I stumbled upon 'There Was a Crooked Man' during a late-night movie binge, and it instantly hooked me. The plot revolves around a slick con artist, Paris Pitman Jr., who pulls off a massive robbery and stashes the money in a prison. When he ends up incarcerated there, he manipulates everyone around him—including the overly righteous new inmate, Woodward Lopeman—to help him escape and recover the cash. The film's brilliance lies in its unpredictability; just when you think you know who to trust, someone double-crosses someone else.
It's not just a heist movie; it's a satire of greed and corruption. The prison setting amplifies the chaos, with each character representing a different shade of moral decay. Even the 'good guys' aren't really good. The climax is a masterclass in irony, leaving you questioning whether anyone deserved a happy ending. If you enjoy morally gray stories with a side of wit, this is a must-watch.
'There Was a Crooked Man' is one of those films that sticks with you because of its sheer audacity. Kirk Douglas plays Paris Pitman Jr., a charismatic criminal who hides stolen money in a prison—only to wind up there himself. The story becomes a game of cat and mouse as he schemes his way toward the loot, exploiting the prison's corrupt system and its inmates. Henry Fonda's character, Lopeman, serves as the foil—a man who believes in justice but gets tangled in Pitman's web. The film's tone balances humor and darkness perfectly, making it a standout in the Western genre. That final scene? Chilling and brilliant.
Man, 'There Was a Crooked Man' is such a wild ride! It's a 1970 Western comedy-crime film starring Kirk Douglas and Henry Fonda, and it's got this deliciously dark humor mixed with classic heist vibes. The story follows Paris Pitman Jr. (Douglas), a charming but utterly ruthless outlaw who steals half a million dollars and hides it in a remote Arizona prison. When he gets caught and sent to that very same prison, he teams up with a naive idealist (Fonda) to break out and reclaim his loot. But here's the kicker—everyone in this story is crooked in their own way, from the warden to the inmates, and the twists just keep coming.
What I love about this film is how it plays with morality. There's no clear hero; even Fonda's character has his flaws. The dialogue is sharp, the pacing is tight, and the ending? Oh, it's brutally perfect. If you're into films where no one is truly good and everyone's out for themselves, this one's a gem. Plus, Kirk Douglas is at his sleazy best—you can't help but root for him even though he's a total scoundrel.
2025-12-23 21:47:00
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BOOK 1: THE GENTLEMAN SERIES
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he thrusts, “and so fucking mine. You hear me? Mine! And you dare not think of leaving me ever again.”
He groans, his thrusts now hard and fast. “'Cause that's the last thing you'll do."
~~~
Moving to a new city for work after finding out her boyfriend has been cheating on her with a friend, Hannah decides to start afresh. But a fresh start comes with a cost, and if one is not careful, they might unknowingly end up sucking off a mafia lord, Christian Roman, who doesn’t take no for an answer and always goes for what he wants; In this case Hannah.
However, this fresh start doesn’t just come with a sexy green-eyed man, but also more truth about Hannah’s heritage, and a memorable lesson about love.
After falling for and marrying one of the most powerful billionaires in New York, Kylian Kincaid, Chloe believed her life was perfect. It truly seemed so until Kylian began to change. The loving man she had married was gone, replaced by a monster she couldn't recognize. Emma, her cousin, became the sole source of love remaining in her life.
Heartbroken, Chloe decided to divorce Kylian with the help and support of her dear cousin, Emma, as she attempted to rebuild her life. Little did she know the betrayal she would soon uncover and the horrific incident that would leave her scarred forever.
Unintentionally, Chloe caught the attention of another billionaire, Max West, who was even more influential than Kylian. He was used to getting whatever he desired. Max and Kylian had been rivals since high school.
What happens when Kylian discovers that his arch-enemy, Max, has fallen madly in love with his ex-wife, Chloe? Kylian swore to get her back from this overly possessive man willing to kill anyone who tried to take Chloe away from him. Chaos ensued as Chloe was torn between these two men while she sought swift revenge on the one woman who had initially ruined her marriage. Who was this mysterious woman?
The first thing I did after rebirth was follow my husband, Franklin Wallace, to the island for his military deployment.
In my previous life, as a spoiled rich heiress from a wealthy family, I looked down on Franklin, the commander my family had arranged for me to marry. We fought constantly, huge arguments every few days, small quarrels in between.
After having children, I grew to resent our two kids simply because they carried Franklin's blood.
Later, when Franklin was ordered to be stationed on the island, I was the first to stand up and object to going with him. Since I opposed it, Franklin did not force me. He took our two kids and his widowed sister-in-law, Elsie Faulkner, to the island instead.
Meanwhile, my spoiled and rebellious self could not wait to throw myself into the arms of my first love, Reuben Sandoval, once Franklin left.
However, it did not take long before I discovered Reuben was nothing but a gold-digging scumbag who only wanted my money and body. He gave me an STI and drained my family fortune completely.
When Franklin returned from the island with our children, they no longer recognized me as their mother and affectionately called Elsie "Mommy" instead. He even told me he had fallen in love with Elsie during their time together on the island.
