The Gambler (1974 film)

The Gambler is a 1974 movie starring James Caan, Lauren Hutton, and Paul Sorvino.

Related Topics:
1974 - James Caan - Lauren Hutton - Paul Sorvino

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This long lost gem epitomises everything that we love about 1970s film making. It has the brilliant story telling, the unconventional directing and editing, a great score by Jerry Fielding (based on Mahler's Symphony Number One), and best of all a superb performance by James Caan, perhaps the best in his career.

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Cann plays Axel Freed, a professor by day and a self-destructive gambler by night who can't seem to stop blowing his money away. In the classroom he's an inspiring teacher, giving his students passionate interpretations of famous writers such as Dostoyevsky (whose short story the script is loosely based on). But away from the class he's completely out of control, making bets on long shots and owing thousands to the local mafia. He might have a sexy girlfriend (played by Hutton) and a wealthy Jewish father, but he's still bored with life, and he obviously wants more excitement (or as he calls it, "juice"). By gambling on low odds, he gets a huge rush when he actually does win. Trouble is, he doesn't win all that often, and his life is slowly veering towards utter destruction.

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Along the way we meet various characters, including his desperate mother whom he borrows money from, and a gangster pal (played by Sorvino) who is increasingly worried about his dear friend. But he ignores their warnings and continues losing thousands and thousands of dollars. The more he owes the more dangerous his life becomes, and he starts to get visits from increasingly creepy gangsters who threaten to take more than his cash if he doesn't pay up.

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Instead of taking his winnings and paying them back each time, he keeps on gambling. Pretty soon his addiction has taken a complete hold on him, and friends abandon him one by one. No matter how much he wins back, it just never seems enough. As the story progresses we get segments of Mahler's score which adds to the whole tragic atmosphere. Whether you enjoy gambling or not, you can still feel sympathy for Axel. He represents the urge in all of us to overcome our dull surroundings, and to seek excitement in quick fixes. When he wins, we feel indestructible. But when he loses we can barely look. It's a roller-coaster ride that gradually builds suspense until the final chapter.

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The dark ending is very typical of 1970s film making, and it?s one that you will never see in a mainstream picture today. It's completely unpredictable, and leaves the viewer with a huge question mark above their head. It's a thinking person's movie that will leave you pondering for hours afterwards. Why The Gambler is rarely mentioned in film publications remains a mystery. If you liked James Caan in The Godfather and Thief then you'll love him here. Even he himself has called The Gambler one of his all time favourite performances in magazine interviews. It belongs right up there with all the greats such as Taxi Driver, Straw Dogs and A Clockwork Orange. If you can find it on DVD then definitely check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Related Topics:
Taxi Driver - Straw Dogs - A Clockwork Orange

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