Michael Gambon stars as Fyodor Dostoyevsky in this very original combination     of film biography and literary adaptation. The movie follows the events and      conditions in Dostoyevsky's life that led to his writing of The Gambler,   but departs that narrative line to dramatize events from the novel itself.     "...a meaty romantic drama in dark, turbulent Russian style" (Peter Stack,     San Francisco Chronicle). In addition to Gambon and a fine supporting    cast, the movie boasts the first screen appearance in more than 50 years by      Luise Rainer (The Good Earth, The Great Ziegfeld), who nearly      steals the show in her limited screen time. An English language production     from major Hungarian filmmaker Karoly Makk.                                    Karoly Makk---Hungary/Great Britain/Netherlands---1997---97 mins.