The Optimist

Suffering from the effects of a hangover, the Optimist (Enn Reitel) watches a windsurfing documentary on television and starts to dream that he is part of the exotic scene. In his fantasy, he meets a beautiful Girl (Sharron Davies) as well as a Rival (David Fletcher) for her affections. During his misadventures on the beach, in the nightclub and on the surfing board, the Optimist falls in love with the Girl and faces a surfing challenge by his Rival. The outcome is quite a surprise.

Dressed up for a weekend break, the Optimist (Enn Reitel) arrives at a dude ranch. He meets the beautiful Girl (Carinthia West), a riding instructress, and squares off with a handsome Rival (Martin Kove), who also pursues her affections. Learning to be a cowboy, he tries to spit like the grizzly Veteran (Bill Erwin), gets lost in the desert, is lassoed in the corral, and knocks himself out on the gun range, before fantasising he's Clint Eastwood in a shootout with the Rival.

As an odd-job man, the Optimist (Enn Reitel) is a tennis pro, a waiter, golfing coach and dog minder - all in one day. Out walking a St Bernard and a Toy Poodle in Beverly Hills, he loses the poodle while coaching a beautiful Lady Golfer (Tracy Scoggins). He also meets a gorgeous Girl (Jennifer Landor), the daughter of his employer (Ferdy Mayne), and she persuades him to play tennis and act as a waiter at a poolside party. Chaos ensues as the Optimist finds himself pursued by both women.

Out jogging, the Optimist (Enn Reitel) realizes he's unfit, but when a doctor enrols him at a health farm, he soon discovers the place is more like a prison run by the scary Matron (Fran Ryan). He's half-starved, tortured in the gym, physically battered in an all-ladies aerobic session, and cut down in a karate class. Despite this, he falls for a Dancer (Terri Robinson) and devises a plan to escape with her help, using a multitude of disguises and the local fire department. Finally, he makes a bid for freedom, jogging into the sunset with the girl of his dreams.

Employed by a Mother (Patrika Darbo) to babysit her 'perfect' son, the Kid (Mathew J Connors), the Optimist (Enn Reitel) finds the spoiled 10-year old is a real problem. Trying to keep the Kid amused, they visit the local circus, where the Optimist immediately falls in love with the circus trapeze artist Girl (Christine Garner) and faces a rival, strongman the Bulk (Dennis Brekner). After fantasising he's part of the high wire act, he also finds himself forced into performing with acrobats, clowns, and a knife thrower, before being fired from a cannon by the cunning Kid.

Roller-skating through Venice Beach, the Optimist (Enn Reitel) runs into a racing driver, the Girl (Dinah May). After helping her fix a bust tire, he follows the Girl to the racing circuit where he becomes a mechanic before deciding to disguise himself as one of the top drivers. Suddenly it's Grand Prix time and the race is on. The prize is not only the cup - the Optimist also hopes to win the girl from his rival, a bad-tempered Cabbie (Robert Davi). He comes in first, but fame is brief. It's a fast getaway before anyone can find out his true identity.

After meeting a beautiful Girl (Jadie Rivas) in Marina del Ray, the Optimist finds himself in competition with a Rival (Richard Booker) for her affections. First in kite flying, then surfing and eventually in a sword fight, which starts on Santa Monica beach and takes them on a Hollywood duel, through a car wash, across Sunset Blvd, on the steps of Hollywood High School, outside Paramount Studios gate, and hanging off the Hollywood sign. Exhausted, both duellists collapse on the beach and watch the Girl walk away hand in hand with the Seconds.