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[[quoteright:177:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/HighStakesExcerpt_5643.JPG]]

''High Stakes'' is a 1986 BlackComedy in the style of a Noir detective story, shot on location in Vancouver, Canada.

The story is told by our hero, [[MrImagination Bo Baker]] (played by Dave Foley in his film debut) - a gawky, endlessly optimistic day-dreamer who sees himself as the star in his very own FilmNoir story. Abandoned by his parents, Bo is raised by his [[EvilUncle abusive uncle]], who bitterly gives Bo a job at his news station. This is not out of nepotism, but merely so Uncle Bill can have somebody to kick around when he's not popping pills or drinking.

Bo sneaks into an illegal casino with a camera, hoping for the scoop that will lead to the stardom he experiences in his many fantasies. He gets caught and winds up dodging bullets from TheMafia. With leads to a hidden stash of NaziGold on the nearby Von Reich estate, Bo risks his life to find the story. He's aided by the MafiaPrincess Terry and journalist Eric Roberts, who has recently gone missing.

The action is interspersed with Bo's DeliberatelyMonochrome {{Fantasy Sequence}}s, in which he is the star ace reporter, with all the power, all the influence and all the know-how. Complete with the PrivateEyeMonologue, FedoraOfAsskicking (well, a Homburg) and BadassLongcoat.

It is [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes not an easy movie to find]], given its common title, Foley himself seeing the movie as an OldShame, and having not seen a full release since its VHS issue by the long-defunct Cinema Group. Even its sparse IMDB page mistakenly describes Bo working at his uncle's "detective agency", instead of ''news station''.

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!!''High Stakes'' features the following Tropes:

