House of Games
Encyclopedia
House of Games is David Mamet
's 1987 film
directorial debut. Mamet wrote the screenplay
himself, from a story he devised with Jonathan Katz
. The film's cast includes Lindsay Crouse
, Joe Mantegna
, Ricky Jay
, and J. T. Walsh
.
. She has published a book, Driven: Compulsion and Obsession in Everyday Life, which has made her financially well off. One day, she's in a session with Billy, a compulsive gambler who informs her that his life is in danger. He owes $25,000 to a criminal figure — money he doesn't have — and if he doesn't pay, he will be killed.
Margaret visits a pool hall and bar called the House of Games and confronts the man Billy owes, Mike (Mantegna). After a brief conversation, Margaret sizes Mike up as a tough talker, but not a violent gangster
. Mike reveals that Billy's debt is only eight hundred dollars and agrees to forgive the debt if Margaret accompanies him to a high-stakes poker game as his girlfriend, using her to help spot the tell
of another gambler (Jay).
Exhilarated at the chance to take part, Margaret even volunteers $6,000 of her own money to back up Mike's bet because she’s spotted the tell that Mike’s opponent is bluffing. Things go wrong. Not only does the player have a winning hand, he also brandishes a gun, demanding the $6,000 she promised as collateral. It is only when Margaret sees a drop of water fall from the pistol barrel that she realizes the whole setup is a con – designed strictly to take her money. Mike and his men see that the jig is up, and nonchalantly pack up the con. Mike apologizes, saying it was “only business … nothing personal.”
Back in her normal routine, Margaret continues to think about her night at the House of Games. She returns, proposing to Mike that she follow him around, learn the ins and outs of his world, perhaps write a book on the experience. Mike is skeptical but agrees. He shows her first-hand how a con game works. Her fascination grows. The pair end up going to a hotel room and making love.
Mike mentions that he has a role in another con that night. Margaret begs to tag along. Mike, his associate Joey (Mike Nussbaum
), and their mark (Walsh) come upon a briefcase of money that someone seems to have accidentally left on the street before getting into a cab. The three men go to the mark's hotel room to keep an eye on each other and discuss what to do with the cash.
Mike confides to Margaret that the $80,000 in cash is real, borrowed from the mob and due back the next day. The plan is to have the mark propose paying Mike and Joey a percentage in exchange for taking the briefcase, but then they will switch the case at the last minute.
The mark does as planned, but Margaret sees and hears what no one else does: that he has a gun on his belt, and that he is planning with others over a two-way radio to arrest the trio. Margaret warns Mike and Joey that the mark is a cop and it's a trap, and she is desperate not to get caught herself. A scuffle develops and the cop/mark is killed when his gun discharges. Mike makes a run for it with Joey and Margaret. They steal a car and escape. But the briefcase is nowhere to be found: it's been left behind in the commotion. Mike blurts out that the mob will turn them all in for the cop's murder if they fail to return the mob's money. Margaret, who has now fallen for Mike and fears for his safety, as well as her own, offers to replace the $80,000.
Overwhelmed by the experience, Margaret is visited by Billy, her patient, but is too distressed to have a session with him. By sheer chance, she spots Billy leaving her place and sees that his car is the very escape vehicle she was pressed into using during the hotel getaway. Margaret puts the pieces together. She spies on the con men--among whom is the "dead" cop/mark--and sees for herself that everything was a ruse to swindle her out of $80,000; making love to her, she overhears Mike say, was "a small price to pay."
Margaret has a gun (the gun she, ironically, took from Billy in their earlier session). She has overheard when Mike is leaving town and lies in wait for him at the airport. At first she puts on an act, pleading to travel with him with the additional $250,000 she says she has brought. Mike coaxes her into a deserted dock of the airport where they can be alone. When she misspeaks, Mike realizes that Margaret knows the score. He tells her there's nothing she can do about it and turns to leave. Margaret pulls out her gun and demands that Mike beg her for his life. He refuses and she shoots him repeatedly until he dies.
Later, we see that Margaret has gone on with her life, a changed woman, now able to "forgive herself," as her mentor had urged her to do. She shows no sign of guilt or remorse for murdering Mike. She steals a gold lighter out of the purse of another woman in a restaurant and relishes the acquisition.
. Among the supplemental material included are an audio commentary with Mamet and Ricky Jay, new interviews with actors Lindsay Crouse and Joe Mantegna, and a short documentary shot on location during the film's production.
adapted Mamet's script for a production at the Almeida Theatre
, London, in September 2010. To meet the confines of the medium the stage version is set in just two locations, and the final resolution between Mike and Margaret is softened. Critical reaction to Bean's version was mixed: Michael Billington
found only a "pointless exercise", but Charles Spencer
thought that the stage version delivered "far better value than the original picture".
David Mamet
David Alan Mamet is an American playwright, essayist, screenwriter and film director.Best known as a playwright, Mamet won a Pulitzer Prize and received a Tony nomination for Glengarry Glen Ross . He also received a Tony nomination for Speed-the-Plow . As a screenwriter, he received Oscar...
