**SPOILERS** Terribly depressing character study of a degenerate gambler who's luck hit rock bottom with him getting into the hole for $44,000.00 to the mob who's been bankrolling his action.
James Caan in one of his most memorable roles as Axel Freed a collage English professor, at the prestigious Fordham University in New York City, who's gambling his life away in his almost suicidal attempt to make the big score. Axel is not a total loser in the movie, he does have his share of big hits in the film, but like almost all gamblers he plays to lose more then to win by going against his better judgment, it makes things more challenging and exciting that way for him. It's when he bets and ends up broke that Alex has to go to local mob Shylock's to get cash, to continue his insane betting, that has him at the brink of having his arms legs and head disjointed and broken or busted.
Because of the subject matter as well as the fine acting from Mr. Caan and the rest of the cast the movie really grabs you and leaves you feeling almost as depressed and despondent as Axel is in it. You really feel for the man since he has an almost incurable disease, compulsive gambling, thats slowly turning this very likable and friendly person into an uncontrollable monster.
Axel is not only destroying himself but his widowed mom Naomie Freed, Jacqueline Brooks. Naomie cashes out her life savings of almost $50,000.00 to pay off her sons debts to the mob. As soon as Axel gets the money his mother gave him to practically save his life and limbs he immediately gambles it away on a number of basketball games! This puts him into even more of a hole with the gangsters then he already was in. At the same time Alexs actions has his shocked girlfriend Billie ,Lauren Hutton, walk out on him in total disgust.
Walking aimlessly in the park Axel is grabbed by two mobsters and taken to a mob hideout in the city. Given one last chance to pay up or else they come up with what even Axel feels is something thats not worth his life to do. He's told to get one of his students Spencer, Carl W. Crudup, who's a top basketball player for the collage team to shave points in a big game that he's playing in that evening with Axel giving him $5,000.00 to do it. This act of corrupting an innocent person to save his hide for the troubles that he got himself into was the straw that broke the camels back for the now extremely tormented Axel and finally opened his eyes, to not only what he was doing to himself but to those around him as well.
With his debts now finally paid off and the mob off his back Axel instead of being relived becomes suicidal and at the end of the movie gambles with the most prized and valuable item in his possession: His Life.
James Caan in one of his most memorable roles as Axel Freed a collage English professor, at the prestigious Fordham University in New York City, who's gambling his life away in his almost suicidal attempt to make the big score. Axel is not a total loser in the movie, he does have his share of big hits in the film, but like almost all gamblers he plays to lose more then to win by going against his better judgment, it makes things more challenging and exciting that way for him. It's when he bets and ends up broke that Alex has to go to local mob Shylock's to get cash, to continue his insane betting, that has him at the brink of having his arms legs and head disjointed and broken or busted.
Because of the subject matter as well as the fine acting from Mr. Caan and the rest of the cast the movie really grabs you and leaves you feeling almost as depressed and despondent as Axel is in it. You really feel for the man since he has an almost incurable disease, compulsive gambling, thats slowly turning this very likable and friendly person into an uncontrollable monster.
Axel is not only destroying himself but his widowed mom Naomie Freed, Jacqueline Brooks. Naomie cashes out her life savings of almost $50,000.00 to pay off her sons debts to the mob. As soon as Axel gets the money his mother gave him to practically save his life and limbs he immediately gambles it away on a number of basketball games! This puts him into even more of a hole with the gangsters then he already was in. At the same time Alexs actions has his shocked girlfriend Billie ,Lauren Hutton, walk out on him in total disgust.
Walking aimlessly in the park Axel is grabbed by two mobsters and taken to a mob hideout in the city. Given one last chance to pay up or else they come up with what even Axel feels is something thats not worth his life to do. He's told to get one of his students Spencer, Carl W. Crudup, who's a top basketball player for the collage team to shave points in a big game that he's playing in that evening with Axel giving him $5,000.00 to do it. This act of corrupting an innocent person to save his hide for the troubles that he got himself into was the straw that broke the camels back for the now extremely tormented Axel and finally opened his eyes, to not only what he was doing to himself but to those around him as well.
With his debts now finally paid off and the mob off his back Axel instead of being relived becomes suicidal and at the end of the movie gambles with the most prized and valuable item in his possession: His Life.