The read
A Balasaur Score of 72 out of 100, drawn from IMDb 7.3/10, Rotten Tomatoes 79%, Metacritic 65/100. Scores higher than 84% of the 405 1970s thriller movies in this catalog. Streaming on Max.
Synopsis
Cosmo Vittelli, the proprietor of a sleazy, low-rent Hollywood cabaret, has a real affection for the women who strip in his peepshows and the staff who keep up his dingy establishment. He also has a major gambling problem that has gotten him in trouble before. When Cosmo loses big-time at an underground casino run by mobster Mort, he isn't able to pay up. Mort then offers Cosmo the chance to pay back his debt by knocking off a pesky, Mafia-protected bookie.
Ratings
IMDb7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes79%
Metacritic65/100
302 audience votes
Key crew
- John CassavetesDirector
- John CassavetesWriter
- Bo HarwoodOriginal Music Composer
Cast
- Ben GazzaraCosmo Vittelli
- Timothy CareyFlo
- Seymour CasselMort Weil
- Robert PhillipsPhil
- Morgan WoodwardThe Boss
- Al RubanMarty Reitz
- Azizi JohariRachel
- HajiHaji
- Alice FriedlandSherry
- Derna WyldeDerna
- Virginia CarringtonMama
- Carolyn WarrenCarol
Stills
Movies like The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Shows like The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Themes
gambling debtstripteasestrip clubcoercionmobstergunshot wounddebt collectorlos angeles, californiastrip teasemob hitneo-noirstrip show
The Best Movies of 1976
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is #33 of 60
