"The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" (1976) Movie Review 

I just finished watching TKOACB 1978 for the first time and to be honest I’m kind of conflicted on the film. I do enjoy Cosmo and the bits in the club, I like the whole aspect of Cosmo settling his debt by killing someone, the fact that the mobsters never expected him to actually get the hit done, the part that I have issues with is the ending. I wish the film would have ended with Cosmo bleeding out in the club watching the performance on stage, instead we get a sort of open ending with him standing on the sidewalk. Part of me want him to go to the doctor and remove the bullet but I understand that his pride won’t let him, so ultimately I enjoyed the film but the ending didn’t sit right with me.

I loved The Killing of a Chinese Bookie. To me, it was more of a character study. As a viewer, I felt like I was actually in the movie. The scene that was the most riveting was the one where Cosmo kills Mort and then he is being pursued in the empty warehouse by Phil who wants to kill him. Amazing stuff!

This movie is playing tonight June 23, 2021 at the Skyline Drive In Theater in Shelbyville Indiana.

Watched the criterion really hard to sit thru but great review on a rare flick.

great stuff. this is one of my favorite films, the best cassavettes (and their all terrific). and a super misunderstood film. big time. well done on your review.

that mustang had perfect comedy timing there! I'm actually laughing out loud.

Enjoyed your commentary. This is the only film in the Cassavetes box set that I still haven't watched, for some strange reason. But I think it's high time I did. Ben Gazzara was a powerful actor, and certainly underrated. My favorite Cassavetes film is Opening Night, with Shadows a close second.

this film caught my attention last night cos Luke ryan showed it on his vlog and I watched it immediately on RU-vid because of it's bfi label and here you are today reviewing it!! I really enjoyed it and am glad to be introduced to his work. it was raw and gritty but often slow. which one should I watch next ?

I saw Luke's vid too. But oddly enough I'd just got it on the HMV sale the day before. Anyway I saw this one and A Woman Under the Influence ages ago - probably back in the 80s on TV. I wasn't convinced then but I've now picked them both up to give Cassavetes another go. So far as Ben Gazzara goes I also liked Bridge at Remagen and I sort of remember the QB VII mini-series but he kind of disappeared from my radar after that - oh and earlier than that he was the star of Run for Your Life - the TV show in which he played a guy given a year or so to live but was kept alive by the audience figures for more like three (in fact the character may not have died at all so far as I remember).

folks that thumbs down this film- Don't get that is was made to seem "bad" and "gritty" and it did real bad at the box office- I loved the film one of my favorites, Shadows was a good one in this set, Chinese Bookie, is a view into 70's sort of recession- climate, anothe film you can detect poor US economy of the time is The Friends of Eddie Coyle

awesome film.