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Poster for A Sporting Chance

A Sporting Chance

Seen it?

1919 | 60 min | Mystery, Drama, Comedy

Monday Morning Maybeearly rating

Why it’s a Monday Morning Maybe

With almost no lasting buzz and soft box office, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved After Hours or The Truman Show, start here.
The mood
Funny with heart, tense.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr.
What might put you off
Made in 1919: an older pace and style.

John Stonehouse (William Russell) checks into a hotel, intending to commit suicide. But instead he winds up helping a girl, Gilberte Bonheur (Fritzi Brunette), out of a jam. He finds her bending over a man who she has apparently killed, and since he's about to kill himself anyway, he offers to assume the blame. Throw a valuable emerald into the works, and the fact that the dead man suddenly comes back to life, and Stonehouse -- not to mention the audience -- becomes thoroughly befuddled by it all. Everything clears up, however, when Gilberte gives him a theater ticket -- it turns out that everything he went through was the plot to a stage play, enacted in real life by the actors. The critics roasted the play, saying it wasn't true to life, and this was their proof that the situations really could happen. Gilberte retires from acting when Stonehouse proposes.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsNot counted

    Not enough reviews on record yet

  • AudiencesNot counted

    Not measured yet: not enough ratings

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 373 people sought it out in the past year

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Cast & crew

Directed by Henry King

  • William RussellJohn Stonehouse
  • Fritzi BrunetteGilberte Bonheur
  • George PeriolatEdward Craig
  • J. Farrell MacDonaldLuther Ripley aka Kennedy
  • Lee HillGeorge Cornhill
  • Harvey ClarkAaron Witt
  • Perry BanksAnthony James