5 Card Stud Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
A card cheat was hung... then all hell broke loose!
From the producer of The Sons of Katie Elder, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and Last Train from Gunhill.
Gambler Van Morgan runs a little card game in town but one night things get out of hand. A stranger amateurishly tries to cheat and, though Morgan tries to stop it, his fellow players string him up. The gambler leaves town but returns when he hears that the other players are being killed off one by one. It could be that someone will soon be after him too.
| Dean Martin | Van Morgan |
| Robert Mitchum | The Rev. Jonathan Rudd |
| Inger Stevens | Lily Langford |
| Roddy McDowall | Nick Evers |
| Katherine Justice | Nora Evers |
| John Anderson | U.S.Marshal Al Dana |
| Ruth Springford | Mama Malone |
| Yaphet Kotto | Little George |
| Denver Pyle | Sig Evers |
| Bill Fletcher | Joe Hurley |
| Whit Bissell | Dr. Cooper |
| Ted de Corsia | Eldon Bates |
| Don Collier | Rowan |
| Roy Jenson | Mace Jones |
| Jerry Gatlin | Frankie Rudd |
| Henry Hathaway |
6.40 out of 10 (787 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Great murder mystery western
posted on 16 Feb 2008Murder mystery westerns don't come along every day, and while this one is kind of slow moving, it's still a great movie.Dean Martin is cool and steady as the gambler who takes part in a game of 5 card stud that turns deadly. When he tries to stop the lynching of a cheating player, he's overpowered. Soon after the lynching, every one in the game is methodically murdered in the most inventive ways. One man is strangled with barbed wire, another is drowned in a flour barrel, etc. Dean spends the rest of the movie trying to figure out who's doing the killing.While Dean is great, Roddy McDowall is fantastic as the sniveling brother of Dean's girlfriend. He's a mean, cowardly, lying weasel, and no one ever played a weasel better.Yaphet Kotto is fine as the bartender, and Inger Stevens has a small, shining role as the local purveyor of tonsorial delights (a barber). Robert Mitchum comes into the film a little late; while he's straight and true as the scripture-spouting preacher who sweeps out the long abandoned church and begins hold services, you know he's hiding something.All in all a fine film. Maybe a little too long; the whole movie doesn't amount to much more than enjoyable entertainment, but the actors and the acting in it are really worth watching.
A Deadly Poker Game
posted on 02 Oct 20055 Card Stud is a re-make of Dark City which was released in 1950 and was Charlton Heston's feature film debut. Dean Martin is now playing the Heston part and in many ways he's reprising the role he did in Some Came Running. The role of gambler comes natural to him, it was one of many professions Dino tried in his youth before discovering show business. In the original the part Robert Mitchum plays originated with Mike Mazurki. Mazurki had a limited role in Dark City so Mitchum's part has been built up considerably. As always Robert Mitchum is interesting.The original Dark City involved a high stakes poker game in which Don DeFore got trimmed of the rent money and just about everything else. Rather than go home, he kills himself. Soon afterward his psychotic brother goes on a rampage against everyone in that game.It's no suicide here, but a lynching as the victim is caught cheating. If you've seen Dark City than you already know who the murderer is and it's not too hard to figure it out here. In the supporting cast, standing out are Roddy McDowell as the spoiled son of a local rancher who leads the lynch party and Yaphett Kotto who is the bartender in the saloon where the fatal poker game took place.Martin and Mitchum work well together, this is good entertainment.
