00:00On NBC.
00:18Tonight, a once-in-a-lifetime gamble.
00:22S. Lee Pagostin's The Game, starring Cliff Robertson,
00:28Dina Merrill,
00:32Maurice Evans,
00:34as Bob Hope presents
00:43Chrysler Theater.
00:48An hour of entertainment from Chrysler Corporation.
00:54Makers of Plymouth.
00:58Dodge.
01:00Chrysler.
01:03Imperial.
01:05Dodge Trucks.
01:07All quality engineered by Chrysler Corporation.
01:21Oh, good evening.
01:22Welcome to the premiere of our third season for Chrysler.
01:25Well, it looks like I'm no longer your man Friday, but actually I like our new time slot a lot
01:30better.
01:30I don't think my family will mind nearly as much being locked in on Wednesdays.
01:34Especially when we can present the kind of dynamic entertainment we got waiting in the wings for you tonight.
01:39On tonight's exciting show, you'll learn to play a game where you can lose millions of dollars at the turn
01:44of a card.
01:45In France, they call it Chemin d'Affaires.
01:47English translation, money a go-go.
01:50Now, this is something you won't pick up on educational TV.
01:54Our intense drama, set in an exclusive room in a casino in the French Riviera, is entitled A Game.
01:59And it stars Cliff Robertson and one of my favorite blondes, Dina Merrill.
02:03Cliff portrays one of the gamblers, and Dina is what he really wins.
02:07Now, that's what I call walking off with a stack.
02:10As our special guest star, we have brilliant Emmy Award winning Maurice Evans.
02:14And it was immediately obvious he's a true Shakespearean actor.
02:17The minute we told him the salary we had in mind, he told us to droppeth dead.
02:22And as guest star, we've got that great character actor who won the Sylvania Award, Nehemiah Persoff.
02:28Of course, I just won the Berlitz Pronunciation Award for getting his name right.
02:32Those are the players, and in a moment, the game.
02:37The game.
03:08Oh, my God.
03:36Oh, my God.
04:32Oh, my God.
04:50Oh, my God.
04:52I didn't understand you.
04:53May I help you, monsieur?
04:54Well, to tell you the truth, I was looking for the...
04:57For what, monsieur?
04:58I was looking for the...
05:00This is a private game room, monsieur.
05:01The casino is downstairs.
05:03Yeah, right.
05:03Excuse me.
05:04Do we seem to have some sort of misunderstanding here?
05:08No, no.
05:09I took the wrong staircase.
05:11I was looking for the...
05:12I was looking...
05:13I...
05:16I was just looking.
05:18Oh, well, if you just want to look, by all means do, sir.
05:25Oh, well, I...
05:26I don't think I'm dressed right, am I?
05:29Well, it's still quite early, and I'm certain it'll be all right.
05:32Furthermore, we are very proud of this room.
05:34We'd like more people to see it.
05:36Pardon?
05:36Unfortunately, we never seem to have the time.
05:38Come, perhaps you'll join me at the bar for a drink?
05:42Pardon?
05:44Bunko.
05:57Bunko.
06:00Oh, thank you.
06:02Good evening.
06:03Good evening.
06:03Good evening, Toulouse.
06:04This is Mr...
06:06Uh, Quincy.
06:07Uh, Quincy Parker.
06:08Mr. Parker.
06:10I'm delighted to know you, Mr. Parker.
06:12How are you?
06:13What will you drink?
06:14Um, well, I...
06:15I don't know.
06:15I've been looking for something new, something that'll really work.
06:18You got any suggestions?
06:20I'm a married man with three children.
06:23A new drink that'll really work for a married man with three children.
06:26That'll take some invention to lose.
06:28Yeah, well, I like an inventive bartender.
06:30Bunko.
06:31Are you on vacation, sir?
06:35Uh, no.
06:36No, I...
06:37Well, yes.
06:37Yes, I am in a way.
06:38Yeah.
06:39Your wife and children with you?
06:40No, no.
06:41I wish they were.
06:41I've been away from them for four months, and I miss them bad.
06:44Oh, thank you.
06:46Have a thing.
06:48Oh, that's wonderful.
06:49That's wonderful.
06:51Yeah, I, um...
06:52I'm going to go home in a couple of days.
06:53I've been working in North Africa.
06:55I thought I'd come down here, take a look around, and do a little gambling, see how my luck was.
06:59It's been pretty good, too.
07:01I won, uh, $2,300 downstairs.
07:05Actually, I've got $2,700.
07:07But see, I started with $400, and I said, this is the investment.
07:10And I put that aside.
07:11And if I lose any more than that, finish.
07:13Got it.
07:14But my luck's been good.
07:15Real good.
07:15What kind of work do you do?
07:17Uh, tractor maintenance.
07:18I can't...
07:18It's been mostly in North Africa.
07:20But, uh...
07:21Oh, it's good work.
07:22This year, I'll make, uh, well, $12,000.
07:25Year long?
07:2630 years.
07:27Got it.
07:2830 years.
07:2930.
07:30Well, that's a...
07:31That's a long time, 30 years.
07:33Uncle.
07:33Yes.
07:36It's sure a pretty room, I...
07:38What is that game they're playing over there now?
07:41It's the simplest, least skillful, and most exciting card game in the world, sir.
07:47In this room, at that table, I've seen many, many things.
