August 24, 2001

Uncertain Economy Spurs Interest in Law Degrees A growing number of relatively recent college graduates have decided that a law degree is the best ticket to a safe perch in the new economy of uncertainty. Nearly 24,000 people took the Law School Admissions Test in June, an increase of 18.6 percent from the same month the previous year, according to the Law School Admission Council. The organization, which administers the exam, expects a similar or even larger increase in the number of people taking the next test in early October. [Page A1.]

Woody Allen's latest exercise in pretentious miniaturism might be a fitting companion piece to "Small Time Crooks" (or for that matter to the earlier, better "Bullets Over Broadway" or "Manhattan Murder Mystery"). It's a loose-jointed, not especially memorable comic caper with some lovely moments of humorous invention, many patches of clumsy writing ad a few game performances. Mr. Allen plays an insurance investigator in 1940 who falls afoul of a nefarious hypnotist and clashes with Helen Hunt, who plays his co-worker and nemesis. In spite of its evident nostalgia for the cruder sexual politics of bygone days, the movie is as innocuous as it is pointless, and Mr. Allen's lame attempts at Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder wit are as clumsy as Santo Loquasto's period sets are meticulous. - A. O. Scott

Consortium led by American International Group signs $1.16 billion deal to take over financial units of crumbling Hyundai empire could collapse, but AIG warns just hours later that deal could collapse; consortium is to take 55 percent of Hyundai Investment Trust and Securities, nearly 30 percent of Hyundai Trust Management and a stake in Hyundai Securities; AIG contends that Hyundai Securities shares are overvalued (M)

Rolando Paulino All-Stars of Bronx defeat little league team from Oceanside, Calif, 1-0, to advance to US championship game on Aug 25 in Williamsport, Pa; photo (M)

Federal Judge Jacob Mishler resentences former Nassau County jail guard Patrick Regnier, who pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges in 1999 beating death of unarmed inmate Thomas Pizzuto, to 27 years in federal prison, term more than double his original sentence, which he had appealed; Regnier was sentenced in May 2000 to 11 years and 3 months in prison; Regnier and another former guard, Edward Velazquez, appealed ruling on ground that judge should not have sentenced them under guideline for voluntary manslaughter; photo (M),