Nick Venezelos, a Greek barber in a small town, is a lucky gambler who has a weakness for blondes. He has such a lucky reputation that his customers pool their resources to send him to a big poker game in the city. There, he is taken in by crooked gamblers and a deceptive blonde and loses his bankroll. He returns to barbering until he acquires a new bankroll. With the new money, he defeats the crooks, and soon his barber shop is a front for a successful gambling club. Despite the fact that he runs an honest game, the district attorney decides to put him out of business. After forcing Irene, a young woman befriended by Nick after she tried to commit suicide, to frame him in order to avoid being arrested for blackmail herself, the police arrest Nick. Prior to the arrest, Jack, Nick’s friend from home, accuses Irene of framing Nick, and during the following fight, Nick accidentally kills Jack. The district attorney sends Nick to jail for manslaughter, but Nick, who is never down for long, bets the reporters that he will be out of jail before his sentence is up. More on Wikipedia or Mubi
Academy Awards, 1931- Nominee: Best Writing, Original Story
Watch Smart Money (1931)
Spanish subtitle