Not a Hathaway Classic like "The Sons of Katie Elder" but nevertheless Entertaining
posted on 29 Sep 2005"Garden of Evil" director Henry Hathaway's western whodunit "5-Card Stud" pits 'hellfire gambler' Dean Martin against 'gunfire preacher' Robert Mitchum in a frontier tale about lynching, murder, and revenge. Mind you, deducing the whodunit will pose a minor challenge to astute audiences. You will spot the actor committing the crimes long before the film identifies him in its second-to-last scene. If you study the stable strangling scene, the killer's headgear gives away his identity. The characters in "True Grit" scenarist Marquerite Roberts' screenplay, based on Ray Gaulden's novel, are flat since they change neither their their mentality nor their morality. Nevertheless, Roberts boots around a provocative question about "who people were before they became who they are" which segues with the mystery. Otherwise, this Hathaway horse opera is sturdy enough, contains a believable cast and knows how to blend comedy with drama nimbly enough so that it rarely becomes either heavy-handed or repetitious. Compared to Hathaway's other oaters, "5-Card Stud" doesn't top "True Grit," "The Sons of Katie Elder," "Garden of Evil," "From Hell to Texas," or "Rawhide." "5-Card Stud," however, does surpass "Shoot Out" and "Nevada Smith." Although some critics did't cotton to Maurice Jarre's orchestral score and denigrated it as '"Dr. Zhivago" on the range,' I contend it is superb music and differs from anything that Jerry Goldsmith, Elmer Bernstein, or Ennio Morricone would have provided. Jarre's score enlivens the action and enhances the atmosphere. The Dean Martin "5-Card Stud" title song marks this sagebrusher as a traditional western. As far back in the 1950s, most major sagebrushers contained a ballad about the story or the hero with lyrics like ". . . play your poke and he'd leave you broke." Interestingly, "5-Card Stud" makes some racial references that chipped away at the usual barriers. In one scene, Mitchum's gun slinging preacher doesn't think it inappropriate that a black man be buried among whites, something that marked this western as a departure from Jim Crow mentality. John Sturges' "The Magnificent Seven" had broken ground earlier with a gunfight so that an Indian could be buried in a white graveyard.Professional gambler Van Morgan (Dean Martin of "Sergeants 3") takes a break from a Saturday night poker game while Sig Ever's son Nick (Roddy McDowell of "Planet of the Apes"), stableman Joe Hurley (Bill Fletcher of "Hour of the Gun"), Mace Jones (Roy Jenson of "Big Jake"), storekeeper Fred Carson (Boyd 'Red' Morgan of "Violent Saturday"), Ever's ranch hand Stoney Burough (George Robotham of "The Split") continue to gamble with newcomer Frankie Rudd (Jerry Gatlin of "The Train Robbers") until Nick catches Rudd cheating 'red-handed' and assembles a lynch party. They take Rudd out to a stream and string him up from the bridge. Barkeeper George (Yaphet Koto of "Live and Let Die") warns Morgan, and Morgan lights out after Nick and company to thwart the necktie party. "You don't hang a cheat," Morgan growls, "you kick him out of town." When Morgan arrives, Frankie is swinging with a noose around his neck, and Nick buffalos Morgan on the back of the head with his six-gun.Mama Malone (Ruth Springford of "Vengeance Is Mine") discovers Morgan strewn on the boardwalk the following morning and summons George to help the battered gambler to his room. Morgan decides to pull out of Rincon and try his luck in Denver. Before he leaves, he rides out to Sig Ever's spread to bid goodbye to Sig's comely daughter Nora (Katherine Justice of "The Way West") and deck Nick as repayment for clobbering him at the hanging. Naturally, the town marshal (John Anderson of "Young Billy Young") can neither identify the lynch mob nor can he identify the hanged man. Later, participants in the card game begin to die. One is wrapped up in barbed wire. Another is hanged in the church. Still another is suffocated in a barrel of flour. Indeed, Hathaway and Roberts make each death look different. Eventually, George visits Morgan in Denver and Morgan decides to return to Rincon. Two things have changed since Morgan rode out. First, the town has acquired a gun-toting pastor who renovates the church and holds services. Second, Lilly Langford (Inger Stephens of "Hang'em High") has opened a barbershop that features a $20 item that intrigues Morgan when he visits her establishment. Lilly and Nora contend for Morgan, while our hero closes in on the new preacher Jonathan Rudd. "5-Card Stud" boasts several good scenes. Hathaway does a good job of staging a shoot-out in the streets of Rincon when paranoid miners go berserk because they fear they may be the next victims of the local serial killer. If you slow down your DVD or VHS copy, Dean Martin loses his Stetson when he seizes an axle to let a wagon haul him out of harm's way. You can see his headgear fall off completely. In the next scene, Martin's hat is back on his head. Nevertheless, it is still a neat gunfight with Morgan and Rudd standing back to back against the opposition. The scene at a windmill where Rudd hits each of the windmill blades because he was aiming at the spaces between the blades is fun, too. George plays a role in the story and provides his buddy Morgan with a clue to the killer's identity. The animosity between Nick Evers and Van Morgan is feisty throughout the action with Nora trying to do her best to dampen it. Van Morgan and Lilly have some amusing banter. The expository scenes about Nick's childhood almost make his character marginally sympathetic.Indeed, "5-Card Stud" is no classic, but it is good enough for a rainy day.
