by Yoko Bailey
From what used to be a taboo activity conducted in an outback bar, to today’s casino world that’s seen as glamorous and portrays a highly attractive lifestyle, the film industry has helped to position the casino industry in a positive light over the years.
From online slots to poker, blackjack, or roulette, you name it and the chances are that most people in Australia have played the game, or if not, then seen it being played in a movie. What’s more, as the digital era has taken off, more people across Australia and the wider world have access to casino games online, meaning that everyone can now have a piece of the casino life they may have only seen in a movie.
Below, we’ll take a look at the best casino scenes that relate to Australia.
Oscar and Lucinda (1997)
Based on the novel by Peter Carey, this film was directed by the Australian award winning Gillian Armstrong and features an impressive lineup of Australian and British cast. Starring Ralph Fiennes and Cate Blanchett, the wagering storyline tells the tale of a young priest from England named Oscar Hopkins. Oscar sets sale on a ship heading to Australia, where he meets wealthy heiress Lucinda Leplastrier, whose family own a glass factory.
The pair are both keen gamers, although these protagonists are juxtaposed with Oscar coming from nothing and casino gaming to raise money for charity, meanwhile Lucinda has it all and games for the thrill of it. After meeting and discovering their shared love of casino, the two embark on a series of events that leave Oscar losing all of his winnings.
Oscar is then forced to take a job in Lucinda’s glass factory to earn back what he has lost, until the pair are taken on an unexpected journey of romance and rekindled riches. While the film was not popular at the time, it has been highly rated by critics as one of the best Australian casino movies around.
Lucky You (2007)
Lucky You is a tale of a young and talented poker player, played by Australia’s own Eric Bana, who knows nothing outside the world of winning and losing. Huckleberry Cheever plays in the professional casino world and has a reputation for losing just as much as he wins, in which he is well known for winning the National Poker Tournament twice.
Living in the limelight of his estranged father, L.G Cheever (Robert Duvall) is a famous poker player whose son is trying to live up to his father’s standards. Their relationship became difficult after Cheever was caught pawning his wife’s wedding ring, to which Huckleberry never forgave his father. Huckleberry goes through a series of highs and lows before he meets a young and refreshing woman in Las Vegas named Billie (played by Drew Barrymore). Billie helps Huckleberry to raise the funds needed to enter the National Poker Tournament, in which he faces his father in the event.
The storyline revolves around Huckleberry winning the event but learning that there is something more important than simply winning or losing.
Dirty Deeds (2002)
Set in Sydney in 1969, Dirty Deeds tells the tale of a fast-talking gangster named Barry Ryan, who runs a number of underground casino dealings. The casinos are doing particularly well after an influx of American soldiers visit the area to recoup from the Vietnam war.
However, the Chicago mafia hears of the success in Sydney and sends two hitmen to Barry to convince him to share his business successes with them. With a compelling storyline and an impressive lineup for the cast, including Toni Collette, Bryan Brown, and Sam Worthington, the film was highly praised by critics and was a great success for the times.
Wake in Fright (1971)
Based on the novel written by Kenneth Cook, this movie tells the story of John Grant who is a rural school teacher in Tiboonda, who visits a remote community in Bundanyabba Australia, In this community, locals mostly spend their days drinking and casino gaming, of which John initially disapproves. However, as time goes on, John finds himself becoming more like the locals, in which he is sent down a spiraling path of self-loathing, rage and ultimately his demise.
Shedding light on the not so glamorous side of casino gaming, the film has been praised for realistically portraying the hardships of life in the outback.
Overall, there are a range of fantastic casino movies in the Australian film scene which depict both the glitz and glamour of the casino world, as well as the more sovereign side of it that is cast in the shadows too. Thankfully, these scenes stay in the films and today’s casino scene is a vibrant and highly accessible affair that anyone can experience.
