The Scientific Cardplayer

An aging and wealthy American woman journeys to Rome each year with her chauffeur George to play the card game scopone with destitute Peppino and his wife Antonia. The annual scenario remains unchanged: she donates the initial stakes so they can play, then ultimately wins the game, shattering the couple's dream of scoring a victory and improving their lot in life. Eventually their daughter Cleopatra seeks revenge on her parents' behalf.

The film's Italian title is Lo Scopone Scientifico.

Bette Davis was in the midst of a three-week vacation at the health spa La Costa in Carlsbad, California when she received the script. On 24-hour notice, she flew to Rome for filming. It wasn't until the first day of shooting she learned the dialogue was to be recorded in Italian.

This was the third on-screen pairing for Davis and Joseph Cotten. They previously co-starred in Beyond the Forest (1949) and Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964).

• Joseph Cotten as George
• Alberto Sordi as Peppino
• Silvana Mangano as Antonia
• Antonella Demaggi as Cleopatra
• Mario Carotenuto as The Professor
• Domenico Modugno as Righetto

• Produced by Dino De Laurentiis
• Original music by Piero Piccioni
• Cinematography by Giuseppe Ruzzolini
• Art direction by Luigi Scaccianoce
• Costume design by Bruna Parmesan

TV Guide wrote "One's enjoyment of this picture is correlated with one's understanding of scopa." [1]

• 1973 David di Donatello Award for Best Actor (Alberto Sordi, winner)
• 1973 David di Donatello Award for Best Actress (Silvana Mangano, winner)
• 1973 Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actor (Mario Carotenuto, winner)

Lo Scopone Scientifico at Italian Wikipedia

• The Scientific Cardplayer at IMDb