Owning Mahowny
Encyclopedia
Owning Mahowny is a 2003
movie
about gambling
addiction
with a cast that includes Philip Seymour Hoffman
, Minnie Driver
, Maury Chaykin
and John Hurt
.
bank employee Dan Mahowny (Hoffman) is given access to bigger and bigger accounts with his promotion to assistant branch manager. His boss trusts him, but what he doesn't know is Mahowny is a compulsive gambler. And soon he's skimming
larger and larger amounts for his own use and making weekly trips to Atlantic City, where he's treated more like a king by a greedy casino
manager (Hurt) with every additional thousand he lays down on the table. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, fellow bank employee Belinda (Driver), can't understand what's happening, and the wheels go into motion at the bank when the first missing amount is uncovered.
The movie's focus is on Mahowny as a character—how his compulsion drives him and all the domino effect
s it has on the rest of his life. The love story between Mahowny and Belinda and the inclusion of other finely drawn characters such as hapless casino employee Bernie (Chris Collins
) put the emphasis squarely on the gambling
addiction
, not on the flash and sizzle of big casinos or multi-million-dollar fraud
s.
Film critic Roger Ebert
named Owning Mahowny one of the top ten films of 2003.
clerk Brian Molony
embezzled
over $10 million from his employers in just 18 months to support his gambling habit. Molony's story was told in the best-selling 1987 book Stung by journalist Gary Ross, which formed the basis for the screenplay.
In an interview on the web site of Stung publishers McClelland and Stewart, Ross says he has kept in touch with Molony and updated what happened to him after the events portrayed in the movie. Molony served six years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud. He has not gambled since his arrest, has married his girlfriend (Belinda in the movie), has three sons and works as a financial consultant.
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
about gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
addiction
Behavioral addiction
Behavioral addiction is a form of addiction which does not rely on drugs or alcohol. Increasingly referred to as process addiction or non-substance-related addiction ) behavioral addiction includes a compulsion to repeatedly engage in an action until said action causes serious negative consequences...
with a cast that includes Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman is an American actor and director. Hoffman began acting in television in 1991, and the following year started to appear in films...
, Minnie Driver
Minnie Driver
Minnie Driver is an English actress and singer-songwriter. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, as well as for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for her work in the television series The Riches.- Early life...
, Maury Chaykin
Maury Chaykin
Maury Alan Chaykin was an American-born Canadian actor. Best known for his portrayal of detective Nero Wolfe, he was also known for his work as a character actor in many films and on television programs.-Personal life:...
and John Hurt
John Hurt
John Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
.
Plot
In 1982, a TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
bank employee Dan Mahowny (Hoffman) is given access to bigger and bigger accounts with his promotion to assistant branch manager. His boss trusts him, but what he doesn't know is Mahowny is a compulsive gambler. And soon he's skimming
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
larger and larger amounts for his own use and making weekly trips to Atlantic City, where he's treated more like a king by a greedy casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
manager (Hurt) with every additional thousand he lays down on the table. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, fellow bank employee Belinda (Driver), can't understand what's happening, and the wheels go into motion at the bank when the first missing amount is uncovered.
The movie's focus is on Mahowny as a character—how his compulsion drives him and all the domino effect
Domino effect
The domino effect is a chain reaction that occurs when a small change causes a similar change nearby, which then will cause another similar change, and so on in linear sequence. The term is best known as a mechanical effect, and is used as an analogy to a falling row of dominoes...
s it has on the rest of his life. The love story between Mahowny and Belinda and the inclusion of other finely drawn characters such as hapless casino employee Bernie (Chris Collins
K. C. Collins
K.C. Collins, also known as Chris Collins, is a Canadian film, voice and television actor.Collins was born in Toronto, Ontario but now lives in Los Angeles, California. He attended Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York on a baseball scholarship...
) put the emphasis squarely on the gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
addiction
Behavioral addiction
Behavioral addiction is a form of addiction which does not rely on drugs or alcohol. Increasingly referred to as process addiction or non-substance-related addiction ) behavioral addiction includes a compulsion to repeatedly engage in an action until said action causes serious negative consequences...
, not on the flash and sizzle of big casinos or multi-million-dollar fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
s.
Film critic Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
named Owning Mahowny one of the top ten films of 2003.
The real-life story
Owning Mahowny is based on a real-life incident: Canadian Imperial Bank of CommerceCanadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is one of Canada's chartered banks, fifth largest by deposits. The bank is headquartered at Commerce Court in Toronto, Ontario. CIBC's Institution Number is 010, and its SWIFT code is CIBCCATT....
clerk Brian Molony
Brian Molony
Brian Molony is a famous former gambler from Toronto. Molony graduated from the University of Western Ontario, and was a rising young assistant manager with his employer, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. However, he abused his position of trust to embezzle more than $10 million from CIBC to...
embezzled
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
over $10 million from his employers in just 18 months to support his gambling habit. Molony's story was told in the best-selling 1987 book Stung by journalist Gary Ross, which formed the basis for the screenplay.