* AbusiveParents: Bo's EvilUncle Bill is ''horrible'' to Bo, and yet Bo loves him eternally. None of this loyalty is ever returned.
* AccidentalPun:
-->'''Bo:''' Damn! Shoot! [''He kicks a cannon, which goes off.'']
%%* ActionFashionista: Terry.
%%* ActionGirl: Terry.
* TheAlcoholic: Uncle Bill, who is also clearly addicted to painkillers and tranquillisers as well.
* TheAllegedCar: Bo's denim-blue VW Bug, which spews white smoke on a regular basis. Counts as StylisticSuck, because it somehow just ''looks cool.''
-->'''Bo:''' It's a good car. You get used to it. It grows on you.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Subverted by Terry. She starts out as the mistress of a gangster, and Bo assumes this is the type of guy she will always want. In the end though, she tells Bo that he is the most exciting man she's ever met. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] - they did just escape after being LockedInTheDungeon with a TimeBomb and [[spoiler: Hitler's personal diary.]]
* AlliterativeName: Bo Baker.
* AngryGuardDog: Lots of them on the Von Reich estate.
%%* BadassInANiceSuit: Dorian Krueger.
* BadassLongcoat: Bo sports one, fitting into his FilmNoir {{Fantasy Sequence}}s nicely.
* BadLiar: As Bo is sneaking about, clad in black with a balaklava, he is eyed suspiciously by a couple walking their dog.
-->'''Bo:''' I've been skiing. No big deal. Just skiing.
%%* BadGuysPlayPool: Doubles as ChekhovsGun.
%%* BaldOfEvil: Uncle Bill.
* {{Bathos}}:
-->'''Bo:''' Dammit, she's dead again!
* BattleBallgown: Terry gets out of torture in one.
* BavarianFireDrill: Bo attempts one by trying to casually walk past security into Valenta's casino. When they stop him, he acts outraged and exclaims he's important and shouldn't be treated this way. Then he says he has an important message for Valenta. Valenta comes out, and Bo, out of ideas, sings "Happy Birthday" before sinking to his knees and begging, "Please don't kill me."
%%* BigBad: First, Frank Valenta, then succeeded by Dorian Krueger.
* BigDamnHeroes: Bo dreams of this happening in one of his {{Fantasy Sequence}}s.
%%* BigFancyHouse: The Von Reich estate.
%%* BlackComedy
%%* BlatantBurglar: See BadLiar, above.
* BlatantLies:
-->'''Bo [narrating]:''' Over the years my cuteness faded.
* BlindMistake: Bo, spying through the window of Von Reich's estate, thinks he's been spotted by the blind Hop Sing. Bo doesn't realise Hop Sing is blind, and mouths through the glass, [[TheGlovesComeOff "You... and me."]]
* BoundAndGagged: Uncle Bill, after getting kidnapped.
* TheButcher: Von Reich, "The Red Butcher of Poland".
* ButtMonkey: Bo is always getting injured, and always carries on after each injury [[HowMuchMoreCanHeTake with as much perkiness he can muster]].
* CarBomb: Bo expects one, diving out of his car as soon as he starts the ignition. [[AvertedTrope But the radio just comes on.]]
* ChekhovsGun: The pool table, which turns out to be the secret entrance to the [[NaziGold old underground Nazi lair]].
%%* TheChewToy: Bo.
* ClassyCravat: On the Von Reich estate, the guy with the BigOlEyebrows wears one of these.
* CloudCuckoolander: Bo always plays the starring role... in his luscious imagination.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Terry narrowly gets out of this.
* ComedicSociopathy: The way Uncle Bill treats Bo is PlayedForLaughs.
* CommieNazis: Not explicit, but implied with Von Reich's nickname of "The [[RedScare Red]] [[TheButcher Butcher]] of Poland".
* CoolAirship: If you get past the fact that it's a Nazi airship, it's still an airship, and, AsYouKnow, all airships are inherently cool.
* CoolShades: Hop Sing, the [[TwoferTokenMinority "blind Oriental gentleman"]].
* [[CuteClumsyGirl Cute Clumsy Boy]]: Bo is always falling down, and it's so precious.
* DarkReprise: The opening and closing theme gets a DarkReprise during some of the more sombre scenes.
%%* DashinglyDapperDerby
* DeadpanSnarker: Bo, in his fantasies, where he always has the right line at the right time.
* DeliberatelyMonochrome: Bo's FilmNoir {{Fantasy Sequence}}s.
%%* DevilInPlainSight: Uncle Bill.
* TheDoorSlamsYou: In the dungeon, the giant, ornate Nazi door that leads to the treasure is chock with nasty {{Booby Trap}}s, the first being the middle that swipes out. Luckily for Bo, [[TheKlutz he drops the key]] and is crouched on the ground when this happens.
%%* TheDragon: Dorian Kruger.
%%* DragonAscendant
* DramaticShattering: Bo tries to sneak into Eric Roberts's apartment, but smashes through the skylight. Then proceeds to smash more and more as he stumbles through the apartment.
%%* DramaticUnmask
* DrowningMySorrows: After Bo's uncle loses the station to Reverend Willis, Bo gets very drunk. Obviously prompted by his EvilUncle, who offers Bo some [[SarcasmMode helpful]] advice:
-->'''Uncle Bill:''' You know what the secret of life is? Pills. And martinis.
%%* DutchAngle
* TheEighties: Like most FilmsOfThe1980s, it shows, [[{{Irony}} especially in the music]].
%%* EvilLaugh: Uncle Bill.
%%* EvilUncle: Uncle Bill.
%%* FakingTheDead: More than once.
