The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw

"The Gambler Returns: Luck of the Draw" is yet another TV movie based on Kenny Rogers' character. It's the fourth of five such films and to me it's a case of going to the well one (or more) times too many. So, despite many cameos from old time TV western stars, it's pretty tedious.

When the story begins, the Gambler (Rogers) is having a run-in with a Mexican general who is a card cheat. And, to make sure he wins, the general is going to hang the Gambler and his friend. Fortunately, a ridiculously anachronistic woman arrives and saves the day with a Gattling Gun that NEVER needs reloading! Once they escape, they visit one town after another having adventures, meeting old friend AND trying to find some folks to stake the Gambler to a high stakes poker game in California.

This is probably one of the worst films for me to watch, as I used to teach US History...and the film is filled with too many anachronisms and cliches to count. While it's supposed to be set out in the west (probably circa 1900 or just a bit later) there is a relatively modern motorcycle and a woman who simply could not have existed in this time and place (Reba McIntire). She's like a combination of Jessie from the "Toy Story" films and Sylvester Stallone!

Overall, the story is very weak, the characters are pretty ridiculous, Kenny Rogers does very little acting in the film (mostly things just seem to happen around him) and the story just rambles. The only positives are the very brief (too brief) cameos by the TV western stars of yesterday...but they deserved better. Overall, it comes off like a very cheap TV movie with little regard to the story or believability. Of interest only to die-hard Kenny Rogers fans.

Even though I grew up in the 70's and actually liked the song, at least the first hundred or so times I heard it, I never saw any of the Gambler movies. I didn't see them because I knew they would suck, just like every movie starring a non-actor be him or her an athlete or singer, this one proved me right. I don't have the vocabulary to describe how bad this movie is.

Reba's role as "Burgundy Jones " the owner of a brothel and admirer of Mr. Hawke's poker skills, steals the movie with the sexiest leather cowboy duds ever. It is very highly improbable that this leather outfit could have been made in this time era, never mind that a cross-dressing female would be allowed to wear these masculine leather garments during this time . Reba does save the life of Kenny Rogers(Hawke) from the Mexican gallows when wrongly accused of cheating at cards. Reba gives Kenny the chance to represent a girl group with their financial backing to enter a big poker game with the world's best players in San Francisco. Kenny comes through; surprise ! Reba as Burgundy , didn't get to strut her stuff enough in her cowboy leathers as she should have don, she was shot and never wore her sexy leathers again. Linda Evans re-appears in this "Gambler" sequel dressed in another cowboy outfit.This black cloth outfit is unlike her first cowboy outfit she wore in her first "Gambler" episode. Linda as " Kate " the bounty hunter is now a locale sheriff dressed like Gene Autry in his movie fancy duds. Kate has tight rodeo riding pants tucked into her cowboy boots with matching jacket and Stetson hat. Kate looks great with her cowboy gun belt slung around curving hips.

The only reason I can watched this movie was because Reba McEntire was in it. The movie itself isn't very exciting. It seems that they may have been pushing "The Gambler" success with this one. I don't think this is a great movie, but it does have a couple of humorous moments.