Gambling Man (1995) (TV)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Norman Stone

Writers:

T.R. Bowen (adaptation)
Catherine Cookson (novel)

Release Date:

26 February 1995 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Robson Green	...	Rory Connor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Margery Bone	...	Maggie Ridley
T.R. Bowen	...	Mr. Arden (as Trevor Bowen)
Paul Colman	...	Warus gambler
Ian Cullen	...	Paddy Connor
Lyn Douglas	...	Grannie Waggett
Sarah Finch	...	Mrs. Buckham
Joe Ging	...	Dr. Munday
Jan Gordon	...	Woman at Wedding
David Haddow	...	John George Armstrong
Bernard Hill	...	Frank Nickle
Tony Hodge	...	Mr. Oakshott
Sammy Johnson	...	Victor Pittie
Anne Kent	...	Lizzie O'Dowd
Sylvestra Le Touzel	...	Charlotte Kean
Dennis Lingard	...	Little Joe
Peter Marriner	...	Police Sergeant
Peter Marshall	...	Chief Constable
Alan Mason	...	Mr. Dryden
Allen Mechen	...	Dan Pittie
John Middleton	...	Mr. Buckham
Frank Mills	...	Mr. Kean
David Nellist	...	Jimmy Connor
Stephanie Putson	...	Janie Waggett
Ron Senior Jr.	...	Sam Pittie (as Ronnie Senior Jnr.)
Max Smith	...	Bill Waggett
Amber Styles	...	Ruth Connor

Also Known As:

Catherine Cookson's Gambling Man (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

149 min (3 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | New Zealand:M | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Marsden Beach, South Shields, Tyne & Wear, England, UK

Company:

Festival Films

Brilliantly acted with tremendous atmosphere.

I have watched this video several times now and I cannot fault it in anyway. The performances are excellent, the settings are wonderfully authentic and the story line is strong and the direction taut.The wonderful thing about the Tyne Tees productions of the Cookson books is the outstanding authenticity and atmosphere they get in their settings. This one absolutely reeked with atmosphere - misty dimly lit alleyways, dramatic lighting on faces in the darkness, all suggesting the sordid and seamy side of the back streets of the Tyneside underworld of that period. The marvellous street scenes with their pathetic flotsam and jetsam of poverty. It's all there. Robson Green gives a strong and compelling performance as Rory, showing all the complex sides of this character. His make-up after the beatings and burning is wonderfully realistic, some of the best I have ever seen. Sylvestra le Touzel is superb as Charlotte, totally believable and sincere and Stephanie Putson's Janie is equally strong. You feel genuine sympathy for her unhappy situation. And I particularly liked Ann Kent's Lizzie. All the performances are excellent, with particularly villainous villains. Bernard Hill can do more with one piercing look than a million words. The final fire sequence is terrific. How it was filmed I can't imagine, it has you cringing in your seat. Lovers of Cookson and anyone who enjoys really good drama don't miss this terrific presentation.