Movie spotlight
The Woman Gambler
Second film in the long-running series Daiei Studio's Woman Gambler with Kyoko Enami starring where she plays the woman gambler Ogin. In a fierce gambling den where rough men clash like sparks, two female gamblers vie for the same man in a high-stakes, best-of-seven showdown—from which only one will emerge victorious. Amid the tense atmosphere, Natsue, a highly skilled card dealer, gracefully reveals her hand with the flick of her slender fingers. At that precise moment, across the table, Takiko’s face goes ashen—she’s just lost the fateful game her lover had wagered his fortune on. The next day, Takiko and her boyfriend attempt a double suicide in despair, but she survives alone. Consumed by twisted emotions toward Natsue, a man named Isobe manipulates Takiko. Under his influence, Takiko seduces Tagami—who is Natsue’s fiancé—setting the stage for a dangerous and tangled web of love, revenge, and deceit.
Insights
Plot Summary
A young woman, desperate for money to save her family's business, becomes involved in a dangerous world of gambling and crime. She finds herself entangled with shady characters and facing increasingly perilous situations as she tries to outwit them and achieve her goal. The film explores themes of desperation, temptation, and the consequences of one's choices in a high-stakes environment.
Critical Reception
The Woman Gambler is a lesser-known British crime thriller from the late 1960s. While it featured a compelling premise and performances from its cast, it generally received mixed to negative reviews, often cited for its predictable plot and somewhat dated portrayal of its themes. It did not achieve widespread critical acclaim or commercial success during its initial release.
What Reviewers Say
Competent but uninspired crime thriller.
Relies on familiar tropes of the genre.
Performances are a saving grace for an otherwise standard plot.
Google audience: Information on specific Google user reviews for 'The Woman Gambler' is not readily available, making it difficult to summarize audience sentiment. However, based on its overall reception, it appears to be a film that garnered limited attention.
Fun Fact
The film is notable for featuring Bernard Bresslaw, a popular British character actor known for his roles in the 'Carry On' film series, in a more serious dramatic turn.
AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources