Movie review: ‘Romancing the Stone’ and ‘The Jewel of the Nile’

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“Rollicking” is a fun word and its definition is “exuberantly lively and amusing.” It is the perfect word for a pair of 1980s films that paired Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner and, frankly, we just don’t see as much “rollicking” in films today as actual characters and storytelling get smothered by CGI and superheroes. “Romancing the Stone” came first in March 1984 and then “The Jewel of the Nile” arrived just over a year-and-a-half later in 1985. While it’s no surprise that the original is best, both are fun, watchable and worth your time. I recently caught both back-to-back on a movie network. You should, too!

‘Romancing the Stone’
(1984; 106 minutes; rated PG; directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito)
‘The Jewel of the Nile’
(1985; 106 minutes; rated PG; directed by Lewis Teague and starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito)

THE ‘STONE’ IS A JEWEL; THE ‘JEWEL’ IS NOT A STONE

The thing I like most about the 1980s flicks “Romancing the Stone” and its sequel “The Jewel of the Nile” is that they are so much fun to watch, yet also have some depth – although you might not have that as an impression of either film. Both do, but the original is the far superior motion picture.

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Further, both movies would today to categorized as “sexist” with the “smart” but “weak” woman having most of the “tough stuff” handled by the “macho” guy. Well, I hate to tell the PC police, but these are two MOVIES. They’re not each a philosophical treatise about the human condition. So, grab both “Stone” and “Jewel” on DVD (or record on your DVR) and sit back and enjoy … don’t ruin a pair of rollickingly fun films by making them more than they are – adventure flicks.

In case you didn’t know, “Stone” is the original and introduces both “Jack T. Colton,” played by Michael Douglas, and “Joan Wilder,” played by Kathleen Turner. Both were A-list stars and the adventure movie was never out of style – especially when done this well.

In the first, Douglas, an American ex-pat who’s a bit on the shady side, helps best-selling novelist Turner as she tries desperately to aid her sister in Colombia. The sister has been kidnapped because of a treasure map that leads to the “Stone.” Of course, Douglas winds up lusting after both: Turner and the huge emerald to which Turner’s map will lead. You’re supposed to guess which one he desires most.

In the sequel, they’re together but, while he’s living the dream, she’s looking for more and goes off separately on her own adventure. Then, the “jewel” pops up and … well, let it be a surprise if you haven’t seen it (if you have, you don’t need me to tell you). Again and of course, she gets in trouble and he’s still her guy and who comes to save the day (sorry, PC police, but that’s the story).

Forcing his way along for the ride in both films is Danny DeVito as “Ralph,” who is a seedy, profane lowlife aggravated by life in general and specifically his circumstance of the moment. DeVito actually does the best job of the trio of headliners, but certainly isn’t the eye-candy or action figure cut by both Douglas and Turner.

Now, let’s look at the headliners …

  • A two-time Oscar winner (not for this one), Douglas is the perfect casting choice to be “Jack.” He does this one with great off-handedness and projects but doesn’t ultimately take what he projects as a casual insouciance about responsibility. Douglas fits and executes the role perfectly. He won his Oscars for “Wall Street” (acting) and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (best film co-producer) and is a four-time Golden Globe winner and six-time nominee for everything from his films to his early signature role on TV’s “The Streets of San Francisco.” Strangely enough, although you might believe you’ve seen Douglas just about all the time in movies, he only has notched 63 acting credits to near midway of 2019 since the first in 1968. I liked him, too, in the little-remembered “Star Chamber” that came out the year before “Stone.”
  • An Oscar nominee (not for this one), Turner, like Douglas, is also perfectly cast and won a Golden Globe for this one. The character was open to a variety of interpretations by different women and it is Turner put her stamp and so defined “Joan Wilder.” While not a lover of action, Turner knows how to project the inner strength and resourcefulness necessary for “Joan.” She was nominated for “Peggy Sue Got Married” and won another Globe for “Prizzi’s Honor” (click here for my review) and was nominated for three others including “Body Heat.” Turner reunited with Douglas and DeVito for the dark, poisonous marital drama “The War of the Roses.” “Stone” was Turner’s third film after “Body Heat” and her hilarious work in the comedy romp “The Man with Two Brains” with Steve Martin.
  • An Oscar nominee (not for this one), DeVito just stumbles around this one spouting angry denunciations about everyone and everything. He’s a total hoot to watch as he pinballs from one scene to the next. DeVito knows just how to play this nasty little character, just as he did for “Ruthless People” (click here for my review). Frankly, each film would have been OK without him, but he’s the sparkplug for intermittent energy in any of his scenes. DeVito was nominated as co-producer of “Erin Brokovich” and you’ll remember him from a variety of roles from “Throw Momma from the Train” to his Golden Globe-winning work on TV’s “Taxi” (and he got three Globe nominations for it, too). Unlike Douglas, is DeVito is bit more prolific in his work (he has more than twice Douglas’ credits in two fewer years in Hollywood) and I liked him in a small role in “Head Office” (click here for my review).

Next, let’s look at the two bad guys and the two supporting actors who support Douglas and Turner. Or should I write, Turner and Douglas?

