Smart Money

Nick Venizelos runs a prosperous small-town barber shop that doubles as a back-room gambling hub. His luck attracts customers and daring bets, prompting someone to challenge him to face the famous Hickory Short in the city. He commits half of the $10,000 stake himself, while his friends raise the rest, and he departs the town under the watch of his assistant Jack.

With the stake arranged, Nick leaves the shop under Jack's supervision and boards a train for the city. He travels with self-confidence, believing he can outplay the city's best gambler.

In the city, Marie, the pretty blonde at the hotel cigar stand, tells him where Hickory is hosting his illegal high-stakes game. Nick sits down at the table and, despite his confidence, loses all his money to the other players.

Nick reads a newspaper article revealing that the real Hickory Short has just been released from prison in Florida. The man Nick faced was Sleepy Sam, a conman, and Marie is Sam's girlfriend and accomplice.

When Nick tries to get his money back, Sleepy Sam and the other fake poker players beat him up. He wakes up in the hospital, bruised but more determined to avenge the setback.

Back in his barber shop, Nick quietly rebuilds his fortune for six months, raising another stake for a bigger comeback. He trains and amasses the funds needed for a new gambit against Sleepy Sam.

Nick tracks Sleepy Sam and his gang to another city and proposes a one-on-one game with $50,000 on the line, playing until one man has all the money. Sam accepts, and Nick insists on fresh decks to prevent any further edge from hidden tricks.

Nick wins the duel and tries to leave, but Sleepy Sam's gang reaches for their guns. Jack and another ally burst in with drawn weapons, and Nick boasts that his advantage came from shaved cards, the cheat being his edge over Sam.

Nick becomes a tremendous success, eventually facing the real Hickory Short. A Walter Winchell column reports the rumor that Nick beat Hickory to the tune of $300,000, cementing his status as the king of illegal gambling in the city, with Jack as his right-hand man.

During a drive, a young woman who was fished from the river is revived by Irene, who then accompanies Nick to his mansion to recover. He makes her comfortable and treats her with unprecedented kindness.

Irene confesses she is fleeing a charge of blackmail, but Nick shrugs off the information, choosing to help her rather than pry into her past.

Public outrage and DA Black's re-election drive prompt him to coerce Irene to cooperate in incriminating Nick. He persuades her to place a racing form in Nick's coat, which could send him to jail for a month.

Jack tries to warn his friend about the trap, but Nick becomes furious and knocks him to the floor, showing how far he has drifted from trust and loyalty.

The casino is raided by police, leading to Nick's arrest. They also discover that Jack is dead, a devastating blow that unsettles Nick and Irene, who begs forgiveness for his loss.

Nick is sentenced to ten years in prison. As he boards the train to prison, he offers a boastful bet that he will be out in five, a final twist of swagger despite the looming confinement.