Messing around with the mafia — not recommended. But Patti Petite decides to take revenge on Nick Random in Dirty Tricks, a kinky little tale that actually succeeds in capturing a film noir mood ... at least in the beginning.

Petite plays a brunette hooker (you won't recognize her), who along with Raymond Dandee has a great scam going. He breaks into her tricks, posing as a policeman and they steal the unknowing klutz's money via a supposed bribe. It doesn't work with Random, doing his best Marlon Brando impersonation. They're both beaten up, with Petite's nose being broken.

She vows revenge, getting plastic surgery that leaves her with a new face and — surprise — as a blonde. Infiltrating Random's operation while posing as a secretary, she does get her revenge. But along the way, the viewer is treated to some dandy kinky sex, with beads, light bondage, lucite dildos and champagne in unusual places.

Petite serves up the most heat, especially with Random and after a strip tease (which includes face bandages) for Dandee. Barbi Blake, a relatively new stunner, is great in a lesbian scene with Penny Morgan. However, a few of the sex scenes seem tame by comparison to those mentioned.

The story and dialogue is fairly good. At one point, Dandee tells Petite that Random is "Way out of our league," referring to her proposed revenge. She responds, "If he's got a dick, he's in our league." Excellent photography of outdoor locations at the beginning of the feature lends a sense of realism to the plot. Dirty Tricks works most of the time, and 1 can recommend it to everyone who likes a bit of kink with their sex.