Action at the Las Vegas of the East

Lancaster with a young Sarandon

Burt Lancaster stars as out of action small time thug (Lou) who had seen better days and takes a liking to his next door young neighbour Sally (Susan Sarandon). Sally is a small town girl who escaped poverty from her hometown in Sasketchewan and after a stupid marriage. She is working as a seafood parlour hostess in a casino, attending extra classes to make it as a casino dealer in Monte Carlo one day.
Her estranged husband and her pregnant sister who married him appears at her doorsteps, much to her frustration. The unwanted guests carried with them a stash of heroin. The gangsters, owners of the drugs, knive the ex-husband down, just after he passed it to Lou whom he had recruited to do his dirty job. Lou, the street wise old hand managed to sell off the merchandise at a high stake. With the newly found wealth, Lou succeeds to woo the grieving lady. When the gangsters return for their loot from Lou, he managed to gun them down and goes on the run with his new found love.
Sally, realizing that she is the rightful owner of the money scooted off with a portion of the cash.
Lou returns to Atlantic City to continue his usual job of taking care of his boss' widow in a more comfortable manner. In this movie, Atlantic City is painted as a city who is depressing with most buildings making way for more casinos.
This 1980 film was nominated for an Oscar and won at the Venice Film Festival.