The 1947 film "Born to Kill" is a crime film about a homicidal tough guy who meets an equally rough girl in Reno Nevada. Both move to San Francisco and the guy marries the girl's sister for her money. Early in the film the pair meet at a Reno gambling casino and both play craps or dice. The man places bets with coins and the woman uses casino chips. Although this film was produced by the RKO Radio Pictures, the man's coins are portrayed by tokens made for the Paramount Studios 30th Anniversary in 1941.

The film opens in Reno, Nevada, which had the easiest divorce laws at the time. The couple had to agree to the divorce and one member, usually the wife, would reside in Nevada for six weeks. Then a judge would grant the divorce. Helen Brent, a San Francisco woman, receives a divorce. She has been staying at Mrs. Kraft's rooming house but is ready to return home. Also staying at the house is Laury Palmer, a young girl, who has been seeing two men, Danny and Sam Wilde.

Helen spends her last night in Reno at a local gambling casino.

Inside the casino.

Sam Wilde is at the craps (dice) table and is the shooter.

He makes his point (wins) and increases his bet.

The coins on the table are prop coins played by tokens. Although this film was produced by the RKO Radio Pictures, the man's coins are portrayed by tokens made for the Paramount Studios 30th Anniversary in 1941.

A Paramount Studios 30th Anniversary coin:

Nickel-plated brass, 38 mm, 24.16 gm
Obverse:
Woman standing holding basket in left hand, "1941" below right hand
ACME METAL DIE (Manufacturer)
Reverse:
PARAMOUNT PICTURES INC. at top
Mountain logo with "Paramount Pictures" in script at center

Sam is the shooter and he is betting that he will win again.

Helen sees Sam and moves her casino chips.

She is stating that Sam will lose.

Sam wins and gives Helen a smirk. Sam goes to Mrs. Kraft's house to see Laury and sees her with a man. He fights with the man and kills him.

Sam then kills Laury and heads for the train station where he meets Helen again. Both arrive in San Francisco and agree to meet again. Helen is staying with her wealthy half-sister Georgia Staples in a San Francisco mansion. Helen resents Georgia's wealth. Georgia is engaged to a wealthy man, Fred Grover.

Sam sees the attractive wealthy Georgia and turns on the charm.

Sam marries Georgia but continues to see Helen. Helen starts seeing the wealthy jilted Fred. Mrs. Kraft in Reno has hired a local detective named Albert Arnett to find out who killed Laury. Arnett goes to San Francisco along with Marty Waterman, a friend of Sam.

Arnett tells Helen that he will not inform the police about Sam if she will pay him some money. She complains that she has little money. Mrs. Kraft arrives in San Francisco and Marty visits her.

Marty threatens Mrs. Kraft and she drops the detective. Sam becomes more homicidal and kills Marty. The San Francisco police arrive at Georgia's mansion to question the residents.

Fred Grover notices Helen's coldness and breaks up with her. Helen, angry, tells Georgia about her husband Sam and the Reno murders.

Georgia at first doesn't believe her but then maneuvers Sam into kissing her. The police arrive again and Sam pulls out a gun, shoots Helen, and is shot by the police.

Helen then dies.

The newspaper headline is about the shootings.

Lawrence Tierney as Sam Wilde
Claire Trevor as Helen Brent
Audrey Long as Georgia Staples
Phillip Terry as Fred Grover
Walter Slezak as Albert Arnett
Elisha Cook Jr. as Marty Waterman
Isabel Jewell as Laury Palmer
Esther Howard as Mrs. Kraft
Director: Robert Wise
Writers: Eve Greene, Richard Macaulay
Based on James Gunn's 1942 novel Deadlier Than the Male