House of Games
Category: Books,Humor & Entertainment,Movies
House of Games Details
Amazon.com Review This is the screenplay of the first film written and directed by David Mamet, the story of a well known psychiatrist seduced by an underworld of petty intrigue. Mamet is commonly--and wrongly--considered a writer who consistently litters his characters' speech with obscenities. There are a good number of tongue lashings in House of Games, but what this script really proves is that Mamet has an extraordinarily poetic grasp of human language and human psychology. Every word, every exchange counts in this twisty, suspenseful screenplay, one of those rare dramas where it is impossible to predict what will happen next. Read more
Reviews
I wrote my PhD on the Films of David Mamet. It was a few years back, but must admit that still today 'House of Games' is my favourite of his movies. I'm a psychiatrist, and Margaret, the protagonist, is a psychiatrist too. Other than that we don't share much in common, although it's easy to see why she would fall for somebody like Mike, 'the unbeatable gambler'. The Master con-man takes her into his confidence (that's what confidence tricks are about, as he explains in the movie) and ropes her in. He is a consummate actor, and Joe Mantegna is a dream in the part. The film itself was classed as neo-noir and it has all the necessary elements.The script, although can't quite capture the atmosphere and the fabulous interpretations, is a joy to read, as the dialogue is a Mamet masterpiece, in my opinion as good as any of his plays. The poker/con-game, I've shown during lectures and it is perfection itself. Do yourself a favour, buy the script and watch the movie. You'll thank me for it.
