The Woman Gambler

Second film in the long-running series Daiei Studio's Woman Gambler with Kyoko Enami starring where she plays the woman gambler Ogin. In a fierce gambling den where rough men clash like sparks, two female gamblers vie for the same man in a high-stakes, best-of-seven showdown—from which only one will emerge victorious. Amid the tense atmosphere, Natsue, a highly skilled card dealer, gracefully reveals her hand with the flick of her slender fingers. At that precise moment, across the table, Takiko’s face goes ashen—she’s just lost the fateful game her lover had wagered his fortune on. The next day, Takiko and her boyfriend attempt a double suicide in despair, but she survives alone. Consumed by twisted emotions toward Natsue, a man named Isobe manipulates Takiko. Under his influence, Takiko seduces Tagami—who is Natsue’s fiancé—setting the stage for a dangerous and tangled web of love, revenge, and deceit.

Directed by Tarō Yuge, The Woman Gambler leans on a strong ensemble — Kyōko Enami, Saeda Kawaguchi, Kōjirō Hongō — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1967.