Born to Win (1971)

Born to Win (1971)
Director: Ivan Passer
Writers: David Scott Milton (original story and screenplay)
Ivan Passer (screenplay)
Release Date: 3 November 1972
Genre: Drama - Comedy



* Cast :


George Segal ... J (JJ)
Karen Black ... Parm
Paula Prentiss ... Veronica
Jay Fletcher ... Billy Dynamite
Hector Elizondo ... Vivian
Robert De Niro ... Danny
Ed Madsen ... Detective
Marcia Jean Kurtz ... Marlene
Irving Selbst ... Stanley
Tim Pelt ... Little Davey
José Pérez ... Junior Conception (as Jose Perez)
Sylvia Syms ... Cashier (as Sylvia Simms)
Jack Hollander ... Harry
Alex Colon ... Bus Boy
Max Brandt ... Store Clerk


* Plot :


Days and nights are touch and go for Jay Jay (George Segal) a petty thief and Heroin addict who runs errands and commits robberies to support his habit. He met his girl friend Parm (Karen Black) one night while stealing her car and they stick together through everything Jay Jay gets involved in. While delivering a package of illicit drugs for local drug dealer and pimp Geek (Hector Elizondo) Jay Jay decides to steal it but is caught by the Police who agree to let him go if he turns "narc" and sets up the Geek in a sting operation with detective Danny (Robert De Niro), something Jay Jay doesn't want to do because he feels it will insure his death. Jay Jay arranges a meeting between Geek and Danny and gets some drugs for himself and shares with his friend Billy (Jay Fletcher) but the drugs turn out to be bad. Jay Jay and Parm decide to leave New York and on the way they are stopped by the Police who arrest Parm for possession of drugs. When Jay Jay goes back to Geek he is given some drugs but feels sure they are bad but is also so driven by his addiction that he is frozen with indecision.