by Roger Ford
Movies circling around gambling are very famous. Not only are they seen as being a reflection — no matter how slight — of the real and dirty world, but, if the writers are feeling merciful, the cleverness with which the main character weasels his way out of trouble is very entertaining to watch.
Movies showcase different types of gambling games and plays. Most regularly, they show loud and colourful slot machines with the fruits pinging into a line to the sound of clinking coins, or gatherings around poker tables with stern-faced dealers. There are slots, bingo (wish to play bingo too? Click here to choose one of the newest online bingo sites), baccarat, roulette (Russian roulette, if someone has to die), etc. But movies don’t just stick to poker, bingo, and slots.
Here is a list of the top 4 gambling movies that have tantalised audiences:
Rounders (1998)
From Matt Damon’s younger days, this film is all about exploring New York City’s private bars devoted to high-stakes poker. It follows a pattern of first-person narrative from the main character, a law student by the name of Mike McDermott (Matt Damon), who, after losing his entire savings to Russian club owner Teddy KGB (John Malkovich), vows to forsake gambling and concentrate on law school and his girlfriend Jo (Gretchen Mol). Jo’s concerned over the recent release of Mike’s gambling buddy Worm (Edward Norton). Worm, in no time, draws Mike back toward the tables to help him pay his prison debts, forcing Jo to move out. When they are ordered to get $15,000 in five days, the two indulge in a gambling binge, which brings them back full circle to Teddy.
The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
Another movie portraying poker, The Cincinnati Kid is the story of Eric Stoner (Steve McQueen), an up and coming gambler who is a prodigy in the game of poker, especially backroom games of stud poker. When older and more experienced Lancey Howard (Edward G. Robinson) comes to town, it is only to be expected that Stoner would want a go against the master, to show he is better than Howard.
Stoner’s friend, Shooter (Karl Malden), arranges the game for him, which is easy to do since the Kid’s reputation precedes him. Leading to the game, Stoner comes across a lot of complications: his current girlfriend, Christian (Tuesday Weld), vying for more attention; Shooter’s wife, Melba (Ann-Margret), letting it be known she is ready to cheat on her husband as she cheats through everything in life; and the already towering odds of the game.
William Jefferson Slade (Rip Torn), a wealthy con man with a chip on his shoulder for Lancey Howard, tries to blackmail Shooter into rigging the game in Stoner’s favour, just to get back at Howard. Problems start because of this attempted blackmail and the lead up to the game is in no way pleasant, regardless of whether Shooter accepts the offer or not.
The Cooler (2003)
Manager of Shangri-La Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin) is what one would term, ‘old fashioned’. He is still living in a world of mob-run cafes and gambling dens and hates the regular Disney-fication of the Strip. One of the main principles old-school Vegas dogs employ is to con the players into losing more money than they would if left on their own. For this purpose, Shelly uses Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy). Not because Lootz is terribly clever and notorious, but rather because he has quite a knack for bad luck.
Lootz is all ready to leave Shelly’s employ in a week when his son and pregnant daughter-in-law come into his life, looking for money for the baby and ready to go long ways to get it. In addition, Lootz starts to fall in love with Natalie Belisario (Maria Bello), who believes in stars and fate and knows that their relationship could succeed only if they stayed in Vegas. Lootz has to choose between all the different directions his life is going, to keep what he loves close.
Casino (1995)
This iconic movie showcases the different facets of life in Las Vegas. One side of this Janus-like city is all glitz and glamour, beautiful and glittering, while the hidden, more notorious side is of cruelty and relentless brutality. Ace Rothstein (Robert De Niro) and Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci), both mobsters, live in this paradoxical world. Seen through their eyes, the movie reveals the details of mob involvement in casinos in the 1970s and ’80s. Ace is the smooth operator of the Tangiers Casino, while Nicky is his friend and strongman.
Life isn’t easy for either Ace or Nicky, though. Ace falls in love with a hustler, Ginger (Sharon Stone) — which is never a good idea on face-value — and Nicky falls into an ever-deepening spiral of drugs and depression.
What a Great blog of top 4 gambling movies watch!