Mister Cory 1957

Cory, a poor Chicago kid with a knack for gambling, takes a job as a busboy at a luxurious Wisconsin resort. He quickly takes a shine to Abby Vollard, a glamorous socialite Martha Hyer who is toying with the affections of her wealthy boyfriend Alex Wyncott. In a calculated ploy to get close, Cory sabotages her motorboat as a ruse to help, then dives in to rescue—only to discover Abby’s younger sister Jen Vollard on board, and Jen volunteers to assist his efforts.

Abby believes Cory is a guest at the resort and invites him on a trip to New York. When Cory tries to raise money at a poker game, a guest named Biloxi [Charles Bickford] cleans him out. Abby is offended when she learns Cory is only a busboy and distances herself, setting the stage for a more complicated romance and a sharper, more strategic game of hearts and money.

A year later, in Reno trying to change his luck, Cory crosses paths again with Biloxi, who is revealed to be a professional gambler unable to play due to an ulcer. Biloxi partners with Cory, making him his proxy at the table, and together they return to Chicago when gangster Ruby Matrobe [Russ Morgan] offers them a chance to run an illegal casino. Cory sends an invitation to the grand opening to Abby, then slips away with her after fixing it so her fiancé can gamble and win. The pair begin a secret affair, and Cory’s behavior grows cruel and calculating, especially after he proposes to Abby and is coldly turned down. Biloxi is disgusted with him and ends their partnership, and Alex, now losing heavily at the tables, becomes aware that Abby is carrying on with Cory and tips off the cops.

A raid on Ruby’s gambling house follows, and Cory tries to flee, but Alex shoots him in the arm. Ashamed of his actions, Cory declines to prosecute. He makes for the airport, where Jen unexpectedly appears and offers to come along, leaving the door open to a new, uncertain chapter for all involved.