* FantasySequence: Bo likes to see himself as the star of his own FilmNoir detetive story. His fantasies are as much fun for the audience as they are for Bo.
%%* FedoraOfAsskicking
* FilmNoir: All of Bo's {{Fantasy Sequence}}s.
* GilliganCut: A few of these, especially at the beginning.
* GroinAttack:
-->'''Bo [narrating]:''' Luckily, I blocked her kick with my balls.
* HardboiledDetective: It's what Bo's dreams are all about...
* HeelFaceRevolvingDoor: Terry. It's hard to pinpoint what side she's on for a long time.
* HopeSpot: Uncle Bill finally invites Bo into the secret innermost core of the news station, an affair clandestine and shrouded in mystery. What will Bo be doing in the heart of the inner sanctum? [[spoiler: Shining his uncle's shoes, naturally.]]
%%* IHaveYourWife
* ImagineSpot: So very many of them, all in FilmNoir style with a PrivateEyeMonologue, Homburg, BadassLongCoat and a pinch of BrooklynRage for seasoning.
%%* TheIngenue: Bo Baker, naturally.
%%* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Terry.
* JustFollowingOrders: When Terry tells Bo she's working for Von Reich, Bo exclaims, "The man's a war criminal!" Terry replies with this trope, almost word for word.
* {{Keet}}: Bo has such a quixotic zeal for life. It's also noteworthy that many of Dave Foley's roles have been {{Keet}}s. Witness ''Series/TheKidsInTheHall'', for instance.
* TheKlutz: Bo can admit this himself.
* KubrickStare: Bo employs one a couple of times.
* LaserGuidedKarma:
-->'''Uncle Bill:''' My leg is broken and I'm in terrible pain.
-->'''Bo:''' Well, you better stay here, then!
* LatexPerfection: [[spoiler: Eric Roberts]] wears a flawless mask to pass as [[spoiler: Von Reich.]]
%%* LetsGetDangerous
%%* LockedInTheDungeon
* {{MacGuffin}}: A treasure chest of NaziGold, hidden in the bowels of the earth beneath the Von Reich estate.
* TheMafia: Bo sneaks into Frank Valenta's illegal casino in the hopes of a good story. He ends up dodging bullets.
%%* MafiaPrincess: Terry starts out like this.
* MagicCountdown: On a TimeBomb in the underground lair.
* MaleGaze: While Bo is filming the craps table at Frank Valenta's illegal casino, he can't help but focus the shot on Terry's exposed cleavage, right as she happens to be bouncing on her toes in an excitable state...
* MeaningfulName: Bo likes to see himself as the star of a Noir story - just like Humphrey Bogart.
%%* MrImagination: Guess who?
* NaziGold: [[MacGuffin What everybody's after]] - except, of course, for Bo, who is after what he hopes will be his star-making story.
* {{Nepotism}}: Subverted - whilst Bo's unlce does give Bo a job at the station, he hates Bo and abuses him in every way imaginable (including shooting him with a crossbow). As aforementioned, Bo is endlessly loyal and grateful for the opportunity.
* NiceGuy: Bo is as sweet as can be. All he wants is to achieve his dream of being an ace reporter, and enjoy his fantasies along the way. When it comes to the abuse his EvilUncle dumps on him, Bo borders on being an ExtremeDoormat. Something of TruthInTelevision, as many people do love family members even when they are abusive.
* OlderThanHeLooks: Bo, which is to be expected, as he's played by Dave Foley.
* ParentalAbandonment: Bo's parents ditched him with his Uncle Bill as a baby.
* ParkingProblems: Bo's car runs down the hill. He chases it, latches onto the side and dives in the window to grab the brake. Further, he has 400+ parking tickets.
* PetTheDog: Subverted. When Uncle Bill loses the station to the Faith Healer Reverend Willis, Bo goes to comfort him. We expect Bill to say something nice, but instead he says what is quoted above under DrowningMySorrows.
* ThePollyanna: Bo has a way of focusing on the sunny side of things.
* PowerFantasy: In a dark mood, Bo dreams of exacting his revenge on Dorian.
* PreacherMan: Reverend Willis, who ends up usurping the station from Uncle Bill.
%%* PrivateEyeMonologue
* SafeDrivingAesop: Bo indulges in a fantasy whilst driving, and ends up crashing his car.
* ShoutOut: The signature ''Film/JamesBond'' theme is riffed as Bo attempts to sneak into Eric Roberts's apartment.
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: Bo is way on the Idealistic side, and his Uncle Bill plays {{Foil}} on the opposite end of the spectrum.
* SoftGlass: After falling through the skylight, Bo ''is hurt'', but more from the fall than the glass.
* StuffBlowingUp: Terry's car, an underground lair and a Nazi [[CoolAirship Airship]].
%%* {{Subject101}}: Related to SuddenlyAlwaysKnewThat.
* SuddenlyAlwaysKnewThat: At the very end, we find out that [[spoiler: Bo understands German.]]
* SuicideAsComedy: When Bo is in jail, his uncle hands him a noose through the bars.
-->'''Uncle Bill:''' Jail can be tough. I want you to have this.
-->'''Bo:''' Thank you, sir...
%%* ThoseWackyNazis
%%* TimeBomb
%%* TwoferTokenMinority: Hop Sing.
* VomitDiscretionShot: Bo does not do well on boats, and returns his nausea to the sea off-camera.
-->'''Bo:''' I wouldn't go swimming for a couple of days...
* WishFulfillment: InUniverse, Bo's fantasies serve as this.
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