Caballero nocturno

I like that Clark Gable plays the logical extension of the characters he so often played in the 1930s and 40s. So often he played the likable rogue who made his living just skirting the border between good and evil--playing gamblers, mercenaries or con-men. However, in each film you almost never see what this same character would have been like had the film followed him into mid-life. Well, ANY NUMBER CAN PLAY is such a film. Gable plays an older rogue who owns a gambling house but also has a wife and older son. And, instead of being firmly in control of his life, you can see it slowly crumbling--at least around the edges. This role took some guts to play as he was more vulnerable and Gable COULD have just continued playing "fluff roles". Give it a try and see an adult drama.

Not a great film but a very entertaining one with some wonderful performances from a cast of pros.

Gable holds the spotlight effortlessly as the gambling house owner at a crossroads ably assisted by some of the best character actors working at MGM at the time. Used as both a launching pad for some actors just starting out, Wendell Corey and Barry Sullivan, and a chance to see many wonderful character actors with years of experience, Lewis Stone, Frank Morgan etc. all get their moment in the spotlight.

It's hard to pick best in show with so many marvelous players but some that stand out are: Mary Astor is a nice cameo as a lonely woman with a longstanding yen for Clark who through the years has settled for friendship. Both Stone and Morgan add pathos to their individual roles as does Audrey Totter as Alexis Smith's worn down sister. Marjorie Rambeau is an absolute joy as a rambunctious dowager who swoops right in and steals her scenes without breaking a sweat. Lastly Alexis Smith who often was wasted in decorative roles bites into her role as Gable's tough wife. She initially seems a complacent and docile homebody but when the chips are down she emerges as somewhat of a tigress in a terrific performance.

As might be apparent from the long list of excellent work turned in, the film has many plot lines; really too many and that's its main weakness. Director Mervyn LeRoy juggles all the various happenings effectively but a bit of trimming would have sharpened the film's focus.

This postwar movie was one of Clark Gable's last for the studio that made him a star--MGM. Gable is older, perhaps wiser, but here fully capable of playing this role with all of the insight into life that his 49 years have earned him. One has the feeling that after the great '30s roles such as Rhett Butler, after the death of Carole Lombard, and after the war, Gable was perfect for the world-weary professional gambler that he plays here--the part fits him like a glove. And he's surrounded by great character actors such as Frank Morgan, Lewis Stone, and Mary Astor, to name a few.

I don't agree with the other review that said this was a totally unrealistic, if watchable film: I grew up in a small city that had a gambling house similar to the one depicted here. It was well run, had many regulars, and was quite well known to the authorities. In any case, this movie is well worth a view, if you're not a Gable fan, you might be after viewing this one.

With an interesting subject that is very much relevant today, a more than capable director who has done some decent and more films and it is hard to go wrong with talent like Clark Gable, Mary Astor and Frank Morgan, have fondness for all three. Seeing them individually in different films is always great, seeing them in the same film together is even more of a treat.

'Any Number Can Play' is certainly an interesting film and does quite a good job with its serious subject. In terms of quality, everybody involved did much better in other things, especially previously, but mostly they are served well and 'Any Number Can Play' is a more than watchable and actually decent film in its own way. Some flaws here but also a lot of strengths, the film does try to do too much but the performances more than make up for it.

Like said above, 'Any Number Can Play' would have been better if it tried to do less. It can have too much going on that it's occasionally a bit hasty and muddled. It would have benefitted from not having as many characters and fleshed out some of the characters more.

Mary Astor and Audrey Totter should have had more to do. Astor deserved more than a cameo, but actually comes off better but she is quite touching here. Didn't really get very much from Totter, who is rather bland and her role fairly underwritten.

Clark Gable however is excellent in the lead role, charming yet hard-edged. Frank Morgan, Marjorie Rambeau and particularly Lewis Stone are more than solid in support, Rambeau is a delight and Stone is quite affecting and understated. Morgan has a knack for stealing scenes without over-egging. Alexis Smith is fetching and has charm.

The film is nicely shot and while the settings are few they are hardly ugly. The music doesn't intrude yet has enough presence to stop it from being bland. Mervyn Le Roy may have bring the most distinguished of all directing jobs but he keeps things moving and doesn't undermine the cast in any way.

Overall the script is thoughtful and taut and the story may have its faults but the intrigue factor is high and it does a good job showing the dangers and horrors of gambling and how it affects the family without trivialising or overdoing. Didn't think that the moral was a weird one at all.

In summation, interesting and worthwhile but with room for improvement. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Clark Gable is a casino owner who has tried to give all he can to his wife and son, but maybe all they needed was his time. Alexis Smith and Dwayne Hickman is his wife and son, and the movie is peppered with great supporting actors like Frank Morgan, Wendell Corey, Mary Astor and Marjorie Rambeau. The film begins rather slow, but is rewarding to those who like character studies and get into family dynamics. This seems to be the type of film that doesn't rely so much on active plot but on the way the characters relate to each other, which in some ways, puts it ahead of its time. While others may find fault with the film and I do admit it has its faults, I thoroughly enjoyed it and appreciated what it was trying to convey, that in life we have to give a second chance not only to others but also to ourselves. A new beginning is always the best perspective. Watch Any Number Can Play and see what you get out of it.