Eventually, I ended up homeless on the streets and starved to death.
When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day Franklin was about to leave for his island deployment.
Druscilla Hayes thought heartbreak had a limit.
She was wrong.
On the night of her bachelorette party, she survives a shootout — and is rescued by a dangerously irresistible stranger with mismatched eyes and a criminal smile.
Ivanov Rodriguez is everything she shouldn’t want.
Everything her perfect fiance is not.
But when Druscilla discovers her fiancé’s betrayal, she runs straight into Ivanov’s arms — only to learn too late that she was never more than a pawn in his revenge.
Years later, she’s rebuilt her life, her heart, and her future.
Until fate drags her back into the orbit of the man who once ruined her.
This time, she has nothing left to lose.
Except the truth that could destroy them both
⚠️ WARNING:
This book contains immorality, forbidden desire, dangerous attraction, and morally questionable characters.
If you believe love should always be pure and choices should always be right…
This story is not for you.
Proceed only if you enjoy chaos, passion, and bad decisions.
Missing the last bus home shouldn’t have mattered.
For Daniel Rogers, however, it’s about to matter a lot more.
When Daniel is picked up by a stranger, Adrian Williams, while walking home one rainy night, he doesn’t think much of it. Polite, observant, and uncomfortably familiar, Adrian is a man Daniel can’t quite place.
It’s supposed to end there, of course.
But then Daniel meets Adrian again.
And then again.
Until Daniel realizes that these meetings aren’t quite so coincidental. Adrian doesn’t just see Daniel, Adrian understands Daniel. Too well, if you ask Daniel. As if Adrian knows Daniel’s deepest, darkest secrets, the ones Daniel keeps locked safely away from prying eyes.
Caught up despite himself, Daniel finds himself opening up to Adrian, feeling something he hasn’t felt in years: seen, understood, desired.
But Daniel can’t shake off the feeling that something is terribly wrong, that Adrian Williams, while not quite a stranger, is definitely not quite a friend.
Is Daniel to walk away from something he doesn’t fully understand, or risk everything for someone who makes him feel like he’s found home?
Some people don’t just show up by accident.
They show up to stay.
Sera Quinn had one job. Marry a dying man, keep her head down, and wait.
Nobody told her that Damien Voss did not die on anyone's schedule but his own.
She was twenty two years old when her stepfather sat her down at the kitchen table and explained her options. Her mother was sick. The bills were swallowing everything. And the most powerful billionaire in the country was lying unconscious in a private hospital ward with his family desperate enough to pay a small fortune to any woman willing to stand beside him at the altar. All Sera had to do was say yes.
She said yes. She had no other word left.
She moved into his mansion and tried to be invisible. She talked to him in the dark of his room every night because there was nobody else and because she was sure he could not hear her. She told him things she had never told anyone. She told him she was scared. She told him she was pregnant.
Then she overheard four words that changed everything and she ran before the sun came up.
Four years later she had rebuilt herself from nothing. A career. A spine. Twin children with their father's eyes. A case file she had been building alone, one quiet hour at a time, that connected a road barrier report to a name that would put people in prison.
She had one rule. Stay away from Damien Voss.
Then her four year old daughter hacked into his private server and left him a message.
Damien was already in his car before Sera found out what her daughter had done.
He was not coming to talk.
And Sera Quinn was finally done running.
The ending of 'There Was a Crooked Man' is one of those twists that lingers in your mind long after the credits roll. Paris Pitman Jr., played brilliantly by Kirk Douglas, spends the entire film scheming to reclaim his stolen fortune, only to have his plans unravel spectacularly in the final act. After a tense standoff, he’s left dangling from a rope, literally and metaphorically, as his former cellmate abandons him. The irony is delicious—a conman outconned, left to die in the desert. The film’s bleak humor and moral ambiguity make it a standout. It’s not a happy ending, but it’s satisfying in its poetic justice.
What I love about this film is how it subverts expectations. You think Pitman’s charm and cunning will save him, but the universe doesn’t reward greed. The desert setting amplifies the isolation, and that final shot of him swinging helplessly is haunting. It’s a reminder that some stories don’t need tidy resolutions—sometimes, the bad guy just loses, and it’s messy. The Coen brothers would later echo this vibe in 'No Country for Old Men,' but 'There Was a Crooked Man' did it first with a wicked grin.
I've dug deep into this one because 'There Was a Crooked Man' has such a unique vibe—dark humor, unexpected twists, and that gritty Western feel. From what I've found, there aren't any direct sequels to the 1970 film starring Kirk Douglas and Henry Fonda. It’s a standalone gem, which honestly makes it even more special. Sometimes, leaving a story untarnished by follow-ups preserves its magic.
That said, if you loved the tone, you might enjoy other films by the same director, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, like 'Sleuth' or 'All About Eve.' They don’t continue the story, but they share that sharp, clever dialogue and layered storytelling. Or dive into similar heist-Western hybrids like 'The Wild Bunch' for more morally ambiguous fun. It’s a shame there’s no sequel, but the original’s worth revisiting—I catch new details every time!