The Only Game in Town (1970)

Fran walks into a piano bar for pizza. She comes back home with Joe, the piano player. Joe plans on winning $5,000 and leave Las Vegas. Fran waits for something else. Meanwhile, he moves in with her.

Director:

George Stevens

Writers:

Frank D. Gilroy (play), Frank D. Gilroy (screenplay)

Stars:

Elizabeth Taylor, Warren Beatty, Charles Braswell

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Elizabeth Taylor	...	Fran Walker
Warren Beatty	...	Joe Grady
Charles Braswell	...	Lockwood
Hank Henry	...	Tony
Olga Valéry	...	Hooker (as Olga Valery)

Storyline

While waiting in vain for her married lover to get a divorce, Fran Walker, a lonely chorus girl approaching middle age, falls for Joe Grady, a frustrated musician and compulsive gambler who dreams of escaping Las Vegas for fame and fortune in New York City.

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Plot Keywords:

piano | chorus girl | gambler | piano bar | piano player | 

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Taglines:

Dice was his vice. Men hers.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

M

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 January 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das einzige Spiel in der Stadt

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$1,500,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last film of George Stevens.

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Goofs

When Fran gets off work at Desert Inn at beginning of film, her walk home makes no geographical sense. She is strolling past hotels, chapels and casinos miles apart and in completely opposite directions.

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Connections

Referenced in Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Blue Moon"
(uncredited)
Music by Richard Rodgers
Played by Joe at the piano

User Reviews

some kind of redemption...

...can now be held for the latter part of Elizabeth Taylors career. After The Taming of the Shrew(1967) it all seemed to go down hill. Check out any post Shrew movies and you will see what I mean. Here, in The Only Game, in Town Beatty and Taylor are jaded and cynical workers and lovers trying to escape Vegas, but both have their problems. Beatty is a compulsive gambler and Taylor is a cold fish unable to communicate love for fear of abandonment. It's a subtle love story and comedy that has some pretty good moments even though it runs a little slow. Don't expect anything amazing but its worth a look.