the camera's focused on an unfocused project
posted on 22 May 2003A nicely cast and casually carried out western with a sense of humor. Everyone seems to more or less bluff their way through with a minimum amount of conviction, though the story is nonetheless well presented. The always cool Dean Martin fits right in as do Robert Mitchum and Roddy McDowell. Mitchum's role as a gun-toting preacher with a hollowed out bible to conceal his derringer, on a mission to avenge his card-cheat brother's lynching, is kind of reminiscent of what he did in Night of the Hunter. Roddy McDowell plays the spoiled older brother of Deano's girlfriend, the bad apple of the family of a wealthy rancher. The appearance of Inger Stevens pretty much rounds things out, as she opens a combo barber shop and whore house and flirts around with Martin.
not a bad Western, but don't expect much
posted on 25 Apr 2003This is a formula type story told in a Western. The plot: A lynch mob forms at a poker table after one of the players is caught cheating. Rody McDowell steals the show as the evil leader of the lynch mob, a spoiled rich kid with nothing but meanness in his soul. Dean Martin plays a Hollywood style poker playing pro who tried to stop the lynching. The players keep quiet about it, but find themselves being killed off one by one. It doesn't take a genius to figure out who the killer is very early. The situations are contrived, but at least fun. The plot follows a logical, easy to follow pattern, and resembles mindless fun. Still, the script and characters are so weak that only McDowell's evil gives the viewer someone to root for or against (in this case against.) But it is not a dull movie, and does entertain to some extent.
Great sleeper western
posted on 17 Dec 2002The corrosion of any sort of quality in the screenwriting of recent decades makes tight plotting a surprise wherever one finds it. Here it is. The ongoing verbal duel between Martin and Mitchum is Shakespeare compared to the posturing of recent tough-guy flicks. Also see Martin's acting in "Rio Bravo" to find significant talent in an often-overlooked comic actor.
Classic Western with attractive cast
posted on 06 May 2002Martin is (unwilling) member of card game that lynches cheater, in 1880s West. Participants in hanging soon find themselves dying off from mysterious causes. Deano is solid as "the best gambler in the West"; great performances also by Roddy McDowall as lynching ringleader, Inger Stevens as the local madame, and particularly Mitchum as the gun-toting, Bible-quoting preacher who comes to town. My favorite of the non-Eastwood westerns.
