Watch The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues

The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues is a 1987 American television film directed by Dick Lowry and starring country music singer Kenny Rogers and Bruce Boxleitner. It is the third installment in the Gambler film series, following The Gambler (1980) and The Gambler: The Adventure Continues (1983).

The story picks up two years after the events of The Adventure Continues, with Brady Hawkes (Kenny Rogers) living a peaceful life with his girlfriend Billy Montana (Linda Evans) and their son Jeremiah (Charles Fields). However, his tranquility is disrupted when a letter arrives informing him that his son is in trouble with a notorious gambler named Jack Strather (Bruce Boxleitner). Brady sets out to rescue his boy and finds himself in the small town of Laramie, Wyoming, where he meets up with his old friend Billy Montana, who has since become a successful businesswoman.

As Brady searches for his son, he becomes embroiled in a rivalry between two factions in town: the corrupt sheriff and his cronies, who are in cahoots with Strather, and the townspeople, who are fighting to keep their land from being taken over by the railroad. Brady aligns himself with the latter group and helps them to thwart the sheriff's plans. Along the way, he also confronts Strather and engages in a high-stakes poker game with him in the hopes of winning back his son's freedom.

The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues is a classic Western tale of good versus evil, with plenty of action, suspense, and heart. The film displays the kind of authenticity and grittiness that typify the best Westerns, with some beautifully shot panoramic vistas of the Wyoming terrain. The characters are well-developed, with Rogers and Boxleitner delivering solid performances as the two feuding gamblers.

Despite being the third installment in the Gambler series, first-time viewers need not worry about feeling left out of the story. The film stands alone as a complete narrative and is easy to follow, with enough exposition to understand the characters' motivations and past situations.

The film's pacing is fairly even, with the action and drama evenly distributed throughout. However, some viewers may find the ending a bit abrupt, as it seems to resolve a bit too neatly. But for fans of Westerns or Kenny Rogers, The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues is a satisfying and enjoyable way to spend an evening.

Overall, The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues is a solid addition to the Gambler film series, with enough suspense, action, and heart to keep fans engaged. The film serves as a testament to the enduring appeal of the Western genre, and to the talent of both Kenny Rogers and Bruce Boxleitner.

The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues is a series that ran for 1 seasons (2 episodes) between January 1, 1970 and on Shout! Factory