08:00Excuse me.
08:12Banco.
08:20She win or lose?
08:22She lost.
08:23Oh, that's too bad.
08:24She's a nice little old lady.
08:26Cut.
08:27How much?
08:28A million, two hundred thousand francs.
08:31How much is that money?
08:33I mean, uh, I mean American money.
08:35There are five new French francs to the dollar.
08:38Oh, yeah, that's right.
08:39That's, uh...
08:40How much did you say she lost?
08:41A million, two hundred thousand.
08:44Got it.
08:48Hey, there.
08:49Hold on, that...
08:50Wait a minute.
08:51No, no, no.
08:51That's wrong.
08:52That's $240,000.
08:57Well, that's impossible.
08:59I mean, she just sat down.
09:00There's hardly anybody over there now.
09:03Are you trying to tell me that that little old lady...
09:06I've told you twice, sir.
09:09I don't think you realize you're in a very special place, Banco.
09:32A book.
09:39Abbotta.
09:41$20,000.
09:47I guess I'll be going now.
09:49I'd sure like to thank you for the hospitality and the drink and the nice conversation.
09:55Say, you know, they're never going to believe me when I tell them about this place back home.
10:01Do you think you could give me a little idea how they play that game?
10:05I mean, just so they'll believe me when I get back in Kansas City?
10:13It's quite simple.
10:16There are six decks of cards in each shoe.
10:20Six decks?
10:21Yes.
10:22Six decks in a shoe. What's a shoe?
10:24A shoe is a box in which they stack the cards and from which they give out one card at
10:29a time.
10:29That's called a shoe?
10:30That's a shoe.
10:32Now, each player gets the bank in turn and deals out two cards to the player who's challenged him.
10:38Usually, the player on his immediate right.
10:40He will say, banco.
10:42Banco.
10:43Now, the idea is to get as high as nine.
10:46Nine is the highest you can get in this game.
10:48All pictures are ten, so they're really nothing.
10:51They're valueless.
10:52Now, I'm not sure I understand that last part.
10:54Now, what two cards have you got?
10:56I've got a jack and a five.
10:59Ah, well, that means that you have five.
11:01In other words, five or 15 or 25.
11:04Only the last digit counts.
11:06I see.
11:07And I can draw as many cards as I want, like blackjack.
11:10Oh, no, no.
11:11You can only ask for one more card.
11:13No player may hold more than three cards.
11:15Now, you have a five.
11:16That is a very good number.
11:17You wouldn't ask for another card.
11:20The bank has three, so I take another card.
11:25Eight, that makes it 11.
11:27You win.
11:27No, no, no.
11:28Remember, only the last digit counts.
11:31Eight and three, 11.
11:33The last digit, one.
11:34You win with a five.
11:36Last digit.
11:37Right.
11:38So, but if you had drawn a four, that would have totaled seven, and you would have won,
11:44right?
11:44Correct.
11:45Got it.
11:46I'll deal another hand, and you'll see that there's the least amount of skill and the most
11:50amount of intuition.
11:52Now, what have you got?
11:53I got a, I got a nine.
11:55Well, then you win.
11:56Well, can't you try and draw for a nine, too?
11:59Oh, no.
12:00For eight and for nine, you would call abatage.
12:04Abatage.
12:04Yes, so freeze.
12:06Freeze.
12:08And you, as the bank, you can't draw against the eight or nine?
12:11Correct.
12:13What else?
12:14That's all there is to it.
12:16Well, that's too simple.
12:17It's got to be more than that.
12:18That's just like flipping a coin, heads or tails.
12:20It's the simplest of card games, childlike.
12:23Oh, except, of course, for one thing.
12:26Uh-huh.
12:26What's that?
12:27The betting, the stakes.
12:29You see, at that table, there's no limit.
12:32And the minimum amount you can bet is 10,000 new French francs.
12:3710,000?
12:38That's $2,000.
12:40Banco.
12:47Banco.
12:48Card.
13:01How much has he got there now?
13:03I can't tell.
13:0480,000 francs.
13:05You see, he's made three passes.
13:0720, 40, 80.
13:09Yes, 80,000 francs.
13:11Monsieur?
13:11It's not going well for me tonight, thank you.
13:16And you, monsieur?
13:18No.
13:20So?
13:23How come he's taking the money and keeping the bank?
13:26Because no one would challenge him.
13:30How much is there now?
13:34How much is there now?
13:3710,000 francs.
13:43That's how much I have.
13:47Banco.
14:08Oh, my God.
14:28Turn your cards over, you've won.
14:41Bravo.
14:42Abortage.
14:45Freeze.
14:53Does he keep my money?
14:55He is the custodian.
14:58Now, there are 20,000 francs in your bank, sir, 4,000 American dollars.
15:03If you wish to do so, you can take the money and pass the bank.
15:20Don't go.
15:37I'll let him see his cards first.
15:43Card?
15:45Now, turn your cards over, sir.
15:49Now, give him one card turned up.
15:57You have 40,000 francs, sir.
16:00Banco.
16:07I'll quit if I win this one, okay?
16:27Abortage.
16:32A moment, s'il vous plaît.
16:36Banco.
16:37Banco.
16:38Banco.
16:58Banco.
16:58Banco.
16:59Banco.giving.
17:26Banco.
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