House of Games (1987)

A psychiatrist comes to the aid of a compulsive gambler and is led by a smooth-talking grifter into the shadowy but compelling world of stings, scams, and con men.

Director:

David Mamet

Writers:

David Mamet (screenplay), Jonathan Katz (story),

Stars:

Lindsay Crouse, Joe Mantegna, Mike Nussbaum

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 6 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lindsay Crouse	...	Margaret Ford
Joe Mantegna	...	Mike
Mike Nussbaum	...	Joey
Lilia Skala	...	Dr. Maria Littauer
J.T. Walsh	...	The Businessman
Willo Hausman	...	Girl with Book
Karen Kohlhaas	...	Prison Ward Patient
Steven Goldstein	...	Billy Hahn
Jack Wallace	...	Bartender - House of Games
Ricky Jay	...	George / Vegas Man
G. Roy Levin	...	Poker Player
Bob Lumbra	...	Poker Player
Andy Potok	...	Poker Player
Allen Soule	...	Poker Player
Ben Blakeman	...	Bartender - Charlie's Tavern

Storyline

A famous psychologist, Margaret Ford, decides to try to help one of her patients get out of a gambling debt. She visits the bar where Mike, to whom the debt is owed, runs poker games. He convinces her to help him in a game: her assignment is to look for "tells", or give-away body language. What seems easy to her becomes much more complex.

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Plot Keywords:

psychiatrist | compulsive gambler | tell | poker | con | 

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Taglines:

Nothing is as it seems.

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 October 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dom gry

Filming Locations:

Seattle, Washington, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$2,585,639 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmhaus

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The hotel room that Mike takes Margaret to is room #1138 which is yet another reference to George Lucas's THX 1138.

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Goofs

Near the end of the film, at the end of the airport baggage area scene viewing Mike and Margaret from above a ventilation duct, Margaret's travel bag is visible on the far left exactly parallel with the edge of the conveyor belt upon which it's placed. But in the next shot from the same view, the bag is at a 45-degree angle from its original position.

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Quotes

Mike: What I'm talking about comes down to a more basic philosophial principle: Don't trust nobody.

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Connections

Remade as Qian wang qing ren (1993)

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Soundtracks

"This True Love Stopped For You (But Not For Me)"
by Rokko Jans
Sung by June Shellene

User Reviews

The art of the grift exposed

HOUSE OF GAMES is one of those David mamet films I see and I sit in the theatre and say to myself I wish I could write like that. He uses hustles and con artists as a backdrop on the art of the lie and theft. lie the person who blows you a kiss and tells you they love you and behind your back is plotting your destruction. The film stars JOE MANTEGA and LINSAY CROUSE as hustlers trying to eek out a dishonest buck, Mantenga teachers Crouse the art of the grift, or the quick buck lie. The film uses a noir art house look which is refreshing. I haven't seen a good movie in a longtime. I remember ones like this and I smile, at least this was worth the price of admission as something enjoyable. There are very few films I go see now, most are pre-packaged teen skewing crap. (To each their own)I still find jewels in foreign cinema and tv. I keep hoping for a beakthrough. This film will not appeal to everyone but has a quality to it in prose and style and characterization lacking from most movies.