The Killing of a Chinese Bookie

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is a 1976 American art and crime film directed and written by John Cassavetes and starring Ben Gazzara. A rough and gritty film, the formidable character Gazzara plays was based on an impersonation he did for his friend Cassavetes in the 1970s. This is the second of their three collaborations, following Husbands and preceding Opening Night.

In addition to the potentially fatal gunshot wound he sustains, Vittelli comes to realize that his assignment was a setup that his mob employers doublecrossed him and had no expectation he would survive his debut as a hitman. Forced into a corner again, Vittelli manages to kill or elude his assailants, but the film ends with no indication of whether Vittelli will survive his ordeal, as the show at his club goes on.The films original release, at 135 minutes in length, was a commercial disappointment and the film was pulled from distribution after only seven days. At a May 17, 2008 George Eastman House screening in Rochester, Ben Gazzara said he hated the original cut its too long, he had told Cassavetes. ........

Source: Wikipedia