Diane Lane, born in 1965 in New York City, made her mark in cult cinema with her roles in Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains (1982) and Streets of Fire (1984). In The Big Town (1987), she portrays a determined young woman navigating the gritty world of gambling, while Descending Angel (1990) showcases her versatility in a darker narrative. Lane's early career, marked by a blend of drama and grit, laid the groundwork for her later acclaim, establishing her as a significant figure in the exploration of complex female characters within cult and exploitation films.
The Big Town
In 1957, J. C. Cullen is a small-town crapshooter who heads to Chicago, Illinois, to seek his fortune. There he becomes the pawn of two high-rolling professional gamblers, Mr. and Mrs. Edwards. He later gets mixed-up in a revenge scheme cooked up by Lorry Dane, the embittered stripper wife of strip-joint owner George Cole. Before he knows what's happened, Cullen is embroiled in two torrid romances: one with Dane and the other with nice girl Aggie Donaldson. He also nearly loses his life by ending up in the middle of a deadly feud between Edwards, Cole, and Phil Carpenter, the man Mr. Edwards accuses of causing him to lose his eyesight.
