THE KING OF MARVIN GARDENS (1972)

Directed by: Bob Rafelson

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern, Ellen Burstyn, Scatman Crothers, Julia Anne Robinson, Charles LaVine, Arnold Williams, John Ryan, Sully Boyar, Josh Mostel, William Pabst

103 minutes

(R - strong language, adult themes, adult situations, violence)

PLOT:

David Staebler, who suffers from chronic depression, is a Philadelphia-based late night radio host, his program on which he waxes philosophically about his less than satisfying life. Many of those stories revolve around his relationship with his two-year older brother, Jason Staebler, who is always out for the big score, and living with their grandfather. After not hearing from Jason in one and a half years, David receives what is an urgent telephone call from him, Jason who wants David to act as the intermediary with one of Jason's associates, Lewis, to bail him out of jail in Atlantic City, where he is charged with a felony. Although David doesn't speak directly to Lewis as Jason had instructed, Lewis does bail him out of jail. David learns that Jason is living in Atlantic City, running one of Lewis' third-rate resort hotels. Jason lives in the hotel in one of the small suites with his girlfriend, Sally, an aging and fading ex-beauty queen who clings to that past as her sole identity. Also living with them is Sally's younger longtime companion Jessica, to who Sally tries to pass along her beauty queen identity. Sally and Jessica's relationship is more than meets the eye. For as long as David stays in Atlantic City, Jessica is his implied companion. Using his connections through Lewis, Jason says that he is working on a developing his own resort casino in Hawaii, and wants David to come along with him, Sally and Jessica. Deep in his heart, David knows that Hawaii is just another of Jason's pipe dreams, just like all the other times he has made such proclamations. Regardless, David stays in Atlantic City for the two brothers to reconnect. However, this life cannot last forever, based partly on the several houses of cards on which Jason is living, one of which is destined to crumble around him.

TRAILER: