I suppose saying that the end of this movie is great gives something away. Then again you don't know what that is so maybe not.

The plot of this film has Kirk Douglas dying as all of his relatives try to curry favor and get left his fortune. When every trick in the book fails they call in Michael J Fox as his long lost favorite nephew. Fox is now a down on his luck pro-bowler desperate for the cash the family promises him.

Some of what follows is sit-com material, some is highly inspired. The good part of it is that almost all of it is funny.

Certainly the film as a whole is not the best thing down the pike, but it has its moments, all of which make this film worth seeing.

Uncle Joe (Kirk Douglas) is an aging grumpy wealthy eccentric. His nieces and nephews are desperate to be on his good side while stabbing each other in the back. Carl (Ed Begley Jr.) and Nora McTeague (Mary Ellen Trainor) brought their two kids. Patti (Colleen Camp) and Ed (Bob Balaban) have two daughters Jolene and Joette. Glen (Jere Burns) and Muriel are getting separated. Frank (Phil Hartman) has a bratty son and a drunken wife Tina. Then Molly Richardson (Olivia d'Abo) shows up as his live-in 'nurse' and threatens everything. Danny McTeague Jr (Michael J. Fox) is a struggling bowler sleeping with the program producer Robin Hunter (Nancy Travis). His father hated uncle Joe's greedy ways and took his family away. The rest of the family is now so desperate that they try to reclaim the high ground by returning the long lost nephew and his family. Danny liked Uncle Joe as a kid and decides to go back to borrow money for a bowling alley.

There are just so many unlikeable characters. On the other hand, I like Kirk Douglas and Michael J. Fox together. If they could reduce the number of relatives, this may work better. The bickering relatives are funny for a little while but it wears pretty thin. It would also concentrate the villain of the play. When Danny starts to turn, he loses some of the sympathies. He just walks a little too far over the line. Also he needs to save himself without his daddy coming to the rescue. If Danny isn't so desperate in some of the scenes, it would be better for the movie.

Over the opening credits, Jimmy Durante sings his signature song "Inka Dinka Doo" (a hit in 1934, but the version here is from later). Before the actual movie begins, it might have been nice to include the few seconds where Mr. Durante "kicks the bucket" from the opening of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963),if the rights could be obtained. The Durante film clip is included so those unfamiliar with the entertainer will know who boyish Michael J. Fox (as Daniel "Danny" McTeague) imitates to please his wealthy uncle Kirk Douglas (as Joe McTeague). All of Mr. Douglas' greedy relatives expect him to "buy the farm" at any moment...

Mr. Fox has a touch of arthritis in his wrist and must give up his career as a professional bowler. He wants to marry girlfriend Nancy Travis (as Robin Hunter) and needs $300,000 to invest in a bowling center. Fox is in great shape and shows a generous amount of skin, including a buttocks close-up. Keeping her bikini on and showing less flesh is curvy Olivia d'Abo (as Molly Richardson),a main competitor for the "McTeague" millions. Douglas says the sexy blonde arrived as a pizza delivery girl and moved in as nurse...

Supporting cast cousins Phil Hartman (as Frank),Ed Begley Jr. (as Carl),Jere Burns (as Glen) and Colleen Camp (as Patti) also want the fortune. The film starts out amusingly vulgar and loses its grip on comedy to become a fairly predictable series of plot twists; there are enough to insure at least one will be a surprise. The final twist startles because it doesn't fit the story.

**** Greedy (3/4/94) Jonathan Lynn ~ Michael J. Fox, Kirk Douglas, Nancy Travis, Olivia D'Abo