Wine, Women and Horses

Valerie buys Jim a meal after he goes broke, offering a spark of friendly support. With his finances precarious, Jim leaves town in search of luck, heading toward unknown points. This marks the start of a life defined by gambling and uncertain opportunities.

Jim stops in a small Midwest town and bets on a horseshoes game against George Mayhew. He wins $20 from George, then returns the money when he learns George can't afford to lose it. The exchange seeds Jim's pattern of taking risks and balancing generosity with recklessness.

Jim rents a room at the Mayhews' boarding house, where he grows fond of George's sister Marjorie. There is a mutual attraction, though Marjorie is wary of Jim's gambler's life. Her reservations hint at a fragile romance forming between them.

Marjorie abandons her fiancé Pres to marry Jim. Jim pledges to secure steady work and shape a more stable future. The couple begins building a life together, though doubts linger about the viability of their union.

Jim lands a job as a hotel's night manager in Chicago, signaling a bid for normalcy. He grows increasingly disgruntled with his boss, foreshadowing trouble ahead. The new position marks a transition from back-alley gambling to a conventional workplace.

On Christmas morning, Jim slips into gambling and wins a substantial sum, $3,000. The win underscores his recurring habit and the ease with which he slides back into risk. This moment intensifies the tension between his aspirations for stability and his compulsion to gamble.

A hotel guest named Bright notices Jim's talent and offers him a job looking after his racehorses in California. Jim accepts the offer and promises Marjorie his gambling days are over. They relocate to California to begin anew.

In California, Jim spends time at the track, cheering Bright's mare, Lady Luck. He runs into Valerie again and Marjorie becomes upset when Jim says Valerie helped him win winnings. Valerie and Broadway Willis are introduced, and the trio goes out where Jim wins $20,000 gambling.

Marjorie leaves Jim a note declaring she cannot live with him any longer and that she is pregnant. She returns home and reconnects with Pres. The message marks a turning point in their fragile marriage.

Back at the Mayhews' boarding house, Jim is told by George that their baby boy has died. Marjorie intercepts Jim as he leaves, realizing he is in a down period and heading east. He promises to quit gambling and seek a steadier life.

Jim promises to quit gambling and find a steady job. While working at a cigar store, he runs into George, who has become a professional gambler at the local track. The encounter rekindles old connections and tensions.

George informs Jim that Lady Luck is racing at the track. The horse injures its leg, throwing its rider, and Jim buys the horse to prevent it from being destroyed. This act signals Jim's renewed bond with the mare and a pivot away from pure gambling.

Jim rehabilitates Lady Luck, demonstrating care and skill that contrast with his gambling past. Despite this commitment, he is fired from the cigar store. The setback underscores the unstable path he remains on.

Jim realizes his lifestyle will never make him a good husband, while Marjorie yearns for the stability Pres could provide. He ultimately leaves to return to gambling and reunites with Valerie. The film closes on the note of an uncertain, cyclical fate.