"The Gambler Returns: Luck of the Draw" is yet another TV movie based on Kenny Rogers' character. It's the fourth of five such films and to me it's a case of going to the well one (or more) times too many. So, despite many cameos from old time TV western stars, it's pretty tedious.
When the story begins, the Gambler (Rogers) is having a run-in with a Mexican general who is a card cheat. And, to make sure he wins, the general is going to hang the Gambler and his friend. Fortunately, a ridiculously anachronistic woman arrives and saves the day with a Gattling Gun that NEVER needs reloading! Once they escape, they visit one town after another having adventures, meeting old friend AND trying to find some folks to stake the Gambler to a high stakes poker game in California.
This is probably one of the worst films for me to watch, as I used to teach US History...and the film is filled with too many anachronisms and cliches to count. While it's supposed to be set out in the west (probably circa 1900 or just a bit later) there is a relatively modern motorcycle and a woman who simply could not have existed in this time and place (Reba McIntire). She's like a combination of Jessie from the "Toy Story" films and Sylvester Stallone!
Overall, the story is very weak, the characters are pretty ridiculous, Kenny Rogers does very little acting in the film (mostly things just seem to happen around him) and the story just rambles. The only positives are the very brief (too brief) cameos by the TV western stars of yesterday...but they deserved better. Overall, it comes off like a very cheap TV movie with little regard to the story or believability. Of interest only to die-hard Kenny Rogers fans.
