J.C. Cullen arrives in Chicago in 1957 from a small town. With a talent for winning at craps, he tries to embark as a professional gambler. He breaks the bank at a private craps game at the Gem Club, owned by the dangerous and brutal George Cole, and falls for two women, one of whom is Cole's wife. He ignores advice to steer clear of both Coles. Infuriated, Cole wagers everything on the craps table, including the Gem Club itself, and he and Cullen have it out.—Brian C. Madsen (updated by R.M. Sieger)