Odds on Evil - Recap

Dan picks up his briefing at a penny arcade where he views the info on a kinetoscope while listening on earphones. He’s informed that Prince Iben Kostas has accumulated $1.5 million in funds from his country’s casino and plans to use the money to buy arms from a man named Borgman with which to attack his neighboring country. The IMF must stop the sale and bankrupt Kostas.

Dan assembles the usual team plus Andre Malif, and in the briefing they watch as Barney shows off a computerized rig that can predict the spin of a roulette wheel. The sensor is in Cinnamon’s handbag, and the 90 lb. computer is worn by Willy underneath a jacket. Andre wears a watch that displays the computer’s computation of the number to bet on.

Cinnamon goes to the casino and starts flirting with Kostas while talking about her rich husband Andre. They’re interrupted when Borgman arrives to meet with Kostas privately and see the money, which the prince has locked away in his office safe. Satisfied, Borgman goes back to his room, but Barney follows him in. Borgman draws a gun on him but Barney poses no threat: he’s there to claim that Kostas’ money is counterfeit and he wants to buy some of Borgman’s guns once the deal goes sour. Borgman sends him away but believes what he says and plans with his ship’s captain to see the money early.

Later Cinnamon and Andre stage a scene for Kostas’ benefit in the casino while Rollin plays some baccarat and manages to palm some of the cards. Borgman calls to delay the sale (which is what the IMF intended by mentioning the counterfeits) and asks Kostas for a down payment of $10,000 in bribes. He checks the money and is convinced it’s real and goes ahead with the deal, preparing to deliver the arms the next morning.

In the IMF’s hotel room, Rollin goes over the cards and eventually figures out they’re marked with a special ink only visible through tinted contact lenses. He gets a matching pair of contact lenses, similar to those that they figure Kostas is wearing, and starts remarking the cards then rearranging a deck in a particular order. Meanwhile Andre goes down and he starts winning at the roulette wheel with the help of Cinnamon’s sensor device and Willy standing by. A brief tense moment ensues when the guards try to escort the suspicious-looking Willy out but Andre dismisses their concerns and asks him to stay as a good luck charm.

Rollin comes down and starts playing baccarat again while Andre breaks the bank. Andre then switches to baccarat but loses all of his money to Rollin. Andre leaves with Cinnamon and Kostas plays against Rollin to win his money back. Kostas loses the first two hands to the rigged deals from Rollin’s deck despite the fact he can see what cards are coming up. Rollin requires him to bring down the $1.5 million to cover his final hand of cards and Kostas does so, but asks for a fresh deck. Fortunately, Rollin has prepared some insurance with a card holdout and Kostas believes he has the winning hand because of the fake markings. Rollin slips in a card of his own, enough to give him the win, and quickly leaves with the money.

Kostas has his men watch Rollin’s hotel room, but Rollin and Barney lower the money down to the room below where Andre and Cinnamon are staying. Cinnamon hides the money in her fur coat then goes to see Kostas, pleading for his help. Andre barges in and shoots her in a jealous rage, and Kostas wants to cover up the crime. He has his men drive them out of the country past the border guards then arrange an “accident” to dispose of Andre. Realizing Rollin has cheated him, Kostas goes to his room only to find his men tied up. Barney and Rollin escape in a car driven by Willy, who speeds down the road and past the border guards.

Cinnamon and Andre have already been driven out of the country and when the men pull to a stop, they quickly knock them out and rendezvous with the others to make their escape.

Share this article with your friends