Winner Take All

Shirley Jones looks effectively wrung-out as a Los Angeles-area housewife, recently remarried to a widower with a small child, who has gambled away her new husband's savings; she's an addict who needs $30,000 to save her marriage. TV melodrama, framed by the lead character telling her story in a Gambler's Anonymous meeting, has a fine supporting cast backing Jones, including Laurence Luckinbill as her unsuspecting spouse, Joan Blondell as the owner of a gambling joint, Joyce Van Patten as a man-chaser who plays the ponies (and tells Jones, "losing is contagious!") and Sylvia Sidney as Shirley's exasperated but sympathetic mother. This teleplay doesn't allow Jones much relief; she's at the end of her rope, she continually makes poor decisions and, instead of sitting down with her husband and explaining her actions, she drives around town begging money from everyone she knows. Unpleasant (and unpleasantly pedantic: folks, don't let this happen to you!), but undeniably absorbing.

I recently bought this movie on VHS and viewed it. Shirley Jones does not disappoint, as she plays her character with depth and complexity. The movie begins with her monologue, as she speaks to a group of fellow ex-gamblers. I disapproved of that beginning, though, and thought the movie deserved more definition and formation of the main characters. I would have liked to have known the inner world of Elanor Anderson; her history, what brought her to gambling, her secret aspirations. Maybe just as importantly, I would have liked some illustration of what allowed her to quit gambling.

One of the main, and longest parts of the movie concerns a series of covert bets she makes, over a period of six months, with the $30,000 in her new husband's savings account. There was a 30-40 minute section of the movie when we are on pins and needles, waiting for her husband to find out. I thought this movie was going to end in a bloody scene such as in Finding Mr. Goodbar. I was very relieved and surprised when Elanor's husband reacts with love instead of hate, understanding instead of revenge. The substantial and valuable nature of this direction of the plot re-inforces my belief that this movie deserved more character development, as I was tempted to view the inner directives, values and challenges of the people involved. Shirley's performance and presence saves what is a somewhat, but not wholly disappointing plot.

Shirley Jones gives one of her best performances in this made-for-tv movie of the week. (I used to wait anxiously for each new movie back in the 70's) These were much more entertaining than today's fare. Anyway, Shirley wrecked one marriage with her addiction to gambling and her new husband is unsuspecting of her problem. We (the audience) cringe each time Shirley makes one stupid bet after another with her bookie and even gets the crap beaten out of her one time when she can't pay up. Shirley has long hair in this flick (another rarity, if you are used to seeing her short shag over and over). I don't know if she was nominated for an emmy for this but she should have been as she really sinks her teeth into this role. Good old fashioned drama without todays blood & guts violence or gratuitous four letter words but still entertaining. Don't know if it's on video or not, many of these forgotten made for tv movies are lost and should be found IMMEDIATELY!!

Shirley Jones does a great job of portraying a compulsive gambler in this movie. I am a compulsive gambler myself and I could truly relate to the pain and guilt and shame that overwhelms a person who has any addiction. As I watched this movie with over a year of sobriety, I still felt the desperation of her situation like it was mine all over again. Shirley Jones role is believable. I only wish it would've gone even deeper into the emotional despair that it can cause. This disease has killed many people literally and figuratively. I was only 9 yrs old when this movie came out and yet I'm so glad I watched this movie 35 years after it was made. Very well done.

Perhaps even more than her in her Oscar winning performance for "Elmer Gantry," Shirley Jones here achieves distinction with her convincing delineation of a woman teetering on the brink of destroying her life through a gambling addiction.

What lends great conviction to the production is the absolutely normal personality Miss Jones projects as the protagonist. Gambling addicts are not wild eyed and sinister looking psychopaths, and it is therefore entirely appropriate that Miss Jones' character is an attractive, charming, and thoroughly upstanding seeming character. And therein lies the rub...all of which allows her to so convincingly "take in" so many others, not the least of which is her husband, (Laurence Luckinbill) from whom she has appropriated (and lost) $30,000. Most of all, she has deceived herself.

Even the cut rate conventions of TV movie production work to this movie's benefit. By shooting the movie mainly within the confines of actual suburban split level homes, hotel rooms, pawn shops, and gambling casinos, the production achieves an almost documentary veracity.

Also working much in its favor is a superb performance from Sam Groom as a sleazy back room spiv, as well as welcome cameos from screen greats Sylvia Sidney and Joan Blondell.