avedis’ “The Specialist” (based on a book ‘Come Now the Lawyers’ by Ralph B. Potts) charts that fact better than most. Sheer self-preservation factors into a heightened illustration of one-upsmanship as two ambitious, narcissistic types turn a courtroom into a veritable Thunderdome, one where sexual manipulation, recklessness and murder are just par for the course. As intriguing as that sounds, let me just say that, well, it’s not. Rather, it’s an uneven mix of confusing courtroom theatrics, revenge scenario stupidity and T and A frivolity, adding up to a whole bunch of… well, nothing.

Emerging from his termination as a high statured board member of a local water plant, Pike Smith (John Anderson) finds himself hooking up with shady private investigator Ace Sharkey (Howard Avedis) in an effort to procure a ‘plant’ -- someone that’ll sway the jury in his favour in his upcoming case against said water company. Appropriately named Sharkey has an even more audacious idea, and it involves hiring a “Specialist” (a female whose specialty involves getting men into bed) to not only be positioned on the jury, but to seduce the counsel for the defence, Jerry Bounds (Adam West). Not exactly a convert, Smith mulls over the thought of catching Bounds, a devoted family man, in a compromising position thus resulting in a mistrial, and maybe even his disbarment, is just too good for ole Pike to pass up. When Sharkey sweetens the deal with a double or nothing offer, Smith decides to bite.

Sharkey’s ‘Specialist’ is none other than busty, voluptuous Ahna Capri, 70’s era star of such cult films as “Enter the Dragon”, “Piranha” and “The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars And Motor Kings” as well as nearly 70 different television movies and series. As Londa Wyeth, a sexy, high-priced escort from San Francisco, Ahna proves her willingness to let it all hang out in a very interesting sexpot role. Wyeth, in keeping with Sharkey’s praise, is very professional (almost cold) about her work, something that will leave the viewers vacillating between liking her and hating her. She knows just the right buttons to push in order to manipulate men, and she does it with a big confident smile on her face. Wicked intentions hidden under big bright eyes and sultry gaze. With the aid of Pike’s none-too-bright, bohemian, artist son, Hardin (Harvey Jason), Wyeth soon finds herself eyeing up her intended target Jerry Bounds from inside the stuffy jury box. Close-quarters and some ‘right-place-right-time’ providence, results in Bounds shooting down the sexual advances of the busty Wyeth both inside the courtroom and out. Sadly, Bounds is a man and even though he’s got a sexy wife of his own at home (the beautiful Marlene Schmidt, wife of the director and co-writer on the film), it isn’t long before he’s throwing caution to the wind and joining Wyeth at an out-the-way reservoir for some half-nekkid fun in the sun.

Like clockwork, Sharkey arrives with a camera in hand, followed by the Bailiff (Alvy Moore), the Judge (Charles Knapp) and then Smith himself, all building towards the eventual mistrial and Bounds attempts to fend off disbarment proceedings. Sticking by her husband, Elizabeth (Schmidt) decides to investigate the young woman who enticed her husband, eventually stumbling upon the small scheme that Smith cooked up. As the couple draw closer to the real identity of Sharkey’s specialist, and the direct involvement of Pike, things soon spin out of control resulting in blackmail, more courtroomy intrigue and even murder (or muders). Oh yeah, we get it all in the end, including a shocking conclusion that’ll leave you scratching your head and wondering what the fuck just happened?

John Anderson is one of those character actors you know you’ve seen him before but you just can’t quite put your finger on where. Considering that he’s appeared in over two-hundred different film and television projects going back to the early 1950s, it’s easy to understand why. He’s great as a despicable, miserly old bugger, pushing old ladies out of his way and slapping in the face those who seek to challenge his conduct. His hammy, turbulent relationship with his freewheeling son in a handful of scenes helps add an extra zing to a character that, under any other circumstances, would not be the least bit likeable. Watching Anderson and Jason’s characters together – both different as day and night, is kind of fun.

Adam West (1983’s “One Dark Night”) offers a concrete performance as a straight arrow given into temptation and driven to irrational, psychotic behaviour. His romantic scenes opposite Schmidt work just as well as his nude frolicking sexed up encounters with Capri and his tough-guy antics opposite Anderson. He’s good on all fronts. In the final act, however, I found it a tad unbelievable the way Bounds so quickly traded in his rigid adherence to the law in favour of expediency (pulling guns on people, and such). This didn't wash with me. The moment Adam pulls the gun on Jason is the moment the film begins to lose its way. Ahna Capri is the film’s star, and she imbues her character with enough head-strong sexiness to make it float, but it’s Harvey Jason’s Hardin Smith character that steals the show. This guy is a hoot, even when he’s getting on your nerves. A horny deadbeat with a penchant for nude models and paintbrushes, he seems to set some of the film's comedic tone all on his own.

And there's the rub -- tone! Unable to settle on one, Howard Avedis (using the alias Russell Schmidt) seems happy enough to serve up a confusing, mostly uneven slice of blandness – one that merges comedy and drama and horror in equal amounts, which, in the end, seems to cancel each other out. Such is my biggest complaint about the film, the lack of direction. Light and fluffy situations (namely the one where everyone arrives at the reservoir at the same time) playing off of darker spots, some of which involve murder and sexual manipulation, proves to be nothing short of emotionally confusing. By the final frame, when we arrive at that shocker of an ending (which gives new meaning to downbeat), it is unclear if we’re supposed to laugh or cry. For me, indifference was my only reaction. After all that we’ve been though, for the film to end as it does is a let down.

On the upside, I was greatly impressed by first timer Massoud Joseph's expert cinematography, as he methodically makes a secluded reservoir look sweeping and beautiful and courtroom settings feel cramped and stuffy, as they probably would. Sadly, it appears that “The Specialist” would be his only film. Before I go I should mentioned Shorty Rogers' hip, enjoyable score is as good as Lou Rawls’ catchy theme song.