The Whoopee Boys
Released in theaters in 1986, it was written by the team responsible for the "Revenge of the Nerds" series. Writer Steve Zacharias also produced, and according to his Internet Movie Database entry, he was Senator Billings in "Gamera" in 1965 (I think someone's pulling our leg!).
The two stars, Michael O'Keefe (who also starred in "The Great Santini" and "Caddyshack") as Jack, a street artist, and comedian Paul Rodriguez as Barney, a 3-card monty dealer.
Trouble begins when they inadvertantly step into some other street vendor's territory. A cop, played by Bruce MacVittie, tries to stop it, when Jack casually picks up one of his "valuable" paintings and wacks the cop over the head. (Bruce also appeared with Noelle on stage in Veins and Thumbtacks). They therefore decide to hightail it to Palm Beach, Florida. That's literally the set-up. Why they are called "whoopee boys" is never explained, though we will hear Rodriguez talk/sing "Makin' Whoopee" over the closing credits. Since "whoopee" (in that song) is slang for "sex", I guess they can be thought of as the "sex boys". Most of the time, however, they seem more concerned with "scams".
As they flee, the credits roll, and they encounter Noelle and her friend. Come to think of it, their fling with her constitutes the only known instance of free-wheeling "Whoopee" in this film, which means therefore that her brief appearance is, in fact, crucial to the central theme! So there! Take that, film editor! You missed the whole point of the movie!!
They quickly find themselves at a mansion, crashing the first of many parties held by the Sternhills. These are unusually ornate for this kind of film, with lots of extras milling about in the background. I guess the filmmakers had gotten access to some of the swankier houses of Palm Beach during the off-season. (Production designer Charles Rosen had also worked on "Taxi Driver", "Flashdance", and more recently, "Private Parts".)
Jack meets up with Shelley Sternhill (Elizabeth Arlen, most recently in "In the Company of Spies"), the daughter, who seems to take an instance liking to Jack, and invites him and Barney to stay.
The boys have a look around their new digs.
It turns out, Shelley must get married soon, by a man her strict father deems acceptable, or she will lose her inheritance, and therefore, the school for orphans (or whatever it is), she has set up on the grounds. She is so desperate, she is willing to marry a wealthy socialite jerk, who keeps showing up in the distance and acting offensive (I don't recall ever getting a close look at him in this film).
Jack decides he must become "acceptable" (whatever that is), and gets Barney to accompany him to a charm school, located in the middle of the Everglades (!). There they are welcomed by the school's butler, who's very name (in the Comedy Central version I saw) was bleeped out by the censors.
The school is run by Mrs. and Colonel Phelps (played wonderfully by Denholm Elliot, the butler in "Trading Places"), and the students are an assortment of hopeless cases, who show no progress whatsoever during the course of instruction (including Eddie Deezen, of "Wargames" fame, seen above). Even simple table manners are beyond the group's comprehension.
Sensing a dead end, the boys start tailing the colonel on his mysterious jaunts into town (which is somewhat confusing: how come they can do that on a motorcycle, when before we saw them arriving by boat?). The colonel spots them, and reveals his true identity as a card-carrying member of the Bavarian Illuminati, the group responsible for controlling the world. He takes a liking to the boys, and decides to take them under his wing. No, not to show them how to control the world, but more useful things, like how to scam free meals at restaurants and where to purchase Harvard ties.
Meanwhile, the obnoxious fiancé continues to put the pressure on, while Shelley pleads with her father (Dan O'Herlihy, of Halloween 3 fame, also excellent here), while the rain pours down (It really was filmed in Florida!). Graduating from school, the boys show up at the humble abode of fellow charm school alumnist and devout buddhist, Roy Raja, for help in crashing yet another party!
One of Roy's friends is actually 1986 Playboy Playmate Ava Fabian! (She also played Roxy Carmichael in "Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael")
In the mornin', in the evenin', ain't we got fun? The evil fiancé continues to aggravate!
Newly illuminated Jack makes a big impression at Shelley's pre-wedding party. He is challenged by the fiancé to compete in varous forms of aristocratic competition, in which Jack must prevail, to impress Shelley's father.
I can't think of a better spot to learn how to duel (except for there...and there...oh, and there, too!)
Jack finds unsubtle ways to win at skeet-shooting.
Another party! (And like "Barry Lyndon", this too was filmed by natural candlelight! Only kidding) Tipper, friend of the fiancé, is played by Greg Germann (Richard Fish of "Ally McBeal" As a mental exercise, try to imagine the entire cast of "Ally" wearing similar outfits. Easier than you thought, eh?).
That's Dan O'Herlihy in the Santa suit. No matter what the dress code is, he always wears the same hat. (If it ain't broke, don't fix it!)
The Boys are faced with the ultimate aristocratic challenge: they must compete in a game of "Cross Court", which, according to the Colonel, is the most intricate and arcane team sport ever devised, dating back to the middle ages. (As described, it sounds real enough to be true!).
Even the goal post had to watch the dailies.
Fortunately, a game that obscure means no one could really be all that good at it, apparently!
Nothing signifies a happy ending more than a wedding in a nice, cozy gothic church!
A few more cameos: Jack Nitsche, who composed the music for this film (as well as for "Officer and a Gentleman", "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", and "The Exorcist"). On the right, is Ralf D. Bode, the cinematographer (also did "Saturday Night Fever", "Dressed to Kill", and "The Accused") who, inexplicably does not appear in this film, but makes a cameo in "Critical Condition", for which he did not otherwise participate. Why? Why??
I believe I've only just scratched the surface of this movie...
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