4 Great Gambling Moments From the Movies - I
The next time you're in a casino there will probably be a poker tournament going on, but would there be an MI6 agent present? Or a heist in the making? Most likely no. You would need to turn to the movies for an exciting, espionage-filled evening like that, and so many of us do. Films featuring gambling as the central plotline are nothing new, and there is something particularly exciting about the high stakes and the unpredictable nature of luck. In fact, many real life gambling situations are perfect for the big screen, with their combination of strong personalities, thick tension and excessive amounts of money involved, but it takes the touch of a smart screenwriter, a deft director and a cast of talented actors to polish rough story ideas into gems that glitter. The only thing better than a film featuring attractive personalities in really nice clothes, on-site casino scenes and action sequences that have you clutching the seat, is to have all that plus a big bucket of popcorn or the box of candy of your choice. Relive some of the great gambling moments from movies with this list here, and then gather up friends, snacks and DVDs for a highly entertaining movie night to tide you over until your next casino visit.
1. James Bond and No Limit Texas Hold €Em. Casino Royale marked a reboot of the James Bond series, giving the poker-faced hero more solemnity, violence and genuine emotion than the usual cheese-fests from the 90s. Daniel Craig brought excellent physicality and intelligence to the role, which finds the MI6 agent in a No Limit Texas Hold €Em tournament, where he is facing off against terrorist banker Le Chiffre. During a break in the match, he fights off Le Chiffre's henchmen, comforts a traumatized Vesper Lynd and slips back into his seat at the table, minus a missed beat and plus a fresh change of shirt. Well played, Bond.
2. Mel Gibson's Maverick. On entirely the other end of the spectrum we have Mel Gibson's rollicking, fun vehicle Maverick. With an all-star cast including Jodie Foster and James Garner, it's based on a 1950s TV show featuring the titular character Bret Maverick, a wise-cracking gambler who is never short on adventure and - it seems - dangerous situations, as his mouthiness lands him in trouble again and again. After a series of trials so that he can enter a riverboat poker tournament and win the prize money, he ends up matching wits with the lovely Annabelle Bransford. The twist ending - no spoilers here - proves that gambling, Westerns and Mel Gibson are a delightful cocktail of whimsy.
3. Card counting in 21. 21 did not perform well with critics, despite the star power of Kevin Spacey, yet it is an interesting look at and highly fictionalized adaptation of the true story of the MIT blackjack team. With their outstanding, genius-level math skills, the college students in 21 take to Las Vegas with their card counting scheme and end up making hundreds of thousands of dollars. It might not be even close to 100 percent accurate, but it's a darn good time.
4. The heist in Ocean's Eleven. The first in the trilogy of Ocean films, it's also the very best. George Clooney has never been more charismatic and his team is full of recognizable faces. Fast-paced, energetic, smart and clever, the Steven Soderbergh-directed film crackles with chemistry and showcases the major casinos in Las Vegas in a way that's pure Hollywood glitz and glamour. Gentlemen can appreciate the manly setting, while women are given ample opportunities to swoon as Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon look incredibly suave and well-heeled.
1. James Bond and No Limit Texas Hold €Em. Casino Royale marked a reboot of the James Bond series, giving the poker-faced hero more solemnity, violence and genuine emotion than the usual cheese-fests from the 90s. Daniel Craig brought excellent physicality and intelligence to the role, which finds the MI6 agent in a No Limit Texas Hold €Em tournament, where he is facing off against terrorist banker Le Chiffre. During a break in the match, he fights off Le Chiffre's henchmen, comforts a traumatized Vesper Lynd and slips back into his seat at the table, minus a missed beat and plus a fresh change of shirt. Well played, Bond.
2. Mel Gibson's Maverick. On entirely the other end of the spectrum we have Mel Gibson's rollicking, fun vehicle Maverick. With an all-star cast including Jodie Foster and James Garner, it's based on a 1950s TV show featuring the titular character Bret Maverick, a wise-cracking gambler who is never short on adventure and - it seems - dangerous situations, as his mouthiness lands him in trouble again and again. After a series of trials so that he can enter a riverboat poker tournament and win the prize money, he ends up matching wits with the lovely Annabelle Bransford. The twist ending - no spoilers here - proves that gambling, Westerns and Mel Gibson are a delightful cocktail of whimsy.
3. Card counting in 21. 21 did not perform well with critics, despite the star power of Kevin Spacey, yet it is an interesting look at and highly fictionalized adaptation of the true story of the MIT blackjack team. With their outstanding, genius-level math skills, the college students in 21 take to Las Vegas with their card counting scheme and end up making hundreds of thousands of dollars. It might not be even close to 100 percent accurate, but it's a darn good time.
4. The heist in Ocean's Eleven. The first in the trilogy of Ocean films, it's also the very best. George Clooney has never been more charismatic and his team is full of recognizable faces. Fast-paced, energetic, smart and clever, the Steven Soderbergh-directed film crackles with chemistry and showcases the major casinos in Las Vegas in a way that's pure Hollywood glitz and glamour. Gentlemen can appreciate the manly setting, while women are given ample opportunities to swoon as Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon look incredibly suave and well-heeled.
