The Lady Gambles *** (1949, Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Preston, Stephen McNally) – Classic Movie Review 10,948

The lady in the 1949 film noir drama The Lady Gambles is Joan Boothe (played by Barbara Stanwyck), whose compulsive gambling addiction leads to marital strife. On set, Stanwyck gave young Tony Curtis a tip. 

The lady in Michael Gordon’s 1949 Universal International Pictures black and white film noir drama The Lady Gambles is Joan Boothe (played by the spunky Barbara Stanwyck), whose compulsive gambling addiction leads to marital strife, in this well-acted but mild and undistinctive potboiler.

Robert Preston suffers valiantly as her unfortunate reporter husband David Boothe, whose article on Las Vegas sets it all off, but it is Stanwyck’s energised performance, rich with the force of her vibrant personality, that motors it.

The Lady Gambles is nothing special in any way, apart from Stanwyck , but that is enough.

It starts with David Boothe looking back on how his estranged wife Joan came to be found badly beaten after using loaded dice in a back-alley game,

Tony Curtis (billed as Anthony Curtis), in his third film, plays a bellhop/ bellboy who delivers letter to Stanwyck. Curtis recalled: ‘In my one big scene, I’d hand Barbara Stanwyck a letter and my line was “It looks like it followed you half way across the country.” The director walked up to me and said: “All you want is a tip.” I must have said it right, she gave me a dollar tip. To this day when I go to work in a movie, all I want is a tip.’

Curtis’s bit part lasts less than 10 seconds and he has four lines.

Also in the cast are Stephen McNally, Edith Barrett, John Hoyt, Elliott Sullivan, John Harmon, Leif Erickson, Gary Moore, Tony Curtis, Philip Van Zandt, Curt Conway, Houseley Stevenson, Don Beddoe, Peter Leeds, Frank Moran, Esther Howard, John Indrissano, Peter Brocco, Nana Bryant, Sherry Hall, William Hudson, Rex Leese, Francis McDonald, George Spaulding, Billy Wayne, Jim Toney, George M Carleton, Polly Bailey, Bill Cartledge, Beatrice Gray, Donna La Barr, and Eddie Le Baron.

Story: Lewis Meltzer, Oscar Saul. Writers: Roy Huggins (screenplay), Halsted Welles (adaptation).

Cinematography by Russell Metty. Produced by Michael Kraike. Music by Frank Skinner.

Runtime: 99 minutes.

It was released by Universal International Pictures on 20 May 1949 (New York City).

The cast are Barbara Stanwyck as Joan Phillips Boothe, Robert Preston as David Boothe, Stephen McNally as Horace Corrigan, Edith Barrett as Ruth Phillips, John Hoyt as Dr. Rojac, Elliott Sullivan as Barky, John Harmon as Frenchy, Philip Van Zandt as Chuck Benson, Leif Erickson as Tony, Curt Conway as Bank Clerk, Houseley Stevenson as Pawnbroker, Don Beddoe as Mr. Dennis Sutherland, Nana Bryant as Mrs. Dennis Sutherland, Tony Curtis [Anthony Curtis] as Bellboy, Peter Leeds as Hotel Clerk Jack Harrison, Frank Moran as Murphy, Esther Howard as Gross Lady, John Indrisano as Bert, Peter Brocco, Nana Bryant, Sherry Hall, William Hudson, Rex Leese, Francis McDonald, George Spaulding, Billy Wayne, Jim Toney, George M Carleton, Polly Bailey, Bill Cartledge, Beatrice Gray, Donna La Barr, and Eddie Le Baron.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,948

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com