Editing Never Split Tens (movie prospectus) (section)

===Appendix A.  Tagline, Logline, and Synopsis===

“Never Split Tens”
aka
“Doubling Down”

Tagline:  An M.I.T. professor develops a winning system for the game of blackjack.

Logline:  When a driven M.I.T. mathematics professor develops a computer system for winning at the card game blackjack, he jeopardizes his career, marriage, and physical well-being, but attains worldwide celebrity by winning large sums in casinos from Nevada to Puerto Rico and discovers peace and a renewed commitment to his career and marriage.  Based on the life story of Professor Edward O. Thorp.
When a driven professor develops a computer system for winning blackjack and tests it with mob-backed money in casinos, he loses his wife and job but redeems himself and attains peace when his huge winnings cause a revolution in the casino industry.  Based on a true story.   No efx.
When a driven professor develops a computer system for winning blackjack and tests it with mob-backed money in casinos, he jeopardizes his career, marriage, and physical well-being, but redeems himself and attains peace when his huge winnings cause a revolution in the casino industry.  Based on a true story.   No efx.

Synopsis

“Beat the Dealer” is based on the true story of Professor Edward Oakley Thorp, the American mathematician who gained worldwide renown by showing mathematically that the game of “21” could be beaten, thereby making it the most popular casino game and revolutionizing the casino industry.
As a mathematics graduate student at UCLA, THORP devours a scholarly article about  mathematical simulation of  the game of 21.  His advisor cautions Thorp that “you can’t get rich doing mathematics.”  With the moral support of fellow UCLA math graduate student ALLAN WILSON and Thorp’s wife VIVIAN, whom Thorp had met as musicians at a collegiate jazz festival, Thorp successfully defends his Ph.D dissertation.  He obtains a prestigious position in mathematics at M.I.T. but irritates his colleagues by presenting a paper on his electronic computer simulations of 21 at an American Mathematical Association meeting in Washington D.C.  A front page article in the Boston Globe leads to t.v. appearances on  “What’s My Line,” “To Tell the Truth,” and “Truth or Consequences.” 
Mobster and bookie MANNY KIMMEL contacts Thorp and offers to bankroll him on a trip to Nevada casinos.  They seal the deal during dinner at Vivian’s and Thorp’s home.   The Thorps, Allan, Thorp’s computer programmer friend, JULIAN BRAUN, and Manny travel to Reno to test Thorp’s system.
The association with Manny, Vivian’s concern that Thorp devotes too much time to his gambling experiments, and Manny’s insulting behavior toward Julian, lead Vivian to return to California and two careers as a designer and jazz singer.   Thorp travels to Lake Tahoe with Manny and proves the power of his system by continuing to generate large profits for his mobster bankroller.
	Casinos, aware of Thorp, bar him from playing and Thorp and Manny hire a Hollywood make-up artist to create a disguise.   Thorp’s continued profits lead to threats and physical attacks.   A trip to the casinos of Puerto Rico with Manny convinces Thorp that the system he developed works even at casinos with rule variations.  
	The experiment successfully completed, Thorp travels to San Francisco and attends Vivian’s show at the famous Dick’s at the Beach nightclub in Golden Gate Park.  During a performance of their favorite song, “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” Thorp pulls out his trumpet and from the back of the dimly-lit club plays riffs accompanying Vivian’s vocals.  Recognizing Thorp’s trumpet sounds, Vivian runs to the back of the club and they embrace in reconciliation.
	Happily back in academia at the University of California at Irvine and family life, Thorp discovers a mathematical system for playing the stock market.   This system will eventually lead Thorp to earn tens of millions of dollars as the first hedge-fund manager, proving that “you can get rich doing mathematics.”