Where's the mystery?
posted on 20 Oct 2001- During a game of cards, one of the players is found the be a cheat. The others decide that running him out of town isn't good enough and lynch the cheater. Soon afterward, however, the men in the lynching party begin dying violent deaths. In the Old West, a showdown between two armed men was one thing, but murder is murder.- Considering the cast assembled for Five Card Stud (Dean Martin, Robert Mitchum, Roddy McDowall, Yaphet Kotto, Denver Pyle, and Inger Stevens) I expected a solid and enjoyable Western. And while each of these actors does their best to prop-up the movie, they are let down at almost every opportunity by uninspired directing and a weak plot. The movie is billed as a Western/Mystery. But, there's no mystery. It is so painfully obvious who the killer is that I'm shocked it took Dean so long to figure it out. Hathaway does nothing to add any suspense or drama. I was expecting, and hoping, for a big twist ending to save Five Card Stud, but it never came.- But the worst part of the movie has to be the editing. Five Card Stud is over-long and needlessly bloated with scenes that go nowhere and do nothing to advance the storyline. Better editing to create a tighter, leaner movie could have done wonders and might have made it really enjoyable.
Fantastic Whodunit Western
posted on 22 Jul 2001There can't be more whodunit westerns out there, which makes 5 card stud unique. The plot is a watered-down westernised version of Agatha Christie's 'Ten Little....whatever', or 'And Then There Were None' to give it it's American title.After a fellow poker player is exposed as a cheat, Van Morgan, (Dean Martin), tries to stop a lynching and only succeeds in getting blindsided by a gun butt for his trouble. The culprit and leader of the lynch mob is Nick Evers, (played by a slightly miscast Roddy McDowall).Unable to go to the town Marshall he opts to leave town instead. It is only when he hears about the killing of two members of the lynching party he becomes suspicious that one of the other poker players are trying to cover their tracks by bumping off the others. Not happy about being a potential target, he returns to town to find the killer, before more deaths occur.Robert Mitchum is the town's new arrival as Reverand Johnathan Rudd. Rudd's a Reverand with a difference, he's just as quick with a gun as he is to pull a quote from the good book. Van immediately takes a liking to this 'Pastor with a Pistol', and to all around he seems a pleasant amiable fellow if not a bit of a religious nut case.With each death, Van knows that his odds of survival are shortening and uncovers the identity of both the killer and the guy who's been tipping him off just in time.Even though Roddy McDowall had been in America for nearly 30 years at this point, he is still just too English to have been cast in a western. This was also not Robert Mitchum's first time playing the mad pastor. He'd done it before in 1955 in the gripping The Night Of The Hunter though his portrayal of Harry Powell in that movie had a more psychotic edge than Rev. Rudd's friendly persona.Dean Martin happily sleeps his way through his role with relative ease, as only he could, and does it with style. However, we're given a love triangle sub-plot with Katherine Justice and Inger Stevens, which isn't really needed and thankfully doesn't detract from the main plot.Another thing worthy of note is the Maurice Jarre penned theme tune sung brilliantly by Dean Martin, in my opinion the best singer of 'em all. However, the closing credit informing the audience that it was Martin singing seemed a little redundant as he had one of the most unmistakable voices in show business.Great Western though a little outdated for the time given that Hang 'em High. The Wild Bunch and Butch & Sundance were it's contemporaries.Enjoy.
goofs
posted on 12 Mar 2001Yes, this is a very good movie and I highly recommend it to all viewers. There is one big goof in this movie. When Dean Martin and Robert Mitchum are shooting at the windmill, they are using a revolver that is known as a break-top model. Later during the big shoot-out in town, they are using .45 Colt Peacemakers. Did any body notice this or any other goof. I thought that Inger Stevens was a welcome addition to the cast. I have always thought that Katherine Justice may have been too young to play the love interest to Dean. The other cast members certainly were a who's-who's of character actors with the exception of Yaphet Kotto and Roddy Mcdowall, who both went on to film careers that are well documented.
