The Gambler

This film adaptation of a Fyodor Dostoyevsky short novel of the same name speculates on the true circumstances surrounding its writing. In debt up to his neck, the great Russian writer (played here by the versatile Michael Gambon) desperately agreed to sign away rights to all his past and future works if he couldn't produce a book within a month to appease his creditors. To meet the pressing deadline, the testy scribe reluctantly took on a young secretary whom he eventually married. Dramatized scenes from the book are often intercut with the travails of its maker, resulting in a sometimes strained attempt to parallel fiction and reality that detracts from the film's strengths. A strong optional purchase. (T. Rich)