Gambler's Choice | |
---|---|
Directed by | Frank McDonald |
Written by | Irving Reis Maxwell Shane |
Based on | story by James Edward Grant Howard Emmett Rogers |
Produced by | William H. Pine William C. Thomas |
Starring | Chester Morris Nancy Kelly |
Cinematography | Fred Jackman Jr. |
Edited by | Howard A. Smith |
Music by | Mort Glickman |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 66 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Gambler's Choice is a 1944 film directed by Frank McDonald and starring Chester Morris and Nancy Kelly. [1]
In 1897, three children, Ross Hadley, Mike McGlennon and Mary Rogers, are brought before a judge for stealing a man's wallet. McGlennon and Rogers have no prior record, so they are released to their parents. Hadley, however, is sent to a reform school.
In 1911, Hadley quits working for casino owner Chappie Wilson to start his own business, financed by Fay Lawrence, the rich widow of a bookie. To compete, Wilson hires a beautiful singer, Vi Parker, "the Garter Girl". When Hadley sees her perform, he recognizes her as Mary Rogers. He takes her to a police station, much to her confusion. There she is reunited with Lieutenant Mike McGlennon. Then Hadley takes them both to see his grand, brand-new gambling establishment. Hadley offers McGlennon a small share, but McGlennon is an honest cop. Hadley also offers "Vi" a job. She turns him down, but when Wilson and a henchman come to retrieve her, Hadley punches Wilson, and McGlennon takes care of the henchman, so she has to work for him. Lawrence is not happy about this arrangement and tries to fire her, but Hadley pays off her loan to him and kicks her out.
In 1942, MGM remade Manhattan Melodrama , a film about two boyhood friends who grow up on opposite sides of the law. It was titled Gambler's Choice, then Northwest Rangers . [2] This movie has a similar storyline, with two boyhood friends growing up on opposite sites of the law.
In June 1943 Pine-Thomas signed a new contract with Paramount which included three musicals, and two bigger-budgeted pictures, plus three wartime movies which would co-star Chester Morris and Russell Hayden as a team (replacing Morris and Richard Arlen). Hayden had just left Columbia Pictures. [3] [4]
In September 1943 Pine Thomas bought a story by James Edward Grant and Howard called "Tenderloin" as a vehicle for Chester Morris. [5] (They also bought Hell's Afloat for Morris which was never made.) Russell Hayden and Nancy Kelly were cast in November 1943 when the film's title was changed to Gambler's Choice. [6] [7]
Filming took place in December 1943. [8]
Nancy Kelly was an American actress in film, theater, and television. A child actress and model, she was a repertory cast member of CBS Radio's The March of Time, and appeared in several films in the late 1920s. She became a leading lady upon returning to the screen in the late 1930s, while still in her teens, and made two dozen movies between 1938 and 1946, including portraying Tyrone Power's love interest in the classic Jesse James (1939), which also featured Henry Fonda, and playing opposite Spencer Tracy in Stanley and Livingstone, later that same year. After turning to the stage in the late 1940s, she had her greatest success in a character role, the distraught mother in The Bad Seed, receiving a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for the 1955 stage production and an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress for the 1956 film adaptation, her last film role. Kelly then worked regularly in television until 1963, then took over the role of Martha in the original Broadway production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? for several months. She returned to television for a handful of appearances in the mid-1970s.
William John Eythe was an American actor of film, radio, television and stage.
Jean Rogers was an American actress who starred in serial films in the 1930s and low–budget feature films in the 1940s as a leading lady. She is best remembered for playing Dale Arden in the science-fiction serials Flash Gordon (1936) and Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938).
John Joseph Francis Mulhall was an American film actor beginning in the silent film era who successfully transitioned to sound films, appearing in over 430 films in a career spanning 50 years.
Reed Hadley was an American film, television and radio actor.
Tornado is a 1943 film directed by William A. Berke and starring Chester Morris and Nancy Kelly.
Double Exposure is a 1944 American crime comedy film directed by William Berke, and starring Chester Morris and Nancy Kelly.
Richard Dye, known professionally as Dick Curtis, was an American actor who made over 230 film and television appearances during his career.
Pine-Thomas Productions was a prolific B-picture unit of Paramount Pictures from 1940–1957, producing 81 films. Co-producers William H. Pine and William C. Thomas were known as the "Dollar Bills" because none of their economically made films ever lost money. "We don't want to make million dollar pictures," they said. "We just want to make a million dollars."
Aerial Gunner is a 1943 American black-and-white World War II propaganda film produced by William C. Thomas and William H. Pine, who also directed. The film stars Chester Morris, Richard Arlen, and Jimmy Lydon. This was the first feature film directed by Pine, who produced other films through his company, Pine-Thomas Productions. Aerial Gunner was distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Minesweeper is a 1943 American black-and-white World War II film, produced by William H. Pine and William C. Thomas, directed by William A. Berke, that stars Richard Arlen, Jean Parker, and Russell Hayden. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures. A former navy deserter returns to duty after the attack on Pearl Harbor under an assumed name as a sailor aboard a minesweeper.
The War Against Mrs. Hadley is a 1942 American drama film directed by Harold S. Bucquet and starring Fay Bainter and Edward Arnold. The plot depicts how wealthy society matron Stella Hadley selfishly refuses to sacrifice her family or material comforts during World War II, until tragedy strikes an old rival. The script by George Oppenheimer was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Dark Mountain is a 1944 American film noir crime film directed by William Berke. It is also known as Thunderbolt and Thunder Mountain.
No Hands on the Clock is a 1941 American comedy mystery film directed by Frank McDonald starring Chester Morris as detective Humphrey Campbell. The cast also included Jean Parker and Rose Hobart. It was produced by Pine-Thomas Productions and released by Paramount Pictures.
I Live on Danger is a 1942 film noir thriller film directed by Sam White and starring Chester Morris and Jean Parker.
Pirates on Horseback is a 1941 American Western film directed by Lesley Selander and written by Ethel La Blanche and J. Benton Cheney. The film stars William Boyd, Russell Hayden, Andy Clyde, Eleanor Stewart, Morris Ankrum and William Haade. The film was released on May 23, 1941, by Paramount Pictures.
High Explosive is a 1943 American drama film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Maxwell Shane and Howard J. Green for Pine-Thomas Productions. The film stars Chester Morris, Jean Parker, Barry Sullivan, Ralph Sanford, Rand Brooks and Dick Purcell. The film was released on March 27, 1943, by Paramount Pictures.
Take It Big is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Howard J. Green and Joe Bigelow. The film stars Jack Haley, Harriet Hilliard, Mary Beth Hughes, Richard Lane, Arline Judge and Fritz Feld. Also featured is Hilliard's husband in real life, bandleader Ozzie Nelson.
Elliott Sullivan was an American actor.
Adrian Michael Morris was an American actor of stage and film, and a younger brother of Chester Morris.