The Big Town
Short description
Set in 1957, the story follows a talented young dice player who leaves his small town for Chicago to pursue a career as a professional gambler. After winning a large sum of money at a private game in the Gem Club, he becomes entangled in a dangerous web of jealousy and intrigue. His success is complicated by romantic involvements with two women, including the wife of the club's owner, George Cole, a situation that threatens his life in the city.
Directed by Ben Bolt and written by Robert Roy Pool, this drama and romance was produced by Martin Ransohoff through Columbia Pictures and Albacore Productions Inc. The film stars Matt Dillon as the protagonist, alongside Diane Lane, Tommy Lee Jones, Bruce Dern, Lee Grant, and Tom Skerritt. A total of 50 cast members are credited in the production.
The movie earned 2 million USD at the worldwide box office. It holds a rating of 5.9/10 on IMDb based on 2,800 votes and 5.5/10 on TMDB from 60 votes. These audience scores are slightly higher than the rating from film critics, which stands at 5/10 based on 8 reviews.
What's left behind the scenes
- The film's budget included $600 intended to teach Matt Dillon how to play dice. One member of the film crew consistently bet against him the same amount that Dillon wagered, so that the winnings and losses would balance out, and the money would last longer.
- Initially, Harold Becker was the film's director, but he was soon replaced by Ben Bolt, as he fell a week behind schedule almost from the start of filming and also spent too much money on location shooting.
- To prepare for her role, Diane Lane visited strip clubs.
- Diane Lane said that she was initially very nervous during the filming of the striptease scene, which she had to perform nude, but after a few minutes she noticed that everyone on set was too busy with their own duties to pay her much attention.
- The translation of the original title is "Big City."
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
