High Stakes (1997) (TV)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Donald Wrye

Writer (WGA):

Marshall Goldberg (written by)

Release Date:

7 July 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A former news reporter marries and tries to adjust to the life of a house wife and mother. However,...

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Marriage | Compulsive Gambler

Cast

Cynthia Gibb	...	Annie
Robin Thomas	...	Mike
Brendan Fletcher	...	Sean
Jan D'Arcy
Nadia Capone
Tom Butler
Jerry Wasserman
Howard Hesseman	...	Wayne Dreyer
Campbell Lane	...	Tom Wilson
Larry Musser	...	Bob Tompkins
Hrothgar Mathews	...	Corcoran
Andrew Johnston	...	Doctor
Greg Rogers	...	Ted
Susan Bain	...	Dr. Thornton
Stephen E. Miller	...	Larry Henderson
Gillian Barber	...	Pediatrician
Kimberly Kashani	...	Nurse
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ishil Kaner-Carson	...	Mimi
Angus Lockhart	...	Baby
Mackenzie Lockhart	...	Baby
Yee Jee Tso	...	Brad

Directed by
Donald Wrye

Writing credits (WGA)
Marshall Goldberg		(written by)

Produced by
Bill Kennedy	....	co-producer
Wendy Kram	....	co-producer
Mary Anne Waterhouse	....	line producer (as Mary Anne McCarthy)
Donald Wrye	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Joseph Conlan

Cinematography by
Brian Pearson

Film Editing by
Sharyn L. Ross

Casting by
Abra Edelman
Elisa Goodman

Production Design by
Phil Schmidt

Art Direction by
James Cordeiro

Set Decoration by
David Birdsall

Costume Design by
Karen L. Matthews

Makeup Department
Ian C. Ballard	....	hair stylist
Victoria Down	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Mel A. Bishop	....	executive in charge of production
David S. Grant	....	post-production supervisor
Mary Anne Waterhouse	....	unit production manager (as Mary Anne McCarthy)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Glenn Bottomley	....	third assistant director
Richard Coleman	....	first assistant director
Jonathan Schneider	....	second assistant director

Art Department
R.D. 'Luther' Fairbairn	....	property master
David Paul Hewitt White	....	set dresser
Mikal Williams	....	lead carpenter

Sound Department
Eric Batut	....	sound mixer
George R. Groves Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer (as George Groves)
Jeremy Hoenack	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Payne	....	sound supervisor
Brian Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeremy Hoenack	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Danny Ho	....	computer effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Brian Bouma	....	second grip
Fred Boyd	....	gaffer
David Hutton	....	key grip
Carol Macdonald	....	second assistant camera
Ron MacLeay	....	key grip
Peter Wilke	....	dolly grip

Casting Department
Michelle Allen	....	additional casting
James Forsyth	....	extras casting
Jennifer Wilson	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jana MacDonald	....	assistant costume designer
Gail L. Smith	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Mark Tuminello	....	first assistant editor
Kristi Wiggins	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Sue Eller	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Bob Dennett	....	transportation coordinator
Ian Thompson	....	production driver

Other crew
Portia Belmont	....	script supervisor (as Portia Jacox)
Jeanne Beveridge	....	title designer
Fred Eldridge	....	film transfer
Jennifer Harland	....	background coordinator
Tim Haughian	....	location manager
Laurie Hawes	....	production accountant
Eva Morgan	....	production coordinator
Patrick Stark	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Hearst Entertainment Productions
• Spygaze Pictures Inc.

Distributors

• Lifetime Television

Other Companies

• Clairmont Camera  camera equipment provided by
• F-Stop Film & Video  opticals
• Sound Trax Studios  audio post-production

Also Known As:

High Stakes: The Melanie Morgan Story (Australia)

Runtime:

Italy:88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M

Company:

Hearst Entertainment Productions

A Powerful Case, Star, and Movie !

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This is one of the most beautiful movies I've ever watched about addiction, and it's about gambling's addiction so it's one of the rarest too.

Although it looks like another TV night movie where the production is very average, the image always in close-ups, the analysis is superficial, and the acting is not well to say the least. But HEY ! Wait a whole big minute !! Not all the TV productions is all the same, and your worst nightmares of whatever hasty, poor or idiot TV movies you've watched before are not here.

(Cynthia Gibb) is at her best, being over the top. Actually (Gibb) is one star who would force you to wonder; where is this good actress anyway ?! At the same time that Hollywood is filled with a lot of overrated fallen stars already ! Despite her golden smile and her charming beauty (Gibb) in (High Stakes) was looking a bit older than her real age, with some sense of weakness or pain which with her meager body made her great for the role and as fragile as that psychologically sick woman, wounded mom, and sad wife. Her performance was real, catchy, and so impressively versed whereas there is no second where you'd think that this is acting. She delivered a very good performance like in the scene of her torturous first night at the sanatorium which was unforgettable and one of her most excellent moments in here.

The elements of this movie were cleverly creative, cooperating to make an effective message about addiction : some fine analysis through one good story ; thanks to the script of (Marshall Goldberg) which presented the psychoanalysis expressly in emotional and brilliant way. The romantic yet doleful pace; for example the softy photo-montages so many times to portray the tragedy of that helpless woman as she isn't the criminal inasmuch as a victim. The bluesy music with a crying sax all the time. And the director (Donald Wrye) who has been nominated for the Oscar (Best Documentary) 2 times before. Here (Wrye) successfully made that passionate spirit, that deplorable warm feeling, in a truthful atmosphere despite that it's in the humble frame of a usual TV movie.

Let me tell you, whoever watches this movie won't forget it, not because the influential melodrama of its complicated situation but for the way of its scrutiny and showing. Sometimes being simple is complicated enough.