The Curse of the Jade Scorpion is a 2001 crime comedy film written and directed by and starring Woody Allen.

The cast also features Dan Aykroyd, Helen Hunt, Brian Markinson, Wallace Shawn, David Ogden Stiers, and Charlize Theron.

The plot concerns an insurance investigator (Allen) and an efficiency expert (Hunt) who are both hypnotized by a crooked hypnotist (Stiers) into stealing jewels.

In 1940 New York City, efficiency expert Betty Ann Fitzgerald is secretly sleeping with her boss, Chris Magruder, who promises her that they will pursue their relationship in public once he finalizes his divorce with his wife.

During a dinner at the Rainbow Room, stage magician Voltan calls on Betty Ann and her co-worker, insurance investigator C.W.

Using "Madagascar" and "Constantinople" on them, respectively, as trigger words to put them in a trance, the two are given the suggestion that they are newlyweds and in love before being reawakened.

receives a call from Voltan, who says "Constantinople" to put him in a trance and order him to steal jewels.

While sneaking into her house, he witnesses Chris telling her that he has reconciled with his wife and will not have a divorce.

is no longer available, Voltan calls Betty Ann, saying "Madagascar" to put her in a trance and steal for him.

His co-workers George Bond and Alvin "Al" eventually realize the initial hypnosis is the cause of the robberies.

The still-hypnotized Betty Ann expresses her love for C.W., who kisses her before erasing her memories of the event.

Betty Ann, who is now in an amorous state, tells Chris that she is staying and announces that she will marry C.W., confessing to C.W.

[5] In the United States and Canada, the film debuted at number 11 on its opening weekend, grossing $2.4 million from 903 theaters.

The website's critics consensus reads, "The writing for Scorpion is not as sharp as Woody Allen's previous movies as most of the jokes fall flat.

However, in the ten years since its release, it is beginning to enjoy a new generation of cult status comedic recognition.

Hunt in particular has fun with a wisecracking dame role that owes something, perhaps, to Rosalind Russell in His Girl Friday.