Written by Bob Rafelson and former movie critic, Jacob Brackman, 'The King of Marvin Gardens' was the fourth film released by BBS Productions (i.e., Bob Rafelson, Bert Schneider, and Steve Blauner) during its all-too-brief existence (1970-74). King dwells on the vexed relationship between two brothers: David Staebler (Jack Nicholson), a depressive Philadelphia radio personality living with his grandfather, and Jason Staebler (Bruce Dern), an always-scheming hustler and petty crook who works as a front man for Lewis (Scatman Crothers), a black mobster in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Breaking a long spell of silence, an excited Jason phones David to summon him to Atlantic City to take part in a get-rich-quick scheme that involves buying an island resort near Hawaii—with Lewis's money. Jason is, of course, deluded but David lacks the moral clarity or ego strength necessary to challenge his older brother's venal fantasies. Further complicating the situation is the fact that Lewis has had Jason thrown in jail on trumped-up charges. David eventually succeeds in springing Jason from jail but Lewis won't drop the charges unless Jason abandons his island real estate scheme. Adding to the turmoil is the ambiguous, sexually fraught relationship that prevails between Jason, Sally (Ellen Burstyn) his aging, mentally unstable girlfriend, and Sally's nubile stepdaughter, Jessica (Julie Anne Robinson). David and Jason fall prey to Jessica's feminine wiles and disaster ensues. Short on plot, 'The King of Marvin Gardens' is primarily a character study/mood piece/acting tour de force shot on location in Atlantic City, especially at the huge, decaying Marlborough- Blenheim Hotel at Park Place and Boardwalk (which was torn down in 1979 to make way for Bally's Casino). References to the Monopoly game abound; unsurprising, given the film's setting and its implicit critique of American Dream ideology. VHS (1994) and DVD (2000).
Review of The King of Marvin Gardens
