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The Lady Gambles

  • 19491949
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
847
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Barbara Stanwyck and Stephen McNally in The Lady Gambles (1949)
  • Drama
  • Film-Noir
A desperate husband tries to find help for his wife suffering from addictive gambling.A desperate husband tries to find help for his wife suffering from addictive gambling.A desperate husband tries to find help for his wife suffering from addictive gambling.
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
847
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Michael Gordon
  • Writers
    • Roy Huggins(screenplay)
    • Halsted Welles(adaptation)
    • Lewis Meltzer(story)
  • Stars
    • Barbara Stanwyck
    • Robert Preston
    • Stephen McNally
Top credits
  • Director
    • Michael Gordon
  • Writers
    • Roy Huggins(screenplay)
    • Halsted Welles(adaptation)
    • Lewis Meltzer(story)
  • Stars
    • Barbara Stanwyck
    • Robert Preston
    • Stephen McNally
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 22User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos53

    Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Preston in The Lady Gambles (1949)
    Edith Barrett, John Hoyt, and Robert Preston in The Lady Gambles (1949)
    John Hoyt in The Lady Gambles (1949)
    Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Preston in The Lady Gambles (1949)
    Edith Barrett and Robert Preston in The Lady Gambles (1949)
    Barbara Stanwyck, Edith Barrett, and Robert Preston in The Lady Gambles (1949)
    John Hoyt and Robert Preston in The Lady Gambles (1949)
    Barbara Stanwyck and John Harmon in The Lady Gambles (1949)
    Barbara Stanwyck in The Lady Gambles (1949)
    Barbara Stanwyck in The Lady Gambles (1949)
    The Lady Gambles (1949)
    Barbara Stanwyck, John Indrisano, Francis McDonald, Stephen McNally, and Philip Van Zandt in The Lady Gambles (1949)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Barbara Stanwyck
    Barbara Stanwyck
    • Joan Bootheas Joan Boothe
    Robert Preston
    Robert Preston
    • David Bootheas David Boothe
    Stephen McNally
    Stephen McNally
    • Horace Corriganas Horace Corrigan
    Edith Barrett
    Edith Barrett
    • Ruth Phillipsas Ruth Phillips
    John Hoyt
    John Hoyt
    • Dr. Rojacas Dr. Rojac
    Elliott Sullivan
    • Barkyas Barky
    John Harmon
    John Harmon
    • Frenchyas Frenchy
    Philip Van Zandt
    Philip Van Zandt
    • Chuckas Chuck
    • (as Phil Van Zandt)
    Leif Erickson
    Leif Erickson
    • Tonyas Tony
    Curt Conway
    Curt Conway
    • Bank Clerkas Bank Clerk
    Houseley Stevenson
    Houseley Stevenson
    • Pawnbrokeras Pawnbroker
    Don Beddoe
    Don Beddoe
    • Mr. Dennis Sutherlandas Mr. Dennis Sutherland
    Nana Bryant
    Nana Bryant
    • Mrs. Dennis Sutherlandas Mrs. Dennis Sutherland
    Tony Curtis
    Tony Curtis
    • Bellboyas Bellboy
    • (as Anthony Curtis)
    Peter Leeds
    • Jack Harrison - Hotel Clerkas Jack Harrison - Hotel Clerk
    • (as Peter Lewis)
    Frank Moran
    Frank Moran
    • Murphyas Murphy
    Esther Howard
    Esther Howard
    • Gross Ladyas Gross Lady
    John Indrisano
    John Indrisano
    • Bertas Bert
    • Director
      • Michael Gordon
    • Writers
      • Roy Huggins(screenplay)
      • Halsted Welles(adaptation)
      • Lewis Meltzer(story)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The scene where Corrigan (Steven McNally) tells the girls "No-one uses my first name....because it's Horace" could well have been an in-joke as Stephen McNally's birth name was Horace Vincent McNally.
    • Goofs
      Reflected in the bus window that Joan is on.
    • Quotes

      Joan Phillips Boothe: May I come in?

      Barky: Ask a foolish question, and you get a foolish answer.

    User reviews22

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    She certainly does
    Robert Preston (David) tracks down his wife Barbara Stanwyck (Joan) in hospital after she has been beaten up. He pleas with John Hoyt (Dr Rojac) to let her go home with him after she has been treated rather than hand her over to the police where she has several outstanding charges. In flashback, we watch the story of her descent into gambling addiction after a visit to Las Vegas.

    The film is interesting to watch for the location settings. I actually bought it specifically for the Las Vegas setting as it is where I got married earlier this year and I wanted to make a comparison with 1949. The story was incidental. As it turns out, the story is OK if predictable. Stanwyck carries the film with good support from gangster Stephen McNally (Mr Corrigan). Robert Preston changes his tune during the course of the film as he swings from rejecting her to accepting her while the role of Stanwyck's sister Edith Barrett (Ruth) is pretty annoying and some sentimental pop psychology is dragged into the proceedings.

    I'm sure that the inspiration behind the Las Vegas section of the film was Bugsy Siegel and his Flamingo Hotel which paved the way for the notoriety of the Strip. The main body of the film is set in the Pelican Hotel (a bit similar?) and McNally has an interest in a horse racing scam just as Bugsy did.

    The film ends in a disappointingly corny way after a funny moment when John Hoyt shows us what to say to someone when they are about to jump off a window ledge. I dare you to try it some day! As for the film's climax, we have to hopefully imagine that everything will go downhill again once they return to Vegas and hit the casinos.
    helpful•4
    2
    • AAdaSC
    • Jun 19, 2013

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 8, 1949 (Mexico)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Gambling Lady
    • Filming locations
      • Hoover Dam, Arizona-Nevada Border, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal International Pictures (UI)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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