Any Number Can Play

Any Number Can Play

Year: 1949

Runtime: 112 mins

Language: English

Director: Mervyn LeRoy

Drama

Charley Kyng runs a casino and learns he has a condition, prompting his doctor to urge him to spend time with his family. He struggles to keep his business separate from home, while his son Paul, ashamed of his father's trade, gets into a fight at prom. Charley’s brother‑in‑law Robbin, a casino employee, begins rigging games to cover gambling debts.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Any Number Can Play (1949)

Trace every key event in Any Number Can Play (1949) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Health scare and life reset

Charley Enley Kyng is advised by his physician to slow down after a serious heart problem. He vows to quit drinking and smoking and to spend more time with his wife Lon and their son Paul. He also supports Lon's live-in sister Alice Elcott and her duplicitous husband Robbin, signaling a shift toward a healthier lifestyle.

Kyng estate
2

Gambling debt and loaded dice

Robbin cannot pay a $2,000 gambling debt to a gangster, who sends two goons to collect. Alice Elcott provides loaded dice to let them win back the gangster's money at craps. The plot tightens around Kyng's casino as the cheating scheme unfolds.

Casino craps table
3

Disgruntled couple and a stand for fairness

A disgruntled couple claims they have lost their entire savings at the casino and seek restitution. Charley runs a legal operation and refuses to budge, insisting on fair dealing. The incident tests the casino's integrity and Kyng's resolve.

Kyng's casino floor
4

Family tension and a failed fishing trip

Paul vents to his mother about his father's line of work, revealing the strain in the family. Charley tries to take him on a fishing trip in the mountains to mend fences, but Paul refuses. The rift between father and son deepens as the business shadow grows.

Mountainous region (planned fishing trip)
5

Ada's return rejected

Charley remains depressed by the family breakdown but rejects his former girlfriend Ada when she tries to rekindle their relationship. He remains focused on his wife and son, trying to resist past temptations. The personal life turmoil continues to complicate his decisions.

Home
6

Prom trouble and jail release offer

Paul is dragged into a brawl at his high school prom because of his father's business and is arrested. Charley arranges to free him from jail, but Paul will not speak to him. The father-son tension peaks as the law closes in on their world.

High school / jail
7

Family returns to the casino

After the trouble, Paul heads to the casino with Lon, signaling a tentative reunion with Charley’s world. The tension between them still lingers as the family steps into the glare of the casino lights.

Kyng's casino
8

Kurstyn’s streak and Charley’s stance

Big-time gambler Jim Kurstyn is on a winning streak and threatens to bankrupt Charley’s casino. Charley refuses to close the game and even lifts the house limit to allow Kurstyn to bet as much as he dares. He stands firm against the pressure, earning Kurstyn’s grudging respect.

Kyng's casino floor
9

Taunts, threat, and a family stand

Kurstyn taunts Charley that he will break him; Charley remains resolute. A group of thugs who planned to rob Kurstyn instead focus on Charley, while Paul stands beside his father alongside a dowager who has long carried a torch for Charley. The tense moment underscores the danger surrounding the casino.

Kyng's casino
10

The showdown and expulsion of the thugs

In the ensuing chaos, Charley swings at an armed goon and drops him. Paul leans in and knocks another to the ground. The goons and Robbin are expelled from the casino, Lon’s love is restored, and Paul gains a deeper respect for his father.

Kyng's casino
11

Final stake against the staff

Recognizing he has had enough, Charley wagers his casino and everything in it against his staff. Paul, on behalf of the staff, draws a 9 to reveal the outcome, a moment that tests the ultimate trust across the family and workforce.

Kyng's casino
12

A silent win and a hopeful exit

Rather than show his card, Charley simply says 'You beat me' and walks away. Lon reaches into Charley's pocket and pulls out a jack, which she hands to Paul, signaling renewed trust and a new start for the family as they walk away from the casino lights.

Casino exit

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:15

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Fathers rebuilding fractured families like in Any Number Can Play

A father's crisis prompts a desperate struggle to mend his broken relationships with his children.Movies like Any Number Can Play featuring fathers at a personal crossroads, striving to reconnect with their children after a period of estrangement. If you enjoyed the central family drama and Charley Kyng's journey of reconciliation, you'll find similar stories of paternal redemption and healing here.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a father figure, often flawed or preoccupied with his career, whose world is shaken by a health scare, financial trouble, or moral dilemma. This catalyst forces him to re-evaluate his priorities, leading to a central conflict as he attempts to bridge the gap with a resentful child or spouse, culminating in a cathartic resolution.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here based on their shared focus on the paternal redemption arc, the emotional tension of family estrangement, and the hopeful, character-driven resolution that mends the fractured bonds.

Stories about business and moral crossroads like Any Number Can Play

A business owner's livelihood is threatened, forcing a tense confrontation with their own integrity.If you liked the tense professional dilemmas in Any Number Can Play, explore more movies about business owners grappling with ethical conflicts. These films feature high-stakes decisions, internal corruption, and the struggle to maintain integrity under pressure, similar to Charley Kyng's casino危機.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically revolves around a business or establishment that becomes the center of conflict. The owner faces a dual threat: often a dishonest employee or partner compromising the business's integrity, and a personal crisis that questions the venture's very nature. The story builds steadily towards a climactic event that forces a definitive choice, clearing the path for a morally sound resolution.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their central theme of ethical business dilemmas, the tense atmosphere of a enterprise under internal and external pressure, and a straightforward narrative that pits personal integrity against professional survival.

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Any Number Can Play Summary

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Any Number Can Play Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Any Number Can Play

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Any Number Can Play

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More About Any Number Can Play

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