The history of cinema has captured the many great stories surrounding the subject of gambling. There are exciting risks that characters face once they become engaged in incredible situations with incredible stakes. From Sean Connery’s James Bond introducing himself at the Baccarat table in Dr. No – “Bond, James Bond” to the darker films like Abel Ferrara’s Bad Lieutenant with Harvey Keitel seeing visions of Jesus as he seeks redemption on his un-policeman like actions. There are many iconic moments in film that illustrate the allure of gambling.
From a huge backlog of work and film tackling the seductive world of casinos and gambling, we highlight some of the most memorable scenes that are totally unforgettable once you have watched them.
Dobie Gray – Out on the Floor. One of the many beauties of northern soul is its sheer unknowability. It’s a scene that has always thrived on the rare, the obscure and the undiscovered. Casino: Memorable Movie Scenes Dealt out by the Best Gambling Films March 7, 2019 March 9, 2019 Elliot Hopper Leave a comment The history of cinema has captured the many great stories surrounding the subject of gambling.
They should have stayed at home and tried their luck with an online casino instead of paying the price
When we say ‘casino’ for any movie buff the first thing that comes to mind is Scorsese’s own film titled Casino. This leads us to the first stand out scene and if you’ve already seen the movie then plenty will know what is coming. Perhaps one of the most powerful violent scenes in movie history we are introduced to the ways of not messing over a casino owner.
#1 Nicky plays with a Vice: Here the character Tong Dogs is unwilling to confess on who pulled a fast one on the casino. Enter Nicky played by Joe Pesci who has reached the end of his tether and places Tony’s head in a vice! What follows is blood spurts from his mouth, rather a lot of shouting from Nicky and ending in Tony’s eye popping out, lovely!
Film Fact: the scene in Casino was cut for Swedish release which is ironic because of their love of gambling. While not quite the same you can see the Pennsylvania Lottery welcome offer for comparison on gambling in different cultures and you get an idea of how serious they take their casino games and bonuses.
There’s something so compelling about a great casino movie: it offers high drama, violence and great scenes
Poker gets a lot of screen time in the movies and none took the game to pure genius as it did in Cool Hand Luke.
#2 “sometimes nothin’ can be a real cool hand”: Prison tension at its best with the ultimate poker face to grace the silver screen. Paul Newman plays Lucas Jackson and bluffs his way during a game with other prisoners to win the pot, it’s then revealed he had nothing.
Film Fact: Newman didn’t swallow one egg in that infamous scene.
Joe Pesci is at it again with another Scorsese classic, Goodfellas.
#3 the Oklahoma Kid: During a table game of poker, Tommy (played by Pesci) is ignored several times throughout the game and is wanting a drink from Spider who pays the price for misunderstanding. Cue the biggest psychopath wielding a gun. Long story short, Spider is shot in the foot intentionally and the next evening during another game, he regrets showing up for work and winds up in a hole.
Film Fact: The F-word is said 296 times which averages to it being said twice every minute.
What comes with casino games being captured on film is real, tense action and surprising outcomes
Gambling is the perfect arc for setting up a scene. Character position can be integral to a scene, the lighting and the outcome can lead to plot changes and twists. Frankly, the list can go on and on for the benefits of adding such scenes to a movie, which doesn’t necessarily have to be about gambling at all.
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The high-paced energy of casinos has long been milked by the film industry to up the ante and increase the sense of action in many movies. There’s no denying that the adrenaline-filled atmosphere of casinos make for perfect movie setting. The dice are rolling, the reels are spinning, and the stakes are high; if there’s one thing you can safely bet on, it’s the fact that it’s usually a nail-biter of a scene that will have you teetering on the edge of your seat.
For all you avid casino buffs out there, we’ve rounded up some of the most memorable movie scenes which are centered around gambling dens and all the exhilarating titillation they inspire.
Casino
No casino movie list would be complete without an obvious mention to this iconic film which was released back in 1995. Director Martin Scorsese really went all out, assembling an all star cast, including the likes of Robert de Niro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone among others. Many of the characters in the film are actually based on real people, which makes it all the more epic. With so many awesome scenes to choose from, it was hard for us to pinpoint just one. However, the one that takes the cake would have to be where a cowboy puts his feet up on a blackjack table, only to be harshly reprimanded for this huge lack of respect by being literally thrown out the doors.
Casino Royale
The return of ‘007’ in the form of Daniel Craig has long been hailed iconic due to its introduction of Bond to the newer generations. The high stakes poker games which takes place at Monte Carlo casino between Bond and Le Chiffres, a known financier of terrorism left a lasting impression on many a movie-goer. No doubt the best scene has to be when Bond turns his luck around and wins the game hands down by revealing a straight flush.
Rain Man
This 80s classic directed by Barry Levinson follows the antics of one Charlie Babbit and his autistic brother as they make their way across the US. Despite his apparent deficiencies, Raymond, played by the affable Dustin Hoffman, happens to have a very special gift to make up for them; he’s a natural at card counting, a strategy used in blackjack to increase the player’s chances of winning. The pair take to the gambling dens of Las Vegas to make the most of Raymond’s special abilities, drawing a strong crowd of onlookers as they win big everywhere they go. One of the most particular scenes in this movie has to be where the guys are accused of card counting, showing the realities of casinos and how seriously they take any form of what is perceived as cheating.
The Hangover
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Hailed as one of the most popular movies of all time, the Hangover is a must-watch, if only for its hilarious yet incredibly accurate portrayal of the Las Vegas experience. The first film made its debut back in 2009 and still manages to delight movie buffs the world over.
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Its comedic value is evident, following the antics of four best friends who go on a bachelor party in Vegas, where a night of shameless debauchery quickly turns sour the morning after, with some pretty side-splitting consequences.
One of the most iconic scenes in this epic movie happens to be set in a casino, where Alan, played by Zach Galifianakis, tries his luck at the blackjack table, where he uses his newly learnt skills (honed by Beat the Dealer) to win the ransom money the boys so desperately need to pay off the kidnappers who took their friend.
Ocean’s Eleven
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A casino movie featuring the likes of George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, just to name a few, this award-winning feature film gave rise to another two sequels as well as the more recent spin-off, Ocean’s 8. The plot follows Danny Ocean and his plan to orchestrate a heist that involves robbing three of the most notable casinos in Las Vegas. The infamous poker scene is one of the memorable, establishing the vibe that runs throughout the entire movie – one of intrigue, comedy and wickedly good crime.