''Inside Straight'' is a 1951 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by Gerald Mayer and starring David Brian,

Arlene Dahl Arlene Carol Dahl (August 11, 1925 – November 29, 2021) was an American actress active in films from the late 1940s. She was one of the last surviving stars from the Classical Hollywood cinema era. She was also an author and entrepreneur. Sh ...

, Barry Sullivan,

Mercedes McCambridge Carlotta Mercedes Agnes McCambridge (March 16, 1916 – March 2, 2004) was an American actress of radio, stage, film, and television. Orson Welles called her "the world's greatest living radio actress." She won an Academy Award for Best Support ...

and Paula Raymond.

Plot

In San Francisco in 1870, Ada Stritch owns a bank, but there is a run on it. She needs $3 million to keep it open. In desperation, she turns to Rip MacCool, a wealthy man whom she despises. Also in need of Rip's help are newspaperman Johnny Sanderson and an old acquaintance, Flutey. They and Ada each have an issue with Rip from their past. Rip offers to deal a hand of poker, and if Ada wins, he will give her the $3 million. If not, he gets the bank. Everyone recalls how they first met. Fifteen years before, Ada, a widow, had a small hotel that she wanted to sell. Rip and his pal Shocker were guests there. Rip wooed her romantically, then offered her $3,000 cash plus shares in the Mona Lisa gold mine. Ada accepted, only to learn later that the stock was worthless. Johnny was a prizefighter. After a defeat, Rip helped him find a job. Rip was broke, but suddenly discovered that a vein of gold struck at the Mona Lisa mine has made his stock worth $250,000. Johnny loved a beautiful singer named Lily Douvane, but she married Rip for his money, leaving Johnny heartbroken. They had a baby boy and named him after Johnny. It was a loveless marriage, and when Lily caught Rip in a compromising position, she demanded a divorce, $1 million and custody of their child. Johnny cared about the baby and for Zoe, the nanny. Rip interfered again, proposing to Zoe, then angering her, as well as losing his fortune. Zoe mortgaged their home, and she also was pregnant. Rip regained his money, thanks again to the Mona Lisa mine, but lost both Zoe and his new baby in childbirth. Shocker explains to those present how Rip became the cold-hearted man whom he is. At 16, unable to pay for his own parents' funeral, he worked with Shocker in a mine. Money came to mean everything to him. After hearing this, Ada agrees to the winner-take-all offer. Rip gracefully loses, and the bank is saved, but all suspect that Rip, having a heart after all, held the winning hand.

Cast

* David Brian as Rip MacCool **

Claude Jarman Jr. Claude Jarman Jr. (born September 27, 1934) is an American former child actor, entrepreneur, former executive director of the San Francisco International Film Festival and former director of Cultural Affairs for the City of San Francisco. ...

as Rip MacCool (Age 16) *

as Lily Douvane * Barry Sullivan as Johnny Sanderson *

as Ada Stritch * Paula Raymond as Zoe Carnot *

Lon Chaney, Jr. Creighton Tull Chaney (February10, 1906 – July12, 1973), known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr., was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film '' The Wolf Man'' (1941) and its various crossovers, Count Alucard (Dra ...

as Schockovitz "Shocker" Ninkovitch (Credited as Lon Chaney) *

Monica Lewis Monica Lewis (born May Lewis; May 5, 1922 – June 12, 2015) was an American jazz singer and film actress. Lewis was the longtime voice of Chiquita Banana in that company's animated ad campaign, beginning in 1947. Biography Early life Lewis was ...

as Cafe Singer *

John Hoyt John Hoyt (born John McArthur Hoysradt; October 5, 1905 – September 15, 1991) was an American actor. He began his acting career on Broadway, later appearing in numerous films and television series. He is perhaps best known for his film and TV ...

as "Flutey" Johnson *

Roland Winters Roland Winters (born Roland Winternitz; November 22, 1904 – October 22, 1989)DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 287. was an Ame ...

as Alexander Tomson *

Barbara Billingsley Barbara Billingsley (born Barbara Lillian Combes; December 22, 1915 – October 16, 2010) was an American actress. She began her career with uncredited roles in ''Three Guys Named Mike'' (1951), '' The Bad and the Beautiful'' (1952), and '' Inv ...

as Miss Meadson *

Richard Hale Richard Hale (born James Richards Hale; November 16, 1892 – May 18, 1981) was an American opera and concert singer and later a character actor of film, stage and television. Hale's appearance usually landed him roles as either Middle Ea ...

as The Undertaker *

Hayden Rorke William Henry Rorke (October 23, 1910 – August 19, 1987), known professionally as Hayden Rorke, was an American actor best known for playing Colonel Alfred E. Bellows on the 1960s American sitcom ''I Dream of Jeannie''. Early life Rorke was ...

as Carlson * Jerry Hartleben as John Albert MacCool (Age 3) * Dale Hartleben as John Albert MacCool (Age 8) *

Lou Nova Lou Nova (March 16, 1913 – September 29, 1991) also called ''Cosmic punch'' was an American boxer and actor. Born in Los Angeles, California, the Nova was the U.S. and World Amateur Boxing Champion in 1935. After turning pro, he remained ...

as Connegan

Reception

The film was a financial failure. According to MGM records, the film earned $552,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $217,000 in other markets, causing a loss to the studio of $1,282,000.

References

External links

* * *{{TCMDb title, 784, title=Inside Straight 1951 films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1951 romantic drama films American romantic drama films 1951 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films Films scored by Lennie Hayton American black-and-white films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films

Plot

Cast

Reception

See also

References

External links