The King of Marvin Gardens (1972): Cast & Plot
The King of Marvin Gardens is a 1972 drama directed by Bob Rafelson, starring Bruce Dern as Jason Staebler, Jack Nicholson and Charles LaVine. It runs 1 hour 43 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 43m (103 min)
- Director
- Bob Rafelson
- Genre
- Drama
- Original language
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English - Studio
- BBS Productions
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The King of Marvin Gardens About?
The premise of The King of Marvin Gardens without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Jason Staebler, a Boardwalk resident who fronts for the Atlantic City mob, is a perpetual dreamer. He persuades his brother David—a Philadelphia radio host—to fund an ambitious plan to create a tropical paradise on a Pacific island, a venture that may be another of his lofty fantasies. As the scheme progresses, unforeseen complications begin to mount.
The King of Marvin Gardens Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- watching tv
- cutting one's own hair
- betrayal
- gambling license
- false promise of the american dream
- man wears eyeglasses
- no music during opening credits
- no music during end credits
- brothers relationship
- jumping on a broken glass bottle
- band the musical group
- mustached man
+38 more Show fewer
- rafelson and nicholson
- jail
- radio
- hotel
- hawaii
- dream
- two brothers
- telephone call
- sole
- running
- radio personality
- island
- dreamer
- casino
- boardwalk
- beauty queen
- scheme
- get rich quick scheme
- depression
- watching a movie
- horseback riding
- loss of eyesight
- radio show host
- disarming a person with a gun
- running on the beach
- reference to ecclesiastes
- watching a home movie
- fish restaurant
- reference to dracula
- stage
- tap dancing
- hotel room
- woman murders a man
- murder of brother
- shot in the chest
- shot in the back
- .38 snubnose revolver
- revolver
The King of Marvin Gardens Cast & Characters
Bruce Dern leads the cast as Jason Staebler, with Jack Nicholson as David Staebler and Charles LaVine as Grandfather. Directed by Bob Rafelson; 24 actors are credited in all.
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Director Bob Rafelson
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Bruce Dern as Jason Staebler -
Jack Nicholson as David Staebler - Charles LaVine as Grandfather
-
Scatman Crothers as Lewis
Also Starring in The King of Marvin Gardens
· 20 more- Ellen Burstyn Sally
- Julia Anne Robinson Jessica
- John P. Ryan Surtees
- Josh Mostel Frank
- Garry Goodrow Nervous Man
- Tony King Messenger #2
- Sully Boyar Lebowitz
- Jerry Fujikawa Agura
- Ann Thomas Bambi
- Arnold Williams Rosko
- Conrad Yama Fujito
- Imogene Bliss Magda
- Frank Hatchett Dancer
- Scott Howard Auctioneer
- William Pabst Bidlack
- Van Kirksey Messenger #1
Show all 24 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Wyetta Turner Dancer
- Tom Overton Spot Operator
- Maxwell Goldberg Sonny
- Henry Foehl Auctioneer
More from Bob Rafelson
More films directed by Bob Rafelson, best-rated first: Five Easy Pieces, Black Widow, The Postman Always Rings Twice and Stay Hungry.
The King of Marvin Gardens Plot Summary
What happens in The King of Marvin Gardens from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
David Staebler, Jack Nicholson, is a depressive living with his grandfather, Charles LaVine, in Philadelphia, where he hosts a late-night radio talk show, while his brother Jason Staebler, Bruce Dern, is an extroverted con man who works for gang boss Lewis, Scatman Crothers, in Atlantic City, where he shares a cramped hotel suite with two women: Sally, Ellen Burstyn, a former beauty queen and prostitute, and her stepdaughter Jessica, Julia Anne Robinson. After no contact for eighteen months, Jason invites David to Atlantic City for a chance to make their fortune.
Full summary
The whole story of The King of Marvin Gardens, scene by scene
The King of Marvin Gardens Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The King of Marvin Gardens.
How Well Do You Know The King of Marvin Gardens?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which actor stars as David Staebler, the introspective brother who hosts a late-night radio show?
Cars in The King of Marvin Gardens
5 cars on screen, including the International Harvester Metro and the 1970 Buick Estate Wagon.
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International Harvester Metro Minor role -
1970 Buick Estate Wagon Background role -
GMC 'Old Look' Background role -
1972 Lincoln Continental Mark IV Background role
Seen The King of Marvin Gardens?
Movies Like The King of Marvin Gardens
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Marvin Seth and Stanley, The King of Comedy and Marvin & Tige.
The King of Marvin Gardens FAQ: Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of The King of Marvin Gardens, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The King of Marvin Gardens?
The King of Marvin Gardens runs 1 hour 43 minutes (103 minutes).
When was The King of Marvin Gardens released?
The King of Marvin Gardens was released on October 12, 1972.
Who directed The King of Marvin Gardens?
The King of Marvin Gardens was directed by Bob Rafelson.
More films by Bob Rafelson Who is in the cast of The King of Marvin Gardens?
The King of Marvin Gardens stars Bruce Dern as Jason Staebler, Jack Nicholson as David Staebler and Charles LaVine as Grandfather, among 24 credited actors.
Does The King of Marvin Gardens have a post-credit scene?
No. The King of Marvin Gardens has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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