Dealing with drug addiction, Otto Preminger pushes the censorship envelope to tackle a tough subject in this film. Frank Sinatra's crescendo performance, culminating in the searing "cold turkey" sequence, is one of the most memorable kick-the-drug-habit performances ever put on film, and certainly helped Preminger to make the subject acceptable for the screen. This is great ensemble acting. Eleanor Parker is excellent as Zosch Machine, Frankie's controlling wife, ostensibly confined to a wheelchair from a car accident caused by Frankie. Her performance is the focal point of the film, as she uses her disability (which only the audience knows is a charade) to control Frankie's actions and ability to rise above his past of gambling (he is an ace card dealer, hence the title of the film). Frankie's one shot at a legitimate career as a musician and happiness with the selfless Molly (wonderfully played by Kim Novak) is extinguished by Zosch's controlling personality. This provides the film with the claustrophobic atmosphere that makes everything work. The other members of the cast are great, with Darren McGavin as Louis, the drug dealer who is constantly pushing Frankie over the edge, and Arnold Stang as Sparrow, whose performance as Frankie's friend and confidant, adds a nice touch of nostalgia. CREDITS: Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Kim Novak, Arnold Stang, Darren McGavin, Robert Strauss, John Conte, Doro Merande, George E. Stone, George Mathews, Leonid Kinsky, Emile G. Meyer PRODUCER/DIRECTOR Otto Preminger SCREENWRITERS Lewis Meltzer and Walter Newman - From the book by Nelson Algren CINEMATOGRAPHER Sam Leavitt MUSIC Elmer Bernstein An Otto Preminger Picture, Released by United Artists | B&W