Barnes & Noble

A compelling psychological drama with Hitchcockian overtones, playwright David Mamet's acclaimed cinematic debut takes voyeuristic delight in exploring the seedy, dangerous world of professional gamblers and confidence men. Lindsay Crouse (Mamet's wife at the time) plays a famous psychiatrist who initially penetrates this world with the idea of helping a victimized patient, only to find herself mesmerized by articulate, sophisticated grifter Joe Mantegna and his fellow con artists. Eventually drawn into their games and addicted to the illicit thrill that accompanies a successful scam, she becomes a willing accomplice to the manipulative Mantegna, who’s playing for higher stakes than she imagines. Director Mamet draws both his protagonist and his audience into society’s dark underbelly, where crafty denizens ply their illegal trade with astonishing skill and attention to detail. Crouse is appropriately cool as the practiced professional who represses her amoral impulses, while Mantegna oozes oily charm as the seductive sharper who engages her in a suspenseful cat-and-mouse game. These fine actors, working from Mamet’s elaborately plotted and elegantly dialogued script, imbue House of Games with a credibility -- vital to Mamet’s premise -- that less talented performers could never have achieved. The new DVD release includes the 1987 film’s original theatrical trailer. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

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

Product Details

• UPC: 027616855572
• Source: MGM (VIDEO & DVD)
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital
• Language: English
• Time: 1:41:00
• Sales Rank: 14,826

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