What constitutes a good casino film?
Should a poker film be fast-paced, full of action and intrigue, or a slow-burner, building cautiously but steadily through the duration? A heist flick like Ocean’s Eleven had poker elements but didn’t build towards the conclusion; it careered towards it. Molly’s Game was different; it built upon the real-life character of Molly Bloom and layered the characters in a subtle and effective manner.
Is a good poker defined by the cast’s acting or the dialogue woven together by the creative writing team? Does it need the backdrop of the best Las Vegas poker rooms, or will any casino suffice? In Rounders, the hint of Vegas only comes at the end of the film, whilst Poker King took us to the Asian gaming haven of Macau. Can Vegas be used in a poker film with any success at all, or is it too entrenched in slots and other casino games to be a successful poker backdrop?
These are all questions that probably have different answers depending on who is watching. Each filmgoer likes something different, art is subjective, and there’s no doubt that filmmaking is an art. When it comes to poker films, some like the tension and slow pace of Molly’s Game, whilst others want the climactic action scenes from Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Casino Royale delivered.
Molly’s Game and Rounders might be good examples of poker films, but they’re only cited because you have seen them. If you really want to critique the poker film genre, then you need to cast your eyes on these poker films you’ve not yet seen.
Smart Money – 1931
Smart Money will appeal to film buffs because it has everything needed to make it an interesting watch. It’s 90-years-old for a start and is a historical depiction of gaming in the United States as much as a standalone film. Starring Edward G Robinson and James Cagney, it was nominated for the fourth Academy Awards in the category of Best Story, which is now defunct. Robinson plays Greek Barber Nick, a small-time gamer who becomes very successful through high stakes poker. If you consider yourself a connoisseur of cinema and a poker film fan, then your journey through films you haven’t seen should start here.
California Split – 1974
In this comedy-drama, Elliott Gould and George Segal star in a film about a pair of poker players who struggle with their identities. They join forces in Los Angeles and eventually travel to Reno to play high stakes poker, with former world champion Amarillo Slim portraying himself. There are a few laughs along the way, but there’s a serious undercurrent here about the nature of gaming, as the two characters develop very different outlooks on life. A young Jeff Goldblum also features in a film that becomes something of a social commentary on seventies America as it winds towards the final scenes.
Finder’s Fee – 2001
Finder’s Fee didn’t hit the mark when it dropped in 2001, despite being a poker movie coming out at the start of the poker boom. In 2001, poker professionals earning $50m was unheard of, but Chris Moneymaker and Rounders brought the possibility to the nation’s attention. Sadly, Finder’s Fee didn’t have a plot that fitted that narrative, which caused it to be overlooked. The cast looks strong now; Matthew Lillard and Ryan Reynolds headline, but neither were big stars at the time. The plot sees a character find a $6m winning lottery ticket, only to end up in a backroom poker game where each player’s stake is a lottery ticket. It’s set over a single night and certainly deserves a place in any poker fan’s film collection.
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