The Big Gamble (1961)

Directors:

Richard Fleischer, Elmo Williams

Writer:

Irwin Shaw

Stars:

Stephen Boyd, Juliette Gréco, David Wayne

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Stephen Boyd	...	Vic Brennan
Juliette Gréco	...	Marie
David Wayne	...	Samuel Brennan
Gregory Ratoff	...	Kaltenberg
Sybil Thorndike	...	Aunt Cathleen
Fernand Ledoux	...	Customs Official
Marie Kean	...	Cynthia
Harold Goldblatt	...	The Priest
Maureen O'Dea	...	Margaret Brennan
J.G. Devlin	...	The Driving Instructor (as Jimmy Devlin)
Philip O'Flynn	...	John Brennan
Fergal Stanley	...	Davey Brennan
Jess Hahn	...	Ferguson, The first mate
Alain Saury	...	Lieutenant Francois
Jacques Marin	...	The Hotel Clerk

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

africa | irish | truck | adventurer

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Taglines:

Across 30,000 Miles to the Fabled Ivory Coast!

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

July 1961 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Das große Wagnis

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Darryl F. Zanuck Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Darryl Zanuck behaved very badly on the set according to director Fleischer. He was not only there for scenes involving girlfriend Juliette Greco but for the other actors as well - including rehearsals. He sat in his chair smoking a cigar but not looking up from the script ON the set, something that Fleischer had never seen before or since. If an actor had to move, he had to move around Zanuck.

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Goofs

The tailgate on the truck changes from open to closed several times when the truck is stuck in the river bed.

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Connections

Referenced in What's My Line?: Episode dated 11 December 1960 (1960)

User Reviews

Brilliant.

I love this movie though I was very young when it was made and did not see it at the time. I thought it was fantastically well made. Very well acted by entire cast. But star of the film was the young boy Davey. I wonder what happened to the actor who played him, Fergal Stanley . Did he become a professional actor ? I imagine he is highly successful in his chosen field. Does anyone know did he make other films If so I would love to know. Top marks, highly recommended. Would love to hear others views on this and other films made around the same time with a similar theme that would be of interest and appeal to someone who loved The Big Gamble