The Gambler and the Lady (1952)A social-climbing American with a business in illegal gambling falls in love with a blue blood, but gangsters and a jealous ex-girlfriend stand in the way of happiness. Writer:Sam Newfield |
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The Gambler and the Lady (1952)A social-climbing American with a business in illegal gambling falls in love with a blue blood, but gangsters and a jealous ex-girlfriend stand in the way of happiness. Writer:Sam Newfield |
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Dane Clark | ... |
Jim Forster
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| Kathleen Byron | ... |
Pat
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Naomi Chance | ... |
Lady Susan Willens
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Meredith Edwards | ... |
Dave Davies
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Anthony Forwood | ... |
Lord Peter Willens
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| Eric Pohlmann | ... |
Arturo Colonna
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Enzo Coticchia | ... |
Angelo Colonna
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Julian Somers | ... |
Licasi - Club Manager
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Anthony Ireland | ... |
Richard Farning
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Thomas Gallagher | ... |
Sam
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Max Bacon | ... |
Maxie
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Mona Washbourne | ... |
Miss Minter
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Jane Griffiths | ... |
Lady Jane Greer
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Richard Shaw | ... |
Louis
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George Pastell | ... |
Jacko Spina
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A greedy but successful professional gambler wants to join the British Establishment when he falls in love with a blue-blooded lady. But first he must mend his ways and then dump his nightclub singer girl friend. She's not so easy to get rid of, neither is his past. Written by Steve Crook <steve@brainstorm.co.uk>
There's plenty of crime in this Lippert picture. It opens with a well shot killing that is not clear till well into the movie. Dane Clark is the star. He was a staple of film noir. Here, we also see him in a top hat!
Yes, the subject is more class than crime. Clark is the gambler of the tile. (The female title character doesn't appear till almost half an hour into the movie.) He's an American but he wants to fit in in England. He's taking lessons in deportment from a caricature of a British lady.
He has a Scottish pal (Meredith Edwards) who is put forward as his butler. He longs to become accepted by nobility.
The supporting cast is good. The woman he falls for is not particularly charismatic but she's attractive. The more conventionally low-life types are plausible.
The dialog contains a lot of blatant exposition: "It's hard to believe that X years ago I was in Y with Z and while A B were ..."
It's well shot and holds the attention. But it's nothing to write (back) home about.