Nice effects though.

Fresh and Exciting

Absolutely Brilliant!

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Producer: Arthur Freed. An M-G-M Picture copyright 25 May 1949 by Loew's Inc. Released 15 July 1949 in U.S.A.; 5 December 1949 in U.K. New York opening at the Capitol: 30 June 1949. Australian release: 1 December 1949. 9,349 feet. 103 minutes.SYNOPSIS: A clean casino operator is beset by both an ungrateful family and too-grateful friends. NOTES: M-G-M production number: 1444. Shooting commenced 4 January 1949 and wound up 26 April 1949 with a few re-takes on 5 May 1949. Negative cost: $1,465,641 (including $50,000 to 20th Century-Fox who owned the screen rights to Heth's 1945 novel; $29,167 in salary to screenwriter Richard Brooks; $68,100 in fees to director Mervyn LeRoy; and $241,250 contractual payments to Clark Gable). Initial worldwide rentals gross: $3,205,000. PRINCIPAL PROBLEM: Gable disappoints. COMMENT: An extremely popular film in foreign parts, where Gable still had a very large 1950 following. Mind you, I suspect many audiences found the movie disappointing. Too much talk and too little action. And a distinct lack of budget largesse. Just under $1½ million sounds more than adequate until you examine the details. Close to $1 million gone on payments to cast and crew, doesn't leave much room for gloss after deducting studio overheads. The film opens in an admirable fashion with a wide diversity of camera angles and camera set-ups edited at a smart pace. The screenplay very skillfully and subtly imparts needed information. But later on, the script bogs down in some very tiresome domestic passages - and there is some unconvincing acting here from young Darryl Hickman. Against this, there are engrossing character portrayals by Stone, Morgan, Corey, Rober and Conrad, whom Brooks provides with some first-class dialogue. Gable's acting is efficient, but he does not make as much of the role as we would expect. Atmospheric photography and appropriately drab and realistic sets are major assets.

"I happen to be involved in a high-class crap game!" So says blowzy Marjorie Rambeau, the Sophie Tucker like matron, the last of the gambling red hot mama's. It is her acerbic wisdom which brings heart to this tale of the joint's troubled owner, Clark Gable, who has domestic and financial issues and a group of regular clients who involve him in their individual dramas. Then there are the first-time customers who either plead for a cancellation of their debt or threaten him with legal action. One client attempts suicide, another offers herself to him as his mistress. Wife Alexis Smith considers leaving him while her family obviously exploits their relationship. Darryl Hickman, as their son, proceeds to get into trouble which leads to turning points for the family as well as the future of the business.Too many characters are the major issues of this soap opera which could have benefited from a little trimming. This leads to less screen time for the more interesting characters, particularly Rambeau and Mary Astor as the woman who greatly desires Gable's love. She has a truly degrading declaration of love, making her cameo truly heartbreaking. It is sad that she didn't share a scene with Smith who could pass as her younger sister. Among the others, Frank Morgan and Lewis Stone are also worth mentioning.

This was one of those "missed" Clark Gable films I never knew about. I had no clue what to expect.Clark Gable is part owner of a successful gambling house and in it we meet a lot of the regulars. They come from all walks off life but they have one thing in common... they never win. Gables son doesn't like his father too much and let's him know it. His wife wants him to quit so they can spend more time together. The worse part is that he has Angina and needs to step away from the business if he wants to live longer. All he's known for 15 years is this life....it's gonna be a hard sell.I can't say enough at how great this film depicts gambling addicts. For a newer film on an "addiction" type of scenario...try Clean and Sober. Obviously it's not about gambling but it portrays a pretty accurate description of alcoholism as this one does gambling. It's sad to watch these people throw all their money away over this stuff. One scene a woman drags her gambling addicted husband to Gable's home and tries to make him give the money back her husband gambled away. Ends up calling Gable a cheat and they cheated the money out of him. It amazes me people can't take responsibility for their own actions. He has a legit gambling house and it's his fault people lose? Yeah right.Watching this you'll get a really good idea of what a gambling addiction can do to a person. Even for 1949 this film really works to show you what gambling can do to your finances...and your life.

One of the great opening scenes of any Hollywood movie projects a kind of cinematic/theatrical authority in a league with O'Neill or Odets, first we see the black man, filled with jolly self denial, buffing the crap tables, his tragedy is implicit from the first moment, believing in his heart that he is on a social par with the other white employees... and with quick, methodical grace the other supporting characters are sharply introduced - they're waiting for lefty, or godot,or the Iceman, or their savior,who happens to be Gable in one of his greatest roles...this is the refined essence of that great personality on screen...the man could simply manufacture chemistry not only with his leading ladies but with other men as well...too bad the crisp, exciting climax at the crap table does not quite live up to this glorious existential opening but it's still an eminently enjoyable Hollywood wrap up..one of the most underrated MGM movies.