's 1987 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directorial debut. Mamet wrote the screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
himself, from a story he devised with Jonathan Katz
Jonathan Katz
Jonathan Paul Katz is an American comedian, actor, and voice actor who is best known for his starring role in the animated sitcom Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist...
. The film's cast includes Lindsay Crouse
Lindsay Crouse
-Early life:Crouse was born in New York City, the daughter of Anna and Russel Crouse, a playwright. Her full name—Lindsay Ann Crouse—is an intentional tribute to the Broadway writing partnership of Lindsay and Crouse. Her father and his writing partner, Howard Lindsay, wrote much of...
, Joe Mantegna
Joe Mantegna
Joseph Anthony "Joe" Mantegna, Jr. is an American actor, producer, writer,director, and voice actor. He is best known for his roles in box office hits such as Three Amigos , The Godfather Part III , Forget Paris , and Up Close & Personal...
, Ricky Jay
Ricky Jay
Richard Jay Potash , better known by the stage name Ricky Jay, is an American stage magician, actor, and writer. He is a sleight-of-hand expert and is notable for his card tricks, card throwing, memory feats, and stage patter.-Life and career:...
, and J. T. Walsh
J. T. Walsh
James Thomas Patrick "J. T." Walsh was an American character actor. He appeared in many well-known films, including Nixon, Hoffa, A Few Good Men, Backdraft, Miracle on 34th Street, Breakdown, and Good Morning, Vietnam.Walsh was known for his roles as "quietly sinister white-collar sleazeballs"...
.
Plot
Margaret Ford (Crouse) is a psychiatristPsychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
. She has published a book, Driven: Compulsion and Obsession in Everyday Life, which has made her financially well off. One day, she's in a session with Billy, a compulsive gambler who informs her that his life is in danger. He owes $25,000 to a criminal figure — money he doesn't have — and if he doesn't pay, he will be killed.
Margaret visits a pool hall and bar called the House of Games and confronts the man Billy owes, Mike (Mantegna). After a brief conversation, Margaret sizes Mike up as a tough talker, but not a violent gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
. Mike reveals that Billy's debt is only eight hundred dollars and agrees to forgive the debt if Margaret accompanies him to a high-stakes poker game as his girlfriend, using her to help spot the tell
Tell (poker)
A tell in poker is a change in a player's behavior or demeanor that is claimed by some to give clues to that player's assessment of their hand. A player gains an advantage if they observe and understand the meaning of another player's tell, particularly if the tell is unconscious and reliable...
of another gambler (Jay).
Exhilarated at the chance to take part, Margaret even volunteers $6,000 of her own money to back up Mike's bet because she’s spotted the tell that Mike’s opponent is bluffing. Things go wrong. Not only does the player have a winning hand, he also brandishes a gun, demanding the $6,000 she promised as collateral. It is only when Margaret sees a drop of water fall from the pistol barrel that she realizes the whole setup is a con – designed strictly to take her money. Mike and his men see that the jig is up, and nonchalantly pack up the con. Mike apologizes, saying it was “only business … nothing personal.”
Back in her normal routine, Margaret continues to think about her night at the House of Games. She returns, proposing to Mike that she follow him around, learn the ins and outs of his world, perhaps write a book on the experience. Mike is skeptical but agrees. He shows her first-hand how a con game works. Her fascination grows. The pair end up going to a hotel room and making love.
Mike mentions that he has a role in another con that night. Margaret begs to tag along. Mike, his associate Joey (Mike Nussbaum
Mike Nussbaum
Michael Nussbaum is an American actor and director.From the start of his acting career in the 1950s, Nussbaum has appeared in many of David Mamet's plays both on and off Broadway, as well as in Chicago...
), and their mark (Walsh) come upon a briefcase of money that someone seems to have accidentally left on the street before getting into a cab. The three men go to the mark's hotel room to keep an eye on each other and discuss what to do with the cash.
Mike confides to Margaret that the $80,000 in cash is real, borrowed from the mob and due back the next day. The plan is to have the mark propose paying Mike and Joey a percentage in exchange for taking the briefcase, but then they will switch the case at the last minute.
The mark does as planned, but Margaret sees and hears what no one else does: that he has a gun on his belt, and that he is planning with others over a two-way radio to arrest the trio. Margaret warns Mike and Joey that the mark is a cop and it's a trap, and she is desperate not to get caught herself. A scuffle develops and the cop/mark is killed when his gun discharges. Mike makes a run for it with Joey and Margaret. They steal a car and escape. But the briefcase is nowhere to be found: it's been left behind in the commotion. Mike blurts out that the mob will turn them all in for the cop's murder if they fail to return the mob's money. Margaret, who has now fallen for Mike and fears for his safety, as well as her own, offers to replace the $80,000.
Overwhelmed by the experience, Margaret is visited by Billy, her patient, but is too distressed to have a session with him. By sheer chance, she spots Billy leaving her place and sees that his car is the very escape vehicle she was pressed into using during the hotel getaway. Margaret puts the pieces together. She spies on the con men--among whom is the "dead" cop/mark--and sees for herself that everything was a ruse to swindle her out of $80,000; making love to her, she overhears Mike say, was "a small price to pay."
Margaret has a gun (the gun she, ironically, took from Billy in their earlier session). She has overheard when Mike is leaving town and lies in wait for him at the airport. At first she puts on an act, pleading to travel with him with the additional $250,000 she says she has brought. Mike coaxes her into a deserted dock of the airport where they can be alone. When she misspeaks, Mike realizes that Margaret knows the score. He tells her there's nothing she can do about it and turns to leave. Margaret pulls out her gun and demands that Mike beg her for his life. He refuses and she shoots him repeatedly until he dies.
Later, we see that Margaret has gone on with her life, a changed woman, now able to "forgive herself," as her mentor had urged her to do. She shows no sign of guilt or remorse for murdering Mike. She steals a gold lighter out of the purse of another woman in a restaurant and relishes the acquisition.
Cast
- Lindsay CrouseLindsay Crouse-Early life:Crouse was born in New York City, the daughter of Anna and Russel Crouse, a playwright. Her full name—Lindsay Ann Crouse—is an intentional tribute to the Broadway writing partnership of Lindsay and Crouse. Her father and his writing partner, Howard Lindsay, wrote much of...
as Dr. Margaret Ford - Joe MantegnaJoe MantegnaJoseph Anthony "Joe" Mantegna, Jr. is an American actor, producer, writer,director, and voice actor. He is best known for his roles in box office hits such as Three Amigos , The Godfather Part III , Forget Paris , and Up Close & Personal...
as Mike - Ricky JayRicky JayRichard Jay Potash , better known by the stage name Ricky Jay, is an American stage magician, actor, and writer. He is a sleight-of-hand expert and is notable for his card tricks, card throwing, memory feats, and stage patter.-Life and career:...
as George - Mike NussbaumMike NussbaumMichael Nussbaum is an American actor and director.From the start of his acting career in the 1950s, Nussbaum has appeared in many of David Mamet's plays both on and off Broadway, as well as in Chicago...
as Joey - J. T. WalshJ. T. WalshJames Thomas Patrick "J. T." Walsh was an American character actor. He appeared in many well-known films, including Nixon, Hoffa, A Few Good Men, Backdraft, Miracle on 34th Street, Breakdown, and Good Morning, Vietnam.Walsh was known for his roles as "quietly sinister white-collar sleazeballs"...
as the Businessman - Lilia SkalaLilia Skala-Early life:Skala was born Lilia Sofer in Vienna, Austria. Her mother, Katharina Skala, was Catholic, and her father, Julius Sofer, was Jewish and worked as a manufacturers representative for the Waldes Koh-i-noor Company. In the late 1930s, she was forced to flee her Nazi-occupied homeland with...
as Dr. Littauer - William H. MacyWilliam H. MacyWilliam Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...
as Sgt. Moran
DVD
In August 2007, the Criterion Collection released a special edition of Mamet's film on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. Among the supplemental material included are an audio commentary with Mamet and Ricky Jay, new interviews with actors Lindsay Crouse and Joe Mantegna, and a short documentary shot on location during the film's production.
Stage Adaptation
Playwright Richard BeanRichard Bean
Richard Bean, born in East Hull in 1956, is an English playwright.-Early years:Bean studied Social Psychology at Loughborough University of Science and Technology and graduated with a 2-1 BSc Hons, and went on to become an occupational psychologist, having previously worked in a bread plant for a...
adapted Mamet's script for a production at the Almeida Theatre
Almeida Theatre
The Almeida Theatre, opened in 1980, is a 325 seat studio theatre with an international reputation which takes its name from the street in which it is located, off Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington. The theatre produces a diverse range of drama and holds an annual summer festival of...
, London, in September 2010. To meet the confines of the medium the stage version is set in just two locations, and the final resolution between Mike and Margaret is softened. Critical reaction to Bean's version was mixed: Michael Billington
Michael Billington (critic)
Michael Keith Billington is a British author and arts critic. Drama critic of The Guardian since October 1971, he is "Britain's longest-serving theatre critic" and the author of biographical and critical studies relating to British theatre and the arts; most notably, he is the authorised...
found only a "pointless exercise", but Charles Spencer
Charles Spencer (journalist)
Charles Spencer is a British journalist. He has been the drama critic of The Daily Telegraph since 1991. In 2006, Compton Miller of The Independent wrote in a profile: "This convivial ex-alcoholic is best remembered for his description of Nicole Kidman's nude scene in The Blue Room as 'pure...
thought that the stage version delivered "far better value than the original picture".
External links
- House of Games at Rotten TomatoesRotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
- Roger Ebert's "Great Movies - House of Games"