The Music of Chance (1993)

A thrill seeker agrees to help a shady professional gambler win a high stakes poker game. However, they lose and become captives of two eccentric rich men who decide to forcibly keep them on their remote gated ranch as indentured servants.

Director:

Philip Haas

Writers:

Philip Haas (screenplay), Belinda Haas (screenplay)

Stars:

James Spader, Mandy Patinkin, M. Emmet Walsh

Cast

Complete credited cast:
James Spader	...	Jack Pozzi
Mandy Patinkin	...	Jim Nashe
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Calvin Murks
Charles Durning	...	Bill Flower
Joel Grey	...	Willy Stone
Samantha Mathis	...	Tiffany
Chris Penn	...	Floyd
Pearl Jones	...	Louise
Jordan Spainhour	...	Floyd Jr.
Paul Auster	...	Driver

Storyline

Whilst traveling across America living off the money from a large inheritance, ex-fireman Nashe has a chance meeting with Pozzi, a professional gambler and card shark. Nashe agrees to fund the penniless Pozzi in a game of poker against two eccentric millionaires, Flower and Stone, in an attempt to regain some of his spent fortune. His gamble has unforeseen and bizarre consequences for both himself and Pozzi. This film is an almost exact translation of the novel by Paul Auster.

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Plot Keywords:

partners | team up | beating | held captive | shady character | 

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Taglines:

Jack Pozzi is about to take the biggest gamble of his life...

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scene where Jim Nashe is in bed after the party, he reads a book. You can see that the cover indicates the book is one by Paul Auster, who wrote the novel upon which the movie is based.

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Goofs

In a poker game 2 purple chips are put on the stake pile, another purple one is tossed on then a 4th is tossed on but the 3 previous ones have disappeared.

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Quotes

Calvin Murks: Mornin' boys.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Last Action Hero/Once Upon a Forest/Jurassic Park/The Music of Chance (1993)

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Soundtracks

Jerusalem
Music by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
Lyrics by William Blake
Performed by Mandy Patinkin

User Reviews

Tragically overlooked movie

The Music of Chance is one of those movies in the "eclectic" section at your local video store, one that you pick up on that Thursday when your girlfriend is off on a trip and no one will go to the pub with you. One you wouldn't actually go out and rent to watch with others, lest they find out how pathetic your life is.

But once you get one of these movies home, you find it's absolutely gripping. Sure, it's actually a picture-novel--not purely a visual experience, obviously based on something. But you watch it. Then you watch it again, and listen more carefully. Then you return it, so that you can tell your friends that they really ought to see this movie, it's got that guy, you know, the fat guy, and this other guy, and it's about poker, and your friends ignore you, and think to themselves, "hope his girlfriend gets back soon--he's a wreck these days." But really, they should see the movie. But they don't. And the crushing loneliness and isolation of modern life weighs down on you all the more heavily.

*That* is what this movie is like.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 June 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Music of Chance

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,359, 6 June 1993

Gross USA:

$313,967

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$313,967

Company Credits

Production Co:

IRS Media, Transatlantic Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1