Born to Win (1971)

A smart-mouthed junkie/loser known as J.J. (George Segal) spends his days looking for just "one more fix".

Director:

Ivan Passer

Writers:

David Scott Milton (screenplay), Ivan Passer (screenplay),

Stars:

George Segal, Karen Black, Paula Prentiss

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Segal	...	J
Karen Black	...	Parm
Paula Prentiss	...	Veronica
Jay Fletcher	...	Billy Dynamite
Hector Elizondo	...	Vivian
Robert De Niro	...	Danny (as Robert DeNiro)
Ed Madsen	...	Detective
Marcia Jean Kurtz	...	Marlene
Irving Selbst	...	Stanley
Tim Pelt	...	Little Davey
José Pérez	...	Junior Conception (as Jose Perez)
Sylvia Syms	...	Cashier (as Sylvia Simms)
Jack Hollander	...	Harry
Alex Colon	...	Bus Boy
Max Brandt	...	Store Clerk

Storyline

A smart-mouthed junkie/loser known as J.J. (George Segal) spends his days looking for just "one more fix".

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Plot Keywords:

thief | duffy square manhattan new york city | broadway manhattan new york city | hold up | drug addiction | 

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Taglines:

Their story is written on his arm. If they can get a grip on each other, maybe they can turn their lives around.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 July 1972 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Addict

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Edward Spector Productions Inc., Segal-Tokofsky Productions Inc., Theater Guild

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some of the characters in the film were played by actual New York junkies of the time, people who Ivan Passer encountered while researching the film.

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Quotes

[first lines]
J: They same I'm a charmer... that I charm the people I hustle. Well, that comes after dealing with women, after hairdressing. I love to dress hair! But being that I know what to do, being that I'm hip enough to know, I do it!

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Connections

References Sudden Terror (1970)

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Soundtracks

"Ballad in C"
by Karen Black

User Reviews

Classic early Passer and G. Segal!

This TOTALLY, except for the cool critics (including Pauline Kael), was written off by a bad check, probably because it was another foreign director (like Milos Forman) cashing in on the real GOLDEN AGE of cinema (for America, for sure). That stuff doesn't matter. George Segal, one of the genius actors of the late 60's and 70's, gives an incredible performance as "J" the junkie, AFTER establishing himself as the comic everyman for five years. He's already done King Rat in 1965 and was nominated in 1966 for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, I won't even list this dude's accomplishments in a VERY timely era and film space and he was very good. Paula Prentiss (AS ALWAYS) is wonderful, Hector Elizondo, Karen Black and a host of New York unknown stage actors will blow you away with this film. They've changed the title. OH, I FORGOT, Robert DeNiro is GREAT in this in a small role (but a good one).

Nobody cares about junkies ...and why should they? This film isn't about street fixers; it's about New York City in that time period. It's just a wonderful film. It has everything the other COOL films of the 70's had, except marketing - and it blows away Panic in Needle Park with Pacino and Kitty Wynn (a good film), but the message wasn't LEFT or RIGHT enough, even to the people who appreciated that great era of AMERICAN films and this one (like many) was directed by a FOREIGNER (a great director). I'm just babbling here now; Find this film; I found it on Video and I hope to God it's on DVD by now. It's a smooth trail of NYC hopeful desperation at the bottom of that barrel, but you won't regret the trip. An 8 out of 10. Best performance = George Segal. Find it, if you're interested in great movies of that era that didn't make a million bucks!