Bobbie Warren is an up and coming Las Vegas nightclub singer with ties to the mob which land her in jail until she agrees to testify. After some harrowing experiences in the clink, she buys her way out by saying she'll squeal and is remanded into the custody of cops Clint Morgan and O.W. Thurston. They keep her in a casino hotel while she waits to see the D.A. Ostensibly a comedy/thriller, the plot mostly revolves around Bobbie falling in love with Clint while still holding out some hope of escaping the cops' clutches and returning to her boyfriends' arms. Too bad he's already plotting to have her rubbed out. Gangster's girlfriend hangs out in a Las Vegas hotel with her cop protectors while she waits to testify. Okay, this isn't the best flick in the world, but Pia Zadora, and the Vegas scenery, in and out, help jazz it up. Zadora, plays Bobbi, a nightclub singer (again, is she acting here?), the girlfriend of a mobster she won't testify against. She's thrown in the clink. A near sexual experience with a tough hottie in a shower, forces her into a plea, as Zadora's not that sort of girl. She's taken under protection by Nevada cops, Savalas, perfect, minus a lollipop, and younger cop, Desi Arnez Jnr-yes "I love Lucy/Here's Lucy", who she develops an attraction for. Arnez Jnr is a kind of an uptight youngie who Zadora loosens up, especially in the motel room. She even plays a couple of the machines down in the lobby, a tradition in Vegas, where if you hold back on ever playing a machine here, you have amazing self control, something our beauty doesn't have, although she is a hot watch. The mob of course are getting restless and paranoid so you know, they're out to put a hit on our hottie, who does try to escape the clutches of her protector, who's so nicey nice, it's becomes slightly irritating. Unlike him, hardened detective Savalas sees right through her. Fake Out is somewhat strangely entertaining, that could of had better detail to story, but we have action, glittering lights, a little sex, and Pia's acting that is a good laugh. Her no acting is like watching Marilyn Chambers. What we do have in a fun performance is Larry Storch as a bumbling mob guy, who makes himself popular, by knocking the wheel of his car, against a machine while it's side up. And the machine rewards this certain player in spades. Not something you see everyday in movie. Love Pia's performed song at the start. Yeah… really loved it? Sweet and naive, yet sassy and sexy Las Vegas casino lounge singer Bobbie Warren (the adorably diminutive and dynamic Pia Zadora) gets incarcerated at a brutal women's penitentiary after refusing to testify in court against her mobster boyfriend. The little songbird quickly changes her tune after she's assaulted in the shower by several vicious predatory lesbians. Bobbie is put in the protective custody of cranky senior cop Lt. Thurston (a marvelously sardonic Telly Savalas) and his cute eager beaver younger partner Clint Morgan (an engaging performance by Desi Arnaz Jr.). Meanwhile, two assassins try to bump Bobbie off.<br/><br/>Directed with considerable go-for-it flair by Matt ("The Witch Who Came from the Sea") Cimber (who also plays one of the hit-men), with a sprightly, jazzy score by Arthur B. Rubenstein, several thrilling action scenes (a wild stunt involving a car racing through the lobby of a packed casino is the definite exciting highlight), garish, gleaming, lively cinematography by Eddy van der Emden, a snappy pace that rarely lets up, and enthusiastic acting from a bang-up cast, "Fake-Out" really delivers the infectiously silly and entertaining goods. Popping up in nifty supporting parts are Larry Storch as an obnoxiously slick sleazeball talent agent, George "Buck" Flower as an undercover policeman posing as a drunken cowboy gambler, and co-screenwriter John Goff in a funny bit as a gay man who hits on Savalas. Best of all, Pia Zadora positively lights up the screen with her endearingly perky and radiant presence: Whether she's heartily belting out a catchy song on stage during the opening credits or leading the tough lady prison inmates in a hilariously bawdy Jane Fonda-style work-out aerobic exercise session, the divine Ms. Z brings a charm, energy and bubbly good nature to her juicy starring role that's an absolute joy to watch.
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