In an interview on the web site of Stung publishers McClelland and Stewart, Ross says he has kept in touch with Molony and updated what happened to him after the events portrayed in the movie. Molony served six years in prison after pleading guilty to fraud. He has not gambled since his arrest, has married his girlfriend (Belinda in the movie), has three sons and works as a financial consultant.
Cast
- Philip Seymour HoffmanPhilip Seymour HoffmanPhilip Seymour Hoffman is an American actor and director. Hoffman began acting in television in 1991, and the following year started to appear in films...
as Dan Mahowny - Minnie DriverMinnie DriverMinnie Driver is an English actress and singer-songwriter. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, as well as for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for her work in the television series The Riches.- Early life...
as Belinda - Maury ChaykinMaury ChaykinMaury Alan Chaykin was an American-born Canadian actor. Best known for his portrayal of detective Nero Wolfe, he was also known for his work as a character actor in many films and on television programs.-Personal life:...
as Frank Perlin - John HurtJohn HurtJohn Vincent Hurt, CBE is an English actor, known for his leading roles as John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Mr. Braddock in The Hit, Stephen Ward in Scandal, Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant and An Englishman in New York...
as Victor Foss - Sonja SmitsSonja SmitsSonja Smits is a television actress who has played roles in many television series, including Falcon Crest, Airwolf, Odyssey 5, The Outer Limits, Street Legal, Traders and The Eleventh Hour.She also played Bianca O'Blivion in the David Cronenberg horror movie, Videodrome.Sonja went to Bell High...
as Dana Selkirk - Ian TraceyIan TraceyIan Tracey is a Canadian Leo- and Gemini Award-winning actor. Over the years, Tracey has participated in over seventy films and television series. Tracey has starred in series like Da Vinci's Inquest and Intelligence, both CBC television series produced by long-time colleague Chris Haddock...
as Detective Ben Lock - Roger Dunn as Bill Gooden
- Jason BlickerJason BlickerJason Blicker is a Canadian film and television actor. He has had several small roles in television series including recurring roles on Robocop, F/X: The Series, State of Grace, NYPD Blue, Boston Legal as well as roles films such as Half Baked , The Day After Tomorrow and Hidden 3D .-External links:...
as Dave Quinson - Chris CollinsK. C. CollinsK.C. Collins, also known as Chris Collins, is a Canadian film, voice and television actor.Collins was born in Toronto, Ontario but now lives in Los Angeles, California. He attended Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York on a baseball scholarship...
as Bernie - Matthew FergusonMatthew FergusonMatthew Ferguson is an actor born on 3 April 1973 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He graduated from the Claude Watson School for the Performing Arts.-Performances:...
as Martin - Janine TheriaultJanine TheriaultJanine Theriault is a Canadian actress. She grew up in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, where she lived until leaving to attend Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts in Natick, Massachusetts...
as Maggie - Conrad DunnConrad DunnConrad Dunn is an American actor. He began his screen career with the role of Francis "Psycho" Soyer in Stripes . Working for some ten years under the name George Jenesky, he achieved soap-opera stardom in Days of our Lives as Nick Corelli, a misogynistic pimp who evolved from bad guy to romantic...
as Edgar - Eric Fink as Psychologist
- Mike "Nug" Nahrgang as Parking Attendant
- Tanya Henley as Teller
- Brona Brown as Teller
- Philip CraigPhilip CraigPhilip R. Craig was a writer known for his Martha's Vineyard mysteries.-Biography:He was born in Santa Monica and raised on a cattle ranch near Durango, Colorado. In 1951 he attended Boston University intending to become a minister, and got a degree in 1957...
as Briggs - Michael Caruana as Alex Retsnor
- Gary Brennan as Man in Ice Rink
- Tannis Burnett as Mary the Teller
- Steve Cumyn as Observer #1
- Tony MunchTony MunchTony Munch is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his roles in Land of the Dead as Anchor and in the films Cube Zero, Shoot 'Em Up and .45.-Filmography:*Red Coat Justice as Cobb...
as Observer #2 - Lorn Eisen as Blackjack Dealer
- M.J. Kang as Secretary
External links
- Official website
- interview with Stung author Gary Ross at the McClelland & Stewart web site
- Reel Toronto: Owning Mahowny; filming locations detailed in The TorontoistGothamistGothamist LLC is the operator of eleven city-centric blogs worldwide that focus on news, events, food, culture, and other local coverage.-History:...
, December 8, 2009