Movie Type: Psychological Drama, Post-Noir (Modern Noir)
Themes: Gambling, Race Against Time
Main Cast: Starletta DePaur, James Caan, Paul Sorvino, Lauren Hutton, Morris Carnovsky, Jacqueline Brookes
Release Year: 1974
Country: US
Run Time: 109 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
James Toback made his screenwriting debut with this taut drama, loosely adapted from the story by Dostoevsky. Axel Freed (James Caan) is an intelligent and well-respected professor of literature at a noted New York university, who uses great writing as a springboard for examining moral and philosophical issues in his class. But when he's not in front of the chalkboard, Axel has a serious problem -- he's hopelessly addicted to gambling. Axel will bet on almost anything, and while he lives for the heady rush of winning, it doesn't happen all that often, and Axel's latest losing streak has put him in debt to his bookies to the tune of $44,000, more than a college professor could hope to pay in 1974. Even after tapping his mother (Jacqueline Brookes), his grandfather (Morris Carnovsky), and his girlfriend (Lauren Hutton) for cash, Axel still owes thousands to his bookie Hips (Paul Sorvino), who is quickly losing his patience with Axel, especially when he learns after he finally scored a major winning streak, rather than paying off his bills he used the money to keep gambling ... and lost it all, leading to visits from an increasingly threatening series of underworld "collectors." The Gambler also features supporting performances from Burt Young, James Woods, and M. Emmett Walsh. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Screenwriter James Toback's adaptation of the classic Dostoevsky novella, directed by Karel Reisz, is excellent on the details of the life of a compulsive gambler, but never gets far beneath the surface and trails off disappointingly. Toback, who has discussed his gambling and substance abuse problems publicly, has an intimate understanding of this subject, and while he uses aspects of Dostoevsky's novella, it's clearly his own life, including the privileged background, from which he's drawn this script. Caan makes the film's literature professor seem a charismatic character at first, one able to translate the complexities of Dostoevsky into an idiom that can hold the attention of easily bored students, while effortlessly picking up beautiful women such as Lauren Hutton. But he's clearly restless and dissatisfied in this role, and as his dangerously high-stakes betting increases, the extent of his pathology becomes more obvious. His expensive habit has already alienated his wealthy family, and at this point, his closest relationships; the film's best and funniest scenes are with loan shark Burt Young and his hired muscle Paul Sorvino. Yet while the film conveys both the high, the illusory sense of omnipotence when one is winning, with the low, not only of loss but of looming death if one loses, it never convincingly connects Caan with his disease on a deeper level. The direction of the talented Reisz, who hadn't made a film in six years, seems uncertain at times. Caan, dead-on as the glib, self-deceiving professor, leads an excellent cast which also includes Morris Carnovsky, Jacqueline Brooks, James Woods, and M. Emmet Walsh. ~ Michael Costello, All Movie Guide
Burt Young - Carmine; Sully Boyar - Uncle Hy; Carmine Caridi - Jimmy; Carl Crudup - Spencer; Antonio Fargas - Pimp; Alisha Fontaine - Howie's Girl; Richard Foronjy - Donny; Chick Hearn - Radio Announcer; Steven Keats - Howie; Louise Lasser; London Lee - Monkey; Ric Mancini - Sal; Lucille Patton - Ricky's Wife; Gregory Rozakis - Joe; Dick Schaap - TV Announcer; Ray Serra - Benny; Philip Sterling - Sidney; Vic Tayback - One; M. Emmet Walsh - Las Vegas Gambler; Beatrice Winde - Receptionist; Stuart Margolin - Cowboy; Allan Rich - Bernie; James Woods - Bank Officer; Leon Pinkney - Street Basketball Boy; Joseph Attles - Singer in the Park; Ed Kovens - Ricky; Frank Scioscia - Man in Park with Donny; Frank Sivero - Donny's Driver; William Andrews - Coach; Starletta DePaur - Monique
