Mister Cory

A poor Chicago kid with a gambling itch who climbs into glamorous circles by leveraging charm and opportunism. He starts as a busboy at a posh Wisconsin resort and quietly schemes to win Abby’s heart and social standing. His trajectory becomes cruel and calculating as money takes precedence over ethics, and he ultimately declines to prosecute after being shot, before fleeing with Jen.

A glamorous socialite toying with the affections of a wealthy fiancé. She invites Cory to New York, but recoils when she learns he is only a busboy. Her loyalty wavers as she begins a covert affair with Cory while navigating the expectations of high society.

A professional gambler whose ulcer prevents him from playing, he becomes Cory’s partner and mentor at the table. Together they return to Chicago to run an illegal casino, though Biloxi grows disgusted with Cory’s ruthlessness and ultimately ends the partnership.

Abby’s wealthy fiancé who loses heavily at the tables and becomes suspicious of Abby’s affair. He tips off the cops during the casino raid and shoots Cory in the arm when the situation spirals out of control.

Abby’s kid sister who volunteers to help Cory win Abby’s heart. She reappears later, arriving at the airport with a renewed sense of possibility, and embodies a pivotal romantic turn as the story closes.

A gangster who offers the chance to run an illegal casino, setting the stage for a major confrontation with law enforcement. His operation becomes the target of Cory and Biloxi’s improvised partnership and the ensuing raid.

A member of the social circle surrounding the casino world; she moves through the story as part of the glamorous milieu that frames Cory’s ambitions.

Abby’s mother, a figure of high society whose presence underscores the social pressures and expectations pressing on Abby’s choices.

Abby’s father, representing the business and social interests that shape the family’s world and the stakes of Abby’s romantic entanglements.