Tricheurs
1984 Drama
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Credits
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Summary
Elric is a compulsive gambler who is at the end of his tether when he meets a young woman,
Suzy, on the island of Madeira. Convinced that she will bring him luck, Elric drags
Suzy off to the casino and starts to gamble. Although Elric’s fortunes initially
improve, he soon loses his winnings. When Suzy walks away from him, Elric is penniless
and he agrees to form a partnership with a notorious gaming cheat, Jorg. The two
men tour the world and make a great deal of money by cheating the casinos, but their luck
soon changes: Elric meets up with Suzy again and starts losing, whilst Jorg is unmasked
and goes on the run. Still determined to make his fortune to pay for his dream chateau,
Elric devises a seemingly foolproof method to win at roulette...
Review
Despite its chocolate box cinematography, threadbare plot and two-dimensional characterisation,
Tricheurs is a strangely compelling film which paints a convincing picture of obsession
and dependency.
Everything about the film is so much superficial gloss, yet, like the gilt-edged seductive glamour of the gambling casino, it is a film which has a captivating hold on the spectator. The apparent emptiness of the film manages to convey the sheer emptiness of the life of an addicted gambler, something which is emphasised by Jacques Dutronc’s poignant portrayal of Elric. © James Travers 2001 Write a review for this film... |
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