The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Bob Rafelson

Writers:

Jacob Brackman (screenplay)
Jacob Brackman (story)

Release Date:

12 October 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

'It's Monopoly out there'. Jason Staebler, The King of Marvin Gardens, has gone directly to jail, lives...

Plot Keywords:

Radio | Scheme | Get Rich Quick Scheme | Grandfather | Embezzlement

Cast

Jack Nicholson	...	David Staebler
Bruce Dern	...	Jason Staebler
Ellen Burstyn	...	Sally
Julia Anne Robinson	...	Jessica
Scatman Crothers	...	Lewis (as Benjamin 'Scatman' Crothers)
Charles LaVine	...	Grandfather
Arnold Williams	...	Rosko
John P. Ryan	...	Surtees (as John Ryan)
Sully Boyar	...	Lebowitz
Josh Mostel	...	Frank
William Pabst	...	Bidlack
Garry Goodrow	...	Nervous man
Imogene Bliss	...	Magda
Ann Thomas	...	Bambi
Tom Overton	...	Spot operator

Also Known As:

The Philosopher King (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | USA:R | UK:X

Filming Locations:

Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

Company:

BBS Productions

Trivia:

Al Pacino was personally offered the role of David by Bob Rafelson. He turned it down to act in The Godfather (1972).

Quotes:

Jason Staebler: You notice how it's Monopoly out there? Remember Boardwalk, Park Place, Marvin Gardens?
David Staebler: Go directly to jail?
Jason Staebler: Well, that's me. Don't pass go, don't collect $200.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)

The most underrated movie of the 1970s?

Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson's creative relationship began because of The Monkees. Rafelson directing and Nicholson writing their weird and wonderful psychedelic cult classic 'Head'. After that the two teamed up for one of the early Seventies best loved movies 'Five Easy Pieces'. A couple of years later they did it again with 'The King Of Marvin Gardens', though inexplicably it doesn't have the reputation or the high profile of their previous collaboration. I really fail to see why. File it under "great lost 1970s movies" alongside 'Scarecrow', 'Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia', 'Tracks', 'Fingers' (and add your own personal favourite to the list). Marvin Gardens features a really strong and controlled performance from Nicholson in the lead role, an introverted DJ with a show in which he spins "true" tales. But even better than Nicholson is Bruce Dern, a wonderful actor who never became a superstar like Nicholson, Pacino or De Niro, despite a long career of consistently good character roles in movies by Hitchcock, Roger Corman, Walter Hill, Hal Ashby, John Frankenheimer, Elia Kazan, Sydney Pollack and many others. Dern is absolutely wonderful as Nicholson's brother, a dreamer and Mob hanger on. He comes back into his brother's life with a nutty get rich quick scheme which ends up going horribly wrong. This is one of the very best performances by Dern I've ever seen, and his scenes with Nicholson make this essential viewing for any 1970s buff. Added to that are excellent performances from Ellen Burstyn ('The Exorcist', 'Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore') and newcomer Julia Anne Robinson (her only movie role - too bad!) as the women in Dern's life, and nice bits from legendary musician/actor Scatman Crothers ('Black Belt Jones' and appearances in no less than four 1970s Nicholson movies) and the underrated John P. Ryan ('Runaway Train', 'It's Alive', 'Class Of 1999'). 'The King Of Marvin Gardens' is a slow and thoughtful movie, but once you get into the rhythm of it, an extremely rewarding one. One of Nicholson's best, and Dern is just dynamite. Highly recommended.