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IMDbPro

Street of Chance

  • 19301930
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 15m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
276
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
82,940
22,027
William Powell and Kay Francis in Street of Chance (1930)
CrimeDramaRomance
A big-time, but honest gambler has to prevent his younger brother from following in his footsteps, and taking up gambling.A big-time, but honest gambler has to prevent his younger brother from following in his footsteps, and taking up gambling.A big-time, but honest gambler has to prevent his younger brother from following in his footsteps, and taking up gambling.
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
276
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
82,940
22,027
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • John Cromwell
    • Writers
      • Oliver H.P. Garrett(story)
      • Lenore J. Coffee(scenario)
      • Howard Estabrook(scenario)
    • Stars
      • William Powell
      • Jean Arthur
      • Kay Francis
    Top credits
    • Director
      • John Cromwell
    • Writers
      • Oliver H.P. Garrett(story)
      • Lenore J. Coffee(scenario)
      • Howard Estabrook(scenario)
    • Stars
      • William Powell
      • Jean Arthur
      • Kay Francis
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 9User reviews
    • 8Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos8

    William Powell and Kay Francis in Street of Chance (1930)
    Kay Francis in Street of Chance (1930)
    William Powell and Kay Francis in Street of Chance (1930)
    Street of Chance (1930)
    William Powell and John Cromwell in Street of Chance (1930)
    Jean Arthur and William Powell in Street of Chance (1930)
    William Powell and Kay Francis in Street of Chance (1930)

    Top cast

    Edit
    William Powell
    William Powell
    • John D. Marsden…
    Jean Arthur
    Jean Arthur
    • Judith Marsden
    Kay Francis
    Kay Francis
    • Alma Marsden
    Regis Toomey
    Regis Toomey
    • 'Babe' Marsden
    Stanley Fields
    Stanley Fields
    • Dorgan
    Brooks Benedict
    Brooks Benedict
    • Al Mastick
    Betty Francisco
    Betty Francisco
    • Mrs. Mastick
    John Risso
    • Tony
    Joan Standing
    • Miss Abrams
    Maurice Black
    Maurice Black
    • Nick
    Irving Bacon
    Irving Bacon
    • Harry
    Oscar Apfel
    Oscar Apfel
    • Bartender
    • (uncredited)
    G. Pat Collins
    G. Pat Collins
    • Police officer
    • (uncredited)
    John Cromwell
    John Cromwell
    • Imbrie
    • (uncredited)
    Gordon De Main
    Gordon De Main
    • Gambler
    • (uncredited)
    Jack Luden
    Jack Luden
    • Holland House Hotel Clerk
    • (uncredited)
    William H. O'Brien
    William H. O'Brien
    • Waiter
    • (uncredited)
    Broderick O'Farrell
    Broderick O'Farrell
    • Gambler
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • John Cromwell
    • Writers
      • Oliver H.P. Garrett(story)
      • Lenore J. Coffee(scenario)
      • Howard Estabrook(scenario)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Loosely based on life of Arnold Rothstein, a well-known gambler in New York in the 1920s.
    • Connections
      Featured in David O. Selznick: 'Your New Producer' (1935)

    User reviews9

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Whoa! I didn't recognize anyone!
    William Powell is on the "Street of Chance" in this 1930 film also starring Kay Francis, Jean Arthur, and Regis Toomey.

    I will admit right off that I did not recognize either Arthur or Toomey in this film.

    Powell plays "Natural" Davis, a character modeled on the famed gambler Arnold Rothstein. The film portrays a couple of incidents in Rothstein's life, but in my opinion, the character is very loosely based on Rothstein.

    Natural Davis is a professional gambler, and as a result, his wife Alma (Kay Francis) is divorcing him. He begs her to stay with him, eventually promising her that he will not only quit gambling, but go away with her on an extended trip..

    When is brother Babe (Toomey) comes to town, Natural learns that his wedding gift of $10,000 has been spent gambling. Babe is a big winner and now has $50,000. He's in New York to gamble for $100,000 more so he can buy into a partnership.

    Let me pause for a minute. The amounts of money these people are talking about are unbelievable. In 1930, $100,000 was 1,611,946.11 in today's money! Usually in films people are robbing banks for $5,000 or trying to get $50 from someone.

    To continue - Natural does not want his brother to pursue the life of a gambler, so he's determined to make sure Babe is cleaned out. He arranges for his associates to help him, joining Babe in a game. It doesn't quite work out as he hoped. In a bind, he has to break his promise to Alma temporarily, but she doesn't buy it.

    Powell is natural and very effective, and the film moves quickly, with people picking up their dialogue cues. Often in early talkies, actors were still adjusting to sound. As a result you get pauses between lines of dialogue, and, because of stage training, big gestures and loud voices. Powell has none of this. He's tough yet elegant and sympathetic yet ruthless.

    Francis doesn't have much to do as Natural's suffering wife, but she's very good. The rest of the acting is fine, but you could have knocked me over with a feather when I learned that Babe was Regis Toomey and his wife was Jean Arthur! Arthur had none of the characteristics she later developed. Here, she's pure ingenue.

    One of the most interesting things about these precode films is that because there is no Hayes code, the ending is not predictable as it is in many later films. The end of this kind of surprised me.
    helpful•1
    0
    • blanche-2
    • Jun 13, 2021

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 8, 1930 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Brottets gata
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 15 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.20 : 1

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