story first. Kevin is three. We were in Panera's on Thursday and as we got ready to leave, he said, "Are you my conscience?" I was taken aback--that he knew the word, that he could even say the word, but finally said, "I don't think I can be your conscience, Kevin." I started to launch into a more philosophical response but from behind me, I heard someone say. "Psss. Maam, it's a line from the movie, FINDING NEMO." I turned around to find two twenty-somethings laughing.Ed Gorman was talking about LUCKY AT CARDS, a Hardcase Crime book and SMART MONEY, an old movie from 1931 the other day. Both works were about gambling. What's your favorite work that features gambling?
THE GAMBLER. James Caan gave his best performance in that one, I think. How about you? LOST IN AMERICA was a good comic look at gambling and my favorite Albert Brooks movie.
31 comments:
As soon as I saw the question Robert Altman's wonderful "California Split" popped into my head. This early 70s classic from Altman's greatest period stars Elliott Gould and George Segal, and it's the only gambling movie that really stands out in my mind except for "The Cincinnati Kid" with Steve McQueen. And though I've surely read one somewhere along the line, I can't think of a single novel about gambling that stands out.
I'd have to go with THE HUSTLER and THE COLOR OF MONEY. The books the movies are based on, both by Walter Tevis, are very good, too.
Oh, I LOVED that movie. I think there were both at their very best in it. And George's are great, too. Especially THE HUSTLER-although any movie with a young Newman or McQueen stands out. My son just finished Newman's bio and he said it make him feel humble-that Newman had done so much with his life.
I think 1966-1967 might have been Paul Newman's two best years, Patti. In 1966 he was in HARPER (based on a Ross Macdonald novel) and TORN CURTAIN. In 1967, Newman starred in HOMBRE and COOL HAND LUKE. Yes, that's humbling indeed.
I'm not much into the whole gambling thing, but I loved "The Cooler".
"The Sting" is probably my favorite.
THE STING, THE CINCINNATI KID, and ROUNDERS are three that jump to mind.
Patti you mentioned one of my all-time favorite films, Lost in America. It's terrible to see yourself portrayed so objectively. Brooks and I could be brothers. I laughed and squirmed all the way through it. His own brother playing the upwardly mobile sports store salesman was also great. Shaming Brooks into buying all this expensive trendy gear by implying that he might in the girl back if she sees him in it; and the guy in the herbal store looking baffled when Brooks asked, quite seriously if there was any herbal remedy for heartbreak. And Brooks trying to convince casino manager Garry Marshall that it would be a great p.r. coup if Marshall would give back all the money Brooks' wife lost at the tables. You shouldn't try to pitch a client when you're wearing pajamas and a robe. Not a bad scene in it except once again --and this time Brooks even used a collaborator--the third act probed problematic structurally for him...it doesn't exactly have a climax. But who the hell cares? It defines a certain kind of (deranged) guy and his era better than any other movie I've seen. And it still breaks me up after probably fifteen viewings. As for gambling movies Cal. Split, The Hustler and The Cincinatti Kid.
I am such a McQueen fan. The Cincinnati Kid wasn't as good as it could have been, but McQueen and Edward G. made up for a lot, IMO.
Not for nothing, but ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW comes to mind...at least the film (still meaning to read the novel). I suppose GUYS AND DOLLS, and the Runyon stories it's based on, might qualify.
A recent film I can recommend: the mockumentary THE GRAND. Perhaps the key reason to recommend the 1960s CASINO ROYALE is "The Look of Love"...
I have a sneaking fondness for TRADING PLACES, at least until it went for sophomoric farce on the train sequence.
For novels, try Barry Malzberg's UNDERLAY (and, oddly, OVERLAY)...and the late Dick Francis seems relebant somehow.
PLAY IT AS IT LAYS, neither book nor film, struck me as quite what the creators where shooting for.
There's something about numbers running that's tickling the edge of memory...and I haven't seen COCKFIGHTER yet, nor read the novel it's based on...
THE STING, hands down.
William Macy was brilliant in THE COOLER. He needs to get more parts.
THE STING was so much fun-also a movie about the con as much as gambling. Funny how often Newman turns up.
The scene with Gary Marshall in Lost is exactly what the average person would try to do. It's a mistake!!! The nestegg!!
Oh, the COCKFIGHTER is great. And Willeford is in it for a second.
Rounders was just terrific-one of those movies you walk into with no expectations and it knocks your socks off. PLay It as It Lays-any movie with Tuesday Weld is good for me-But Joan Didion can be so difficult as a novelist. IMHO. One of my favorite McQueen movies was The Reavers, based on Faulkner. Know he was a con artist albeit lovable. Did that have gambling, too? Have to look it up.
What my son was most impressed with was the amount of good Newman did with his money. And how he figured out how to make his money grow so he could do more good work.
A joke is forming about William H. Macy's parts and Maria Bello, but Felicity Huffman's already made it...(and him, of course). Lucky man.
Really, though, Barry Malzberg's UNDERLAY. Kafkaesque.
How about BIG DEAL IN LAREDO an episode of an anthology series late filmed as A BIG HAND FOR THE LITTLE LADY.
That's a completely new one for me. I'll check it out.
I love your grandson story!
If you want to explore gambling on TV, Patti, then you have to consider Kenny Rogers and his popular THE GAMBLER series. I always liked the song that went with it, too: "You've got to know when to hold'em, Know when to fold'em..."
Dorte-I am beginning to think he's like the character on DINER who recited all the lines of Sweet Smell of Success.
George-Don't know this series. On now?
While THE HUSTLER was a great movie, it wasn't really about gambling. It wasn't even really about pool. That world just served as the backdrop for a very compelling story of one man discovering the strength of his own character.
I'd have to go with ROUNDERS and OWNING MAHOWNY for now. I'm sure others will come to me.
I'd forgotten about The Cooler which is one of the finest crime movies I've ever seen. Macy was sensational and Baldwin and Bello were very very good. This may be the best work Macy and Bello have ever done. More than any other flim I've even heard of The Cooler showed the modern mob in its new MBA mode.
The theme song, "The Gambler," was used for Kenny Rogers' long running movie and TV serial of the same name, in which he stars as a fictional professional poker player called Brady Hawkes. You can probably find episodes on HULU.
Thanks, George.
THE CINCINNATI KID, ROUNDERS, and the little seen pair of SHADE and POOLHALL JUNKIES would be it for me. Thanks, Patti.
Casablanca. Put your chips on twenty-two. Rick got kissed for it.
SHADE and POOLHALL JUNKIES-new to me. Casablanca is pretty near about everything, isn't it?
Now I want to see Casablanca again. I bet it's on TCM this month if I didn't already miss it.
My favorite gambling movie is "Let It Ride" (1989), with Richard Dreyfuss and Teri Garr as his wife, David Johansen, and Robbie Coltrane. The movie is loaded with big names. It's a feel-good funny flick.
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Let It Ride-new to me. And whatever happened to Richard Dreyfus. I know Garr is ill, but perhaps he too.
According to his bio, Dreyfuss is still working. He appears to have had at least a facelift. ugh...
I also found this bit of triva:
Jay Cronley writes for the Tulsa Wolrd and is a columnist for ESPN. Besides being the author of several novels, Jay wrote the book, "Good Vibes" which was later adapted to the big screen in the movie "Let it Ride" starring Richard Dreyfuss.
But Teri Garr, who has MS, seems to have stopped working. This might be the reason: Teri Garr Recovering from Brain Aneurysm
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