  • In the original, Manuel Ojeda plays “Zolo,” who is the bad guy who is a colonel in the army as well as an official in the government’s secret police. He’s out to get Turner’s map to find claim the emerald for himself and, as with most bad guys in an adventure flick, he gets comeuppance at the end. Ojeda does a solid job at being threatening in a role that has adequate screen time, but little room to make it truly memorable – a peak he wasn’t able to reach. He is a prolific performer with more than 250 credits since the first in 1974, but you haven’t heard about 249 of them.
  • Spyros Focas, who used the spelling Spiros Focás in credits for “Jewel,” plays “Omar Khalifa.” He’s the bad guy trying use a “jewel” to expand his grip over northern Africa from his dictatorial kingdom. Like Ojeda, he does a solid but not memorable job. I guess you could have cut him completely and not missed much in the film. Focas was also in “Rambo III.”
  • In the most rollicking supporting role of either film, Alfonso Arau plays “Juan” and he helps Douglas and Turner (Turner and Douglas?) escape from “Zolo” at one point. Arau has a lot of fun in his very short time on screen – his character is infatuated with “Joan Wilder’s” novels – and he does a great job as “Juan” and his character should have been elevated to give him more room to make the character even more memorable. Arau has been in “Three Amigos” and did an episode on TV’s iconic “Miami Vice.”
  • A Primetime Emmy winner and five-time nominee, Holland Taylor plays Turner’s book editor “Gloria.” It’s not a big role in “Stone” or the sequel, but a bar scene in the original where she evaluates men is a foreshadowing of her critical nature as the sharp-tongued mother “Evelyn Harper” on TV’s “Two and Half Men.” Taylor has just a tiny role in both films, but knocks each one off with aplomb. Taylor received four of her nominations for “Men” and got her win and a nomination for “The Practice.” On the film side, Taylor was in “Legally Blonde,” but I also liked her in a couple of guest appearances on TV’s “Monk.”

Last, let’s look at the directors …

  • An Oscar winner and nominee (not for this one), Robert Zemeckis directed “Stone” and is certainly the superior over his peer who did the second. Zemeckis dealt out a great film in “Stone,” putting together what most other directors could not accomplish. Zemeckis would go on to direct (and win an Oscar) for the overrated “Forrest Gump” nearly a decade later and had the No. 1 film the year after “Stone” and the year of “Jewel” and it was “Back to the Future.”
  • Lewis Teague was at the helm for “Jewel” and I’m not sure the failings of the film can be laid at his doorstep. So, I’m not going to judge him too harshly because working with an inferior idea and subsequently a lesser screenplay and making something watchable is actually an accomplishment. Teague did two adaptations of Stephen King titles – “Cat’s Eye” and “Cujo” – before making “Jewel” and has had a basically vanilla list of titles since.

As one might expect, the original is best. It has a much better story line and sets up much better for the action-adventure. As a sequel, “Jewel” suffers from having to have the same heroes but doing different (but somehow the same) stuff. So, blame the poor screenplay on a bit of a lack of creativity that was handcuffed by having to stay in tune with the original.

Ah, well, there are a lot of sequels much worse than “Jewel” and you can actually watch it without wishing you hadn’t taken the time.

“Stone” was the eighth-ranked film at U.S. theaters in 1984 with $76.5 million in ticket sales, according to Box Office Mojo. The number one film was “Beverly Hills Cop” with $234.7 million while “Ghostbusters” with $229.2 million was number two. Here are the other films from 1984 that I’ve reviewed for my blog:

Oddly enough, “Jewel” ranked higher (seventh) in 1985 than the original ranked the year before, but took in less at theaters ($75.9 million), according to Box Office Mojo. The number one film of 1985 was Zemeckis’ “Back to the Future” with $210.6 million. “Rambo: First Blood Part II” came in second with $150.4 million. Here are the films from 1985 that I’ve reviewed:

Assorted cast and film notes (via IMDb.com from “Stone” and “Jewel” pages):

  • Some described “Stone” as a rip-off of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” but others note that the original draft of the screenplay was written before “Raiders.”
  • For “Stone,” the location shoots were done in Mexico because studio brass was concerned about the potential for kidnappings of the cast and crew in Colombia.
  • Directly from IMDb.com: “Studio executives were so sure that it (“Stone”) would flop that Robert Zemeckis was pre-emptively fired from directing Cocoon (1985). It turned out to be such a success that Zemeckis was able to go forward on his own project, Back to the Future (1985).”
  • A third film, reportedly titled “The Crimson Eagle,” was considered, but never developed Also, “Jewel” was the first movie on RCA’s CED VideoDisc format.
  • Focas’ voice in the film is dubbed.
  • Clint Eastwood and Jack Nicholson were considered for the role given to Douglas. However, with their respective ages at 54 and 46, I’d say they were too old (although Nicholson was pretty close to Douglas, would turn 40 after “Stone’s” release). However, Christopher Reeve reportedly was considered and he was 31 at the time of the film’s release.
  • Finally and directly from IMDb.com: “The end title song (to “Jewel”) is Billy Ocean‘s ‘When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going.’ In the music video for the song, stars Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito lipsync and dance as doo-wop backup singers. Because the three stars were not members of the Musicians Union, the video was banned in the UK. Despite this handicap, the song would be Ocean’s first #1 UK hit.”

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