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 | Dreamer | Get Rich Quick Scheme | Scheme | Boardwalk

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:

The original script had an optimistic coda hinting that Jessica and David might wind up happily together, but Jack Nicholson couldn't get any chemistry going and neither could Bob Rafelson.

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 "Saturday Night Live: Bruce Dern/Leon Redbone (#8.15)" (1983)

Nicely Understated, But A Little Too Bleak & Disjointed

"Bleak" might be the best word to describe this typically-low life early 1970s film. There were a number of these kind of grungy films made in that decade, and this is one another of them. It's also another example of a critics' favorite that bombed with the public. People generally do not want to see depressing stories like this, but Hollywood producers/directors will crank them out anyway to please their peers.

How many films did that period did we see that were upbeat and took place in Atlantic City? Probably none. The city was a perfect setting dingy stories about losers.

The movie does feature a good cast, is nicely understated and features a bunch of character stories, but I never really found out where it was going. It wound up being a slow piece about unappealing people. Can you say "disjointed?" Is it any wonder this film was another dud at the box office, despite the cast?

SOME GOOD POINTS - It was refreshing to see Jack Nicholson playing against-type with the role of a introverted radio monologist. He didn't play too many introverts for a long time! Bruce Dern is interesting as always and if you want to see a "new" face, check out actress Julie Ann Robinson as "Jessica." This was her only role.