Any Number Can Play (1949)

Gambling-house owner finds himself estranged from his wife and son.

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

Richard Brooks (screenplay), Edward Harris Heth (based on novel by)

Stars:

Clark Gable, Alexis Smith, Wendell Corey

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clark Gable	...	Charley Enley Kyng
Alexis Smith	...	Lon Kyng
Wendell Corey	...	Robbin Elcott
Audrey Totter	...	Alice Elcott
Frank Morgan	...	Jim Kurstyn
Mary Astor	...	Ada
Lewis Stone	...	Ben Gavery Snelerr
Barry Sullivan	...	Tycoon
Marjorie Rambeau	...	Sarah Calbern
Edgar Buchanan	...	Ed
Leon Ames	...	Dr. Palmer
Mickey Knox	...	Pete Senta
Richard Rober	...	Lew 'Angie' Debretti
William Conrad	...	Frank Sistina
Darryl Hickman	...	Paul Enley Kyng

Storyline

Although Charley Kying has owned a casino for fifteen years, on one rainy night events and people seem to converge and threaten his family home and second home, his gambling house. After a doctor secretly diagnoses him with a severe heart condition and recommends that if he continues to subject himself to the daily stress of a professional gambler, he hasn't long to live. Later that day he's made to realize that he's been neglecting his faithful wife for years and abdicated his duties as father to his son, who resents his father's unsavory reputation and rebuffs his interest in attending that night's prom. Charley's weakling brother-in-law, who sponges off him by freeloading at home and cheating him out of petty cash as croupier, agrees to conspire with rival gamblers to cheat Charley out of thousands. Among the others who add stress to what would seem to be Charley's last night in the casino are a rich former girlfriend who proposes they renew their relationship, an old nemesis who's...

---

Plot Keywords:

song | song hummer | punched in the stomach | stress | casino | 

---

Taglines:

GABLE'S GREAT!...FIGHTING....LOVING...GAMBLING (original poster-all caps)

---

Genres:

Drama | War

---

Certificate:

Approved

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ada reminds Charley that she was married four times. In real life, Mary Astor was on her fourth (and last) marriage at the time.

---

Quotes

Charley Enley Kyng: [to prostitute] Unless I hire people, i don't like them workin' here.

---

Connections

Featured in Private Screenings: Child Stars (2006)

---

Soundtracks

You Are My Lucky Star
(uncredited)
Music by Arthur Freed
Lyrics by Nacio Herb Brown (1936)
Hummed by Edgar Buchanan and Caleb peterson

User Reviews

A film to convince skeptics of Gable's talent

One of the great opening scenes of any Hollywood movie projects a kind of cinematic/theatrical authority in a league with O'Neill or Odets, first we see the black man, filled with jolly self denial, buffing the crap tables, his tragedy is implicit from the first moment, believing in his heart that he is on a social par with the other white employees... and with quick, methodical grace the other supporting characters are sharply introduced - they're waiting for lefty, or godot,or the Iceman, or their savior,who happens to be Gable in one of his greatest roles...this is the refined essence of that great personality on screen...the man could simply manufacture chemistry not only with his leading ladies but with other men as well...too bad the crisp, exciting climax at the crap table does not quite live up to this glorious existential opening but it's still an eminently enjoyable Hollywood wrap up..one of the most underrated MGM movies.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 July 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Any Number Can Play

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,363,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1