The Gambler
buy dvd movies, videos
|
 |
List Price: $14.98
Our Price:
$12.99
You Save: $1.99
Features
• Anamorphic
• Closed-captioned
• Color
• DVD-Video
• Subtitled
• Widescreen
• NTSC
In Theaters : October, 1974
DVD Release : 14 May, 2002 |
| [ + Zoom ] [ Buy Now ] |
DVD : In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served. |
|
The Gambler Customer Reviews
|
|
|
|
♥♥♥♥♥ |
When hopelessly addicted to all kinds of bets
|
THE GAMBLER (1974), is a passive, visual movie, with the one and
only James Caan, who plays an English Literature professor, who
comes to believe as reality the poetry, artistic thoughts and
beliefs he teaches to his classroom of students. The theory is that
2+2 is not 4, it's more than that, and life shouldn't be spent
counting the minutes, hours down, but rather pushing the envelope,
taking risks and enjoying the ride, the thrills while it lasts.
As such, Caan's character "in theory" realizes he's a compulsive
gambler, hopelessly addicted to all kinds of bets on all kinds of
activities, his life hanging by a thread, and jeopardizing not only
the love, respect of his family and girlfriend, but their
psychological and physical well-being through a wreckless behavior
that sees him lose thousands of dollars. The difficulty for Caan, is
accepting his "theoretical addition" as "reality" and as a
"objective, externally verifiable and observable fact".
Clearly, Caan is at his peak, physically and mentally. The actor
shows his characteristic relaxed, subtle, self-contented, easy going
and confident demeanor, until unique circumstances occur, requiring
agression, physical exertion, which he delivers when called on.
The film prominently features a Ford Mustang convertible in over 1/3
of the film.
The whole gamut of individuals implicated in gambling as an industry
is shown, from collectors of illegal debts, to loan sharks (at 3%
per week or 12O% annual interest), casinos, bookies, pimps,
narco-traffickers, etc.
Caan reflects on his inability to face or control his gambling
addiction, with words such as " I can't lose. Why? I'm hot as a
pistol, and I am the one placing the bets!"
There are a number of smart quips, such as "I've seen nuts before,
but you've got a watermelon" as scruples; or Caan's Dad, commenting
on his girlfriend: "a man of virtue and character would not take
that woman as your wife, she's a playboy's girl".
In his subconscience, apart from the compulsion, Caan perhaps feels
that those who lack all addictions in their personalities are
boring, unpopular, don't know how to enjoy themselves, or so goes
the poetry he reads, taking what was imaginary as reality, and
dropping into an abyss of debt, addiction, low self-worth,
irrationality, confusion, loss of direction, suicidal behavior.
Some curious aspects are typical from the 7O's, namely sideburns,
large US cars, and the courtesy, politeness and amicable human
interaction between strangers in restaurants, at the table, etc,
which seems to have been lost 30 years later, too often, at least in
the movies.
Sorvino plays a mobster, involved in the bookie and loan sharking
activities, with a modicum of patience and humanity with the
debtors.
The soundtrack is adequate and low profile. |
|
The Gambler dvd movie.