Starring: Clive Owen, Gina McKeeDirector: Mike Hodges
“Chapter 13. Its all numbers, the Croupier thought. Spin of the wheel, turn of the card, time of your life, date of your birth, year of your death. In the book of Numbers the Lord said, ‘Thou shall count thy steps.’”
The narrator is the main character Jack Manfred, an aspiring but struggling writer who has taken a job as a croupier at a middle of the road London casino, the “Golden Lion.” Raised by his father in the abnormal environment of South African casino-hotels, Jack is skillful with the chips and deft with cards, a true professional in the seedy underground world of the gaming employee. But his true skill is observation, the way in which he holds himself aloof from the degenerates that occupy the other side of the table. However, things change for Jack when he breaks one of the cardinal rules of the house – never socialize with a punter (player) outside the casino – and he is gradually dragged down into an existence and a scheme which affects everything that once mattered in his life.
A young, gaunt Clive Owen delivers a slick performance in this intelligently written film which has a touch of noir and plenty of good dialogue. Gina McKee, as Jack’s girlfriend Marion, plays the earnest counterweight excellently, as she fights harder with each passing scene to save their deteriorating relationship. Also worthy of note is David Hamilton, who portrays the cynical casino supervisor flawlessly.
For a film displaying such good writing and creativity, the movie closes somewhat ambiguously, some might even say illogically. But this obscurity, even if it offends the viewer, is worth the first-rate portrayal and inspection of the gambling world from the dealer’s point of view. This examination is particularly valuable and insightful, well worth the price of admission, especially for those of us who are used to seeing and experiencing casino life from the opposite perspective.
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