Genres

Visitors Review

2013-05-17 11:30:13

Tyrone Power makes for a dashing riverboat gambler

This review is from: The Mississippi Gambler [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Spain ] (DVD) On a riverboat trip down the Mississippi river, an honest gambler (Tyrone Power) runs afoul of a no good, spoiled scoundrel (John Baer) from a respected New Orleans family and his haughty Southern belle sister (Piper Laurie) with whom Power falls in love. His love and hate relationship with these two will bring tragedy to all of them. This entertaining piece of diversion directed by Rudolph Mate (WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE) makes for a perfect lazy Sunday afternoon matinee (which is how I saw it). Movies like this don't hold up under much scrutiny but then again, they were never intended to. The handsome Power makes for a dashing riverboat gambler and Laurie looks ravishing in her Bill Thomas period costumes. Still, it's one of those films where the good girl (Julie Adams) has ten times the worth of the bratty one (Laurie) and one is frustrated when Power can't see it as Adams nobly and patiently stands by his side and waits. The lively score is by Frank Skinner (ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS). With Gwen Verdon (in black-face yet doing a voodoo dance with a chicken that would have PETA up in arms if made today), Anita Ekberg, John McIntire, Dennis Weaver, Ron Randell, William Reynolds, Guy Williams and Hugh Beaumont.The Universal DVD from Spain utilizes a transfer that's on the soft side but still eminently watchable.

Arne Andersen 2013-05-16 22:59:00

Pleasant saga of honest gambler and eccentric family entanglement

This is a pleasant drama with Power playing an unusual man of honor, agambler who desires to open a gambling casino in New Orleans that will bestrictly honest. He becomes involved with a local family, the Dureaus,thepatriarch of which is a noble and honest gentlemen who is plagued with twoheadstrong children. Piper Laurie plays the spoiled daughter who is inlovewith Power but won't admit it. John Baer plays the nasty brother who is acompulsive gambler and a coward to boot. Baer is quite a handsome youngactor - one wonders what became of him. There are duels, double crosses,runs on banks, you name it. It amounts to very little but is certainlyconsistently entertaining. John McIntyre does well as Power's crustysidekick. The film earned a single Oscar nom - for Sound - although therewas nothing special about this category achievement. It deserved but didnot get noms for Art Direction, Costume Design and Score. By the way,watchfor Gwen Verdon, doused in Lena Horne's "light Egyptian" make-up in a solovoodoo dance. All in all, pleasant but don't go out of yourway.

blanche-2 2013-05-07 08:09:38

Tyrone gambling on the Mississippi

"The Mississippi Gambler" is largely responsible for the downfall ofTyrone Power's marriage to Linda Christian. The film was originallydeveloped as a vehicle for the two of them, but Universal Picturesprevailed and Piper Laurie was cast. As Laurie herself put it, "When Idid the test, my competition was Mrs. Power!" Christian never forgaveher husband. Add to that his affair with Anita Ekberg (who isuncredited in this movie), and you've got a recipe for divorce.Needless to say, the role was tailor-made for Power - that of ahandsome, honorable, gentleman-gambler who's in love with one woman,Angelique (Laurie) and has the love of another, Ann (Julia Adams).Power is magnificently handsome, if maybe a little too old for thispart. He is meticulously dressed and has the opportunity to show offhis sword play. It's an excellent role for him, and one he doesbeautifully.The production values are sumptuous, including the sets, costumes, anda marvelous supporting cast which includes John McIntyre, Ron Randell,and John Baer, and the wonderful Paul Cavanagh, who plays Angelique'sfather. Laurie, once the President of her local Tyrone Power Fan Club,is exquisite in the ingénue role. The beautiful Julia Adams (who lookseerily like Connie Selleca in this film) does a great job of sufferingfrom unrequited love.Nearly twenty years of working at Twentieth Century Fox had taughtPower a lot. This film was a huge hit and, with a percentage of thegross, made a ton of money for him. He needed it for the divorcesettlement.

ironside 2013-05-06 11:20:27

A gratifying entertainment!

The paddle boats were particularly suited to the shallow waters... Themost famous were the very elegant gaming boats with casinos, bars anddancing rounding the bends of the Mississippi River..."The Mississippi Gambler" is filled with many colorful characters... Itis good for the reason that it covers a lot of ground and refreshes theeyes with great stars... It is good because Tyrone Power is excellentas the gallant gentleman, a man of high principles, honorable andcourteous with women, a man with a sense of honor, duty and justice,steady in the game of skill, style and finesse, a very lucky man in thepoker game...Power erases the rough edges off his film personality and turns in acharacterization that is virile without being rough... He and PiperLaurie make an excellent team... This cute headstrong haughty womanproves herself a good dramatic actress... She declares her love toPower on time, when the boat was about to sail...Julie Adams breathes life into her characterization... She is abeautiful bereaved young woman who lost her heart on the riverboat andtries gently to discourage her admirer...John McIntire is the veteran riverboat gambler with a dream - to openan honest gambling house, with a partner, on the bank of theMississippi River...John Baer is the unsympathetic compulsive gambler who cannot controlthe urge to gamble and loses everything... Baer is the arrogantdescendant of an aristocratic family who wants to settle his debt bygiving his sister's valuable necklace... He is the treacherous youngman who turns coward on the dueling field...Dennis Weaver is the good-looking young man who wrecks his life bygambling away all his money... Paul Cavanagh is the loving father whothrows down his gauntlet defending his friend's principles challengingthe offending party to a duel... Ron Randell is the banker embezzled toabundant luxuries on his willful and obstinate wife..The film is beautifully shot with costumes above reproach... It is agratifying entertainment, where romanticism is above all an exaltationof individual values and aspirations above those of society...

Jimjnx 2013-04-29 01:40:00

An enjoyable movie

Excellent and a bit different action type story line. Great mix, of oldworld, upper echelon Mississippi River gambling life. Also the riftbetween "commoners" and the "rich elite" who like to make believe theydon't have all the same feelings and faults like us average folk. Ithas a good supporting cast as well. Tyrone Power was a bit older bythis move but we all age and he still looks darn good. He also is stilla fine actor and personality and can command the screen too. It's hassome excellent sword play and it also provides a bit of a real fencingeducation. Besides all that it's in color and It's got Julie Adams andPiper Laurie too!

tmwest 2013-04-28 08:42:13

you have seen it all, but here it works better

When seeing The Mississipi Gambler you have the feeling you have seenit all before, I did, a great deal of it in "The Iron Mistress" butsomehow here it works better. Tyrone Power was great in theswashbucklers, but the only western he made was "Rawhide" where heplayed a city dude. I would call this film a half western and Power isabsolutely great. Just the gambling scenes make the film worth seeing.Piper Laurie in a Virginia Mayo or Rhonda Fleming type of role does herjob well and so does Julia Adams as the loser for Power's Love. Whenyou see a film so many years after, that does not seem old fashionedand keeps you interested every second, you can say "Well done, don'tmiss it"