Movie Description Two very different but equally engaging movies about addiction are presented here. Ivan Passer's BORN TO WIN (1971) is a fascinating, though widely overlooked, time capsule that reflects the down-and-dirty New York City of the early 1970s. George Segal is astounding as J, a heroin addict whose life has begun to spiral out of control. No longer interested in being a hairdresser, J spends his days searching for another fix. Along the way, he meets Parm (Karen Black), another weary soul who clings desperately to J as he becomes increasingly lost in the haze of his addiction. Robert De Niro shows up for a fascinating pre-MEAN STREETS appearance.
WINNER TAKE ALL (1975), on the other hand, is a campy but compulsively watchable TV movie, starring THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY's Shirley Jones as a normal suburban housewife whose seemingly perfect existence begins to unravel when her powerful gambling addiction becomes a problem. Jones leads a surprisingly excellent cast that also includes Laurence Luckinbill, Sam Groom, Joyce Van Patten, and Joan Blondell.
| Credits | | Cast: | Joan Blondell, Laurence Luckinbill, Shirley Jones |
| Details | | Edition: | 2-Disc Set |
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