House of Games

Theatrical Release Date: 1987 10 14 (USA)

UPC: 027616855572

Studio: MGM

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Violence, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language, Profanity]

Summary: In his directorial debut, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet creates a stylish cinematic puzzle of games within games, as con men are joined by a psychologist in creating the perfect caper. Dr. Margaret Ford (Lindsay Crouse), the writer of psychological self-help books, meets Mike (Joe Mantegna) as she attempts to help a patient who owes heavy gambling debts. When she herself is the victim of a con, she becomes intrigued by the psychological drama of the con game and joins in a complicated scam involving a suitcase of cash. Mamet directs his extremely complicated plot with skill and complete control until it is impossible to tell who is the con and who is the victim. The suspense builds to an amazing surprise ending which is both reasonable and believable but completely unpredictable. Crouse and Mantegna are outstanding as are all the supporting performances. Mamet and his cinematographer Juan Ruiz-Anchia create a visually stunning, compelling film that does justice to Mamet's superbly written screenplay ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi

Category: Thriller

Awards: Osella for Best Screenplay – Venice International Film Festival

Features: Original theatrical trailer

House of Games

Format: DVD

Release Date: 12/19/2000

Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, 1 USA & territories, Canada

Runtime: 101 Minutes

Sides: 2

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,Spanish,French

Subtitles: French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 -- Widescreen
0. Scene Selections
1. Title/Credits/Intro [2:44]
2. Good Work [3:13]
3. Compulsive Gambler [4:30]
4. The Tell [7:28]
5. Card Game [1:57]
6. High Stakes [10:40]
7. The Flu [4:23]
8. Solitude [2:44]
9. Find Joy [2:08]
10. Dark Places [3:11]
11. Semper Fi [3:26]
12. New Thing [2:21]
13. In or out? [3:24]
14. Take Something [:06]
15. Frame-Up [3:17]
16. Dead Cop [2:49]
17. Getaway Car [8:19]
18. Lost Briefcase [3:15]
19. Separate Ways [2:04]
20. Pieces [1:53]
21. Real Conmen [8:37]
22. Bad Pony [4:27]
23. Absolutely Fine [8:26]
24. End Credits [3:19]
Side #2 -- Standard
0. Scene Selections
1. Title/Credits/Intro [2:44]
2. Good Work [3:13]
3. Compulsive Gambler [4:30]
4. The Tell [7:28]
5. Card Game [1:57]
6. High Stakes [10:40]
7. The Flu [4:23]
8. Solitude [2:44]
9. Find Joy [2:08]
10. Dark Places [3:11]
11. Semper Fi [3:26]
12. New Thing [2:21]
13. In or out? [3:24]
14. Take Something [3:17]
15. Frame-Up [2:49]
16. Dead Cop [8:19]
17. Getaway Car [3:15]
18. Lost Briefcase [2:04]
19. Separate Ways [1:53]
20. Pieces [8:37]
21. Real Conmen [4:27]
22. Bad Pony [8:26]
23. Absolutely Fine [3:18]
24. End Credits [2:30]

Perry Seibert

David Mamet's dialogue has a particular rhythm. His best pieces, when delivered properly, are like music. House of Games is one of his best screenplays and allows Joe Mantegna and Lindsay Crouse the opportunity to duet for 90 minutes. Their performances bring to life a very psychologically complex relationship. There is much going on in the minds of these characters, and their performances maintain a perfect balance between revealing themselves to each other and the audience. In one scene, Mike teaches Margaret, as well as the audience, about "tells." Tells are physical actions which "tell" an observant person what the person performing the action is thinking. After demonstrating some examples, Mike takes Margaret's hand and places his fingertips against hers and tells her to, in her mind, choose a finger. He shows her what finger she was thinking of, and she informs him he was correct. He then asks her if she wants to sleep with him. The audience realizes that Mike, a master at reading tells, already knows the answer. But the real question is whether or not Margaret has learned enough to manipulate Mike. Slick, seductive, and compulsively watchable, House of Games succeeds in getting the audience inside the minds of con artists, but not until they have been put through a psychological and emotional wringer. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Rachel Cline  Actor 
Jaqueline dela Chaume  Actor 
Roberta Magure  Actor 
Ben Blakeman  Actor 
William H. Macy  Actor 
Johnny S.B. Willis  Actor 
Paul Walsh  Actor 
John Pritchett  Actor 
Josh Conescu  Actor 
Scott Zigler  Actor 
Patricia Wolff  Actor 
Meshach Taylor  Actor 
Julie Mendenhall  Actor 
Michael Hausman  Producer 
Alaric Jans  Composer (Music Score) 
David Mamet  Director 
David Mamet  Screenwriter 
Lindsay Crouse  Actor 
Joe Mantegna  Actor 
Mike Nussbaum  Actor 
Lilia Skala  Actor 
J.T. Walsh  Actor 
Ricky Jay  Actor 
Willo Hausman  Actor 
Karen Kohlhaas  Actor 
Jack Wallace  Actor 
Steve Goldstein  Actor 
G. Roy Levin  Actor 
Bob Lumbra  Actor 
Andy Potok  Actor 
Allen Soule  Actor 

Country: USA