It's pretty much a standard western of the time but Roddy McDowell? Puleese!!
posted on 07 Feb 2000I can't believe the raves about Roddy McDowell's performance. He ruined the movie. He's surrounded by typical tough-guy western stereotypes, which I accept as part of the genre, but he's an insipid and unconvincing villain who sounds more like an effete English aristocrat than the conniving and dangerous psycho that his character Nick is supposed to be. Bob Mitchum must have wondered what he was doing in a western with this wimp. A disastrous piece of miscasting. Thank god everybody else could carry the movie, especially the veterans Martin and Mitchum, although their presence in scenes with poor little Roddy just emphasizes how much he doesn't suit his character. Just think of Hugh Grant playing Indiana Jones or The Man With No Name and you'll get my drift.
If guns were outlawed, would this film be illegal?
posted on 07 Oct 1999Typical Dean Martin gunfest as he smoothly woos 2 ladies, deals a lousy hand of poker, guns down a few good men, and figures out who a vicious, deadly, sneaky, rotten, heartless, nasty, vile but otherwise okay murderer is; a tad late, but he does finally get around to identifying the culprit. I had the killer spotted by the fourth death; the hat was a dead [grin] giveaway. I sat during the picture wondering several things: why does Dino always wear that same coat in all his westerns, especially as the landscape appears to be so hot? Why did Mr. Evers son speak with a decided British accent? Can a man hold his hands in a prayerful posture in death? Were double action revolvers around in 1880? Do you have to be a stud to play poker, and, if so, what about Old Maid? Not a bad flic but far from being an award winner. Too goofy and way too hammy acting.
"When a gambler lets his game wind up in a killing, pretty soon he doesn't have a game."
posted on 18 Jul 1999Despite his attempt to stop the execution, Van Morgan (Dean Martin) was hit by a gun on his head and thrown out, at night, in the streets of Rincon, Colorado and the clumsy crook was lynched… Feeling uncomfortable, Van Morgan leaves for Denver the next day … In the days of his absence, two of the seven card players have been dead, one being drowned in a flour barrel, the other got it with a twist of wire… For Little George (Yaphet Kotto) who went to see Van in Denver, it looks to him somebody is out to kill every man at that party which is a real good reason for Van to steer clear of Rincon if he is figuring on coming back…Meanwhile, a gold rush has brought a bunch of outsiders to the town so, on his return, Morgan finds new faces like Jonathan Rudd (Robert Mitchum), the preacher with a Bible in his hand and a Colt in his belt ; and Lily Langford (Inger Stevens), with her elegant barbershop and her gorgeous lady 'barbers.'Robert Mitchum plays the man who is looking for the man who is looking for him… Tension mounts when Nick Evers (Roddy McDowall) saves the hunter a long hunt… Dean Martin waits as the gambler who doesn't bank on his cards, because if he does, he winds up broke…
And then there were none.
posted on 22 May 1999(It seems that some people are offended by the title of my review because they do not know Agatha Christie's English title of "and then they were none" which includes a derogatory world ;could you please delete my first review and put this one instead:it's the same with the American title of Christie's book)Agatha Christie meets western.It's really a whodunit!A cheat is lynched and then someone is doing away with the hangmen,one by one.And like in Christie's classic ,they are guilty and their deaths follow the same pattern:they all die strangled .Murders scenes recall more a thriller than a western .So does Maurice Jarre's music.The cast is perfect with an excellent Roddy McDowall whose character holds a grudge to the whole world.A lot of witty lines add spice to the plot.Dean Martin sings the title song.
Not a bad movie
posted on 18 Mar 2009Not a bad movie. Robert Mitchum and Dean Martin pull this one off pretty good. There are a few flaws in the plot but it all works out in the end. It's a good popcorn movie to watch when you have nothing to do. Besides the mild violence, I think your kids could watch this one with you as a family movie.Roddy McDowall plays the whinny little weasel perfect. You hate him from the start to the ending, and can't wait for him to get his. And this is what a great actor can make you feel. And Inger Stevens plays the temptress so well. How could anyone not fall for a beautiful woman like her? She could make a good man go bad, and a bad man blush.So break out the popcorn, sit backs and doesn't expect too much, and you might have a smile on your face after the movie.