The Gambler is a 1974 movie directed by Karel Reisz.
WHAT HAPPENS?
A literature professor chases the thrill and destruction of his devastating gambling addiction.
ONE LINE REVIEW
The Gambler is a honest and often difficult look at the impulsive nature of a gambler.
THE ACTORS
James Caan is compelling as Axel Freed, a professor who constantly seeks the “juice” of betting. It’s a unique role for Caan – as he balances his character’s wealthy upbringing and intellectual background with an impulse for seedy action. Caan’s natural fire emerges in several scenes but is tempered during moments with Jacqueline Brookes’ Naomi. Caan appears both enabled and wounded – a victim of both his grandfather’s success and his warped addiction.
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