Any Number Can Play

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.