Movie Slots
The monsters slot machine
City of Shadows
City of shadows
Want slot machine rackets? Then the 1955 low budget movie City of Shadows provides.
A twelve year old boy is found playing the battered slot machines in a seedy steak house at the exact same moment he wins a huge jackpot. The child, however is not some young innocent, and upon discovery defies the sleazy owner to do anything. Once the man agrees, the boy proceeds to show him how to corner the slot machine market and put his more powerful racketeer competitors out of business.
Described as a ''50's gangster movie with all the low-budget trimmings,' the story is an old one about a low-ranking hood adopting a young street urchin, only to have his protege turn against him. But it moves fast, and is regarded as a cut above the average low-budget movie of its day.
In the words of one enthusiast, 'With the cast generating so much good will, you have to be kind to it.'
However, The Godfather and The Untouchables it isn't.
So, where's the fun? Do slot machines always have to be about human frailty? Is every gambler an addict? Is every winner an epitome of greed? Is every slot machine in every casino and every bar and every cafe a harbinger of doom? What about the thrill of the game? What about the good times a jackpot can bring? What about some go get 'em excitement? What about the laughs? Thankfully, as well as the tragedies, there are comedies and action movies out there too. And, like their counterparts, most exploit the weakness of the human condition.