''Off and Running'' is a 1991 American

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

mystery film A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means of clues, i ...

starring singer and actress

Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...

, David Keith and directed by Edward Bianchi.

Plot

Lauper stars as a

mermaid In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and Africa. Mermaids are sometimes ass ...

-themed

lounge singer Lounge music is a type of easy listening music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It may be meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place, usually with a tranquil theme, such as a jungle, an island paradise or outer space. The rang ...

who gets involved with a caring but troubled man played by Jose Perez. Because of his involvement with horse racing and breeding (and consequent

mafia "Mafia" is an informal term that is used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the original “Mafia”, the Sicilian Mafia and Italian Mafia. The central activity of such an organization would be the arbitration of d ...

ties), the man is murdered in front of her, and she goes on the lam to escape his killers. On the way, she takes on the company of a professional golfer and a rebellious pre-teen boy, and together they attempt to unravel the mystery behind her slain lover's past.

Cast

as Cyd Morse * David Keith as Jack Cornett * Johnny Pinto as Pompey * David Thornton as Reese *

Richard Belzer Richard Jay Belzer (born August 4, 1944) is a retired American actor, stand-up comedian, and author. He is best known for his role as BPD Detective, NYPD Detective/Sergeant, and DA Investigator John Munch, whom he has portrayed as a regular cas ...

as Milt Zoloth * José Pérez as J.W. (Woody) Vilela *

Anita Morris Anita Rose Morris (March 14, 1943 – March 2, 1994) was an American actress, singer and dancer. She began her career performing in Broadway musicals, including ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', ''Seesaw'' and ''Nine'', for which she received a Tony Awa ...

as Florence * Hazen Gifford as John K. Sasser *

Linda Hart Linda Hart (born July 5, 1950) is an American singer, musician, and actress, mainly appearing in musical theatre. Life and career Hart was born in Dallas, Texas, United States. As a child, Hart sang in her church choir; at age seven, she joine ...

as Gina Pompelli * Tracy Roberts as Patti * Dana Mark as April * Heather Davis as Loree * Sy Bondy as Norman *Tony Jones as Curtis Valentine *George Richards as Auctioneer *Steven Reibel as Bid Spotter *Mark Harris as Shriner *Daniel L. Tasciotti as Interviewer *Sydney Sandnes as Desk Clerk *Jodi Lyn Wilson as Hostess (as Jodi Wilson) *Gary Snow as Yuppie Father *Nancy Duerr as Yuppie Wife *Jonathan Dreyer as Yuppie Boy *Nelson Oramas as State Trooper *Joshua Spencer as Kid #1 *Kelly Scarberry as Little Girl *Tim Hawkins as Banjo Man *Harold Bergman as Sy *Mary Alvarez as Reporter *Jeff Rosenberg as Rich Playboy

Release

The film was not widely distributed and coasted into notability mainly because of Lauper's involvement. It is generally available on VHS for less than a dollar. The film fared far better in other countries where Lauper's popularity has sustained. In Germany and Japan it was released under the title ''Moon Over Miami''.

External links

* 1991 films 1991 comedy films 1990s comedy mystery films 1990s English-language films American comedy mystery films Films about singers Films directed by Ed Bianchi Films scored by Mason Daring Films shot in Florida Films shot in New York City Films shot in West Virginia Films with screenplays by Mitch Glazer Mafia films Orion Pictures films 1990s American films {{1990s-comedy-film-stub