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The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)

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Average Rating: 6.2/10
Reviews Counted: 15
Fresh: 12 | Rotten: 3

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 2
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 1

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Average Rating: 3.9/5
User Ratings: 4,202

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Movie Info

John Cassavetes takes a contemporary film noir turn (which he would return to in Gloria) after exploring domestic melodrama in A Woman Under the Influence with The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. Ben Gazzara plays Cosmo Vitelli, the owner of a sleazy Los Angeles strip joint, who loses $20,000 at a mob gambling club owned by a small time gangster (Seymour Cassel). Since Cosmo doesn't have the $20,000, he is forced to murder a Chinese bookie in order to clear his debt to the mob. What Cosmo doesn't

R, 1 hr. 48 min.

Drama

Directed By: John Cassavetes

Written By: John Cassavetes

In Theaters: Feb 15, 1976 Wide

On DVD: Apr 6, 1999

Criterion Collection

Cast

Ben Gazzara
Cosmo Vitelli
Timothy Carey
Flo
Seymour Cassel
Mort Weil
Robert Phillips
Phil
Morgan Woodward
John the Boss
Azizi Johari
Rachel
Meade Roberts
Mr. Sophistication
Alice Friedland
Sherry
Donna Gordon
Margo
Virginia Carrington
Betty the Mother
John Kullers
Eddie "Red" (Gangster)
Al Ruban
Marty Reitz
Soto Joe Hugh
Chinese Bookie
Jack Ackerman
Musical director
Val Avery
Blair Benoit
Vincent Barbi
Vince
Jean-Pierre Cassel
Elizabeth Deering
Lavinia
John Finnegan
Cabbie
Haji
Haji
David Rowlands
Lamarr
Hugo Soto
The Chinese Bookie
Frank Thomas
Kathalina Veniero
Annie
Jason Kincaid
Parking Lot Attendant
Gene Darcy
Commodore
Benny Marino
Sonny Venice
John Red Kullers
Timothy Agoglia Carey

Critic Reviews for The Killing of a Chinese Bookie

All Critics (18) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (14) | Rotten (3) | DVD (6)

Watching the film is like listening to someone use a lot of impressive words, the meanings of which are just wrong enough to keep you in a state of total confusion, but occasionally right enough to hold your attention. What is he trying to say?

May 9, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Vincent Canby

New York Times

Top Critic

A postnoir masterpiece.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

This is my favorite John Cassavetes movie, perhaps because it's the most appealingly sleazy.

May 15, 2009 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Cassavetes' films can be annoying and enigmatic, but they are usually creative and interesting. Not so with this one.

August 30, 2006 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

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TV Guide's Movie Guide

Gazzara plays a strip-club owner committed to staging sad, unsexy, decidedly personal semi-nude musical revues.

November 29, 2004 Full Review Source: AV Club

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Keith Phipps

AV Club

Heavy stuff, but it takes its sweet sweet time in getting to the point.

October 19, 2004 Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com

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Christopher Null

Filmcritic.com

Its only interest now is in its representation of its era.

July 8, 2004 Comment

Jake Euker

F5 (Wichita, KS) Source: F5 (Wichita, KS)

A self-indulgent but inventive John Cassavetes written and directed film...

August 18, 2002 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

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Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

As much an indictment of modern filmmaking as the delusional nature of macho posturing, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is a complex and fascinating document.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Apollo Guide

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Dan Jardine

Apollo Guide

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Killing of a Chinese Bookie

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Gazzara is amazing. But the real star is Cassavete's direction. The way this film slowly transforms is amazing.

October 18, 2011

Graham Jones

Super Reviewer

Probably the coolest film ever made. Gazzara transfixes the audience and Cassavetes makes directing look easy. Its slow in places but it?s so smooth and stylish you will wish it was longer!

October 1, 2009