Cinema Going is an act of chance. You’re taking a chance when you go to the theater or put a movie in your streaming service’s queue. Is it going to be worth the $13 price tag? Should I spend the next two hours on this? Picking a movie is never without risk, but you can lessen that risk by researching, such as ranking the top films in the category.
Try your luck with these true classics of the gambling film genre.
California Split (1974)
When it comes to gambling movies, California Split is Citizen Kane, and Elliot Gould gives a career-best performance as Charlie Waters, a chronic gambler who will bet on anything. Whether it’s Gould’s cocaine-fast magnetism or Robert Altman’s casual realism, you’ll be sucked into every scene, casino, and horse race.
Croupier (1999)
His participation in subpar films defines Clive Owen’s career. There were precisely 43 of them. One of his few successes was a 1999 cult movie about a croupier who works the roulette tables at night and writes novels during the day.
Wake in Fright (1971)
Wake in Fright is among the best movies about gambling, although it’s overlooked mainly because of its subject matter. Here’s how it works, in a nutshell: The Australian schoolteacher Gary Bond plays is blond, tanned, and dripping in sweat. He finds himself in a town where the only beverage available is beer and where everyone is as misogynistic as the residents of the Stepford Wives suburbs. When he loses all his money gambling, things spiral out of control. The title says everything: things progress from bad to worse to outright terrifying.
Maverick (1994)
You may not think much of Maverick as a satire, but it was nominated for an Oscar in 1994. It’s easy to forget how wonderful humor can be when the headliner isn’t fully invested in the part, yet Mel Gibson manages to sell every joke, firefight, and card game.
Casino (1995)
As far as we can tell, Martin Scorsese isn’t a gambler. Casino is a gambling movie, but he doesn’t seem interested in the subject. He cares about people, and with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in the major roles, he has all the ammunition he needs to make another great, adrenaline-fueled character study about two crazy mobsters.
Hard Eight (1996)
Anderson’s first feature film offers a fascinating look at the lives of the guys who live in Las Vegas, especially if you enjoy casino movies with a tragic undercurrent, as this one has, as it follows a seasoned card player and a lonely orphan.
Vegas Vacation (1997)
Although Vegas Vacation is the poorest Vacation movie by a long mile, it has some good gambling sequences.
He ventures a guess and settles on “4” The dealer says “7.” It captures nicely how casinos try to trick people into spending more money than they have.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
See Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels for another example of a terrifying poker game that leads to a gang war. Who would have thought a hand-of-pocket sixes might end your life?
The Gambler (1974)
The events depicted in The Gambler occurred. James Toback reportedly modeled the script on his gambling tendencies, which could account for the numerous charges against him. His persona is abrasive, disoriented, misogynistic, and gambling-obsessed. To pour that into a movie is one gamble that pays off.
Rain Man (1988)
In a year that also gave us Die Hard, Coming to America, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, the blackjack scene between Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman helped propel Rain Man to the box office.
The Big Sleep (1946)
After establishing himself as the poster boy for isolation in films like Casablanca and Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Humphrey Bogart acted cool and collected in films like Sabrina and The African Queen. The Big Sleep, a charmingly sleazy noir starring Lauren Bacall as a private eye who woos and caresses her gambling debts, bridges this time gap.
The Sting (1973)
One of the most well-known gambling movies ever put to film is “Rounders.” Author George Roy Hill’s The Sting. This Best Picture winner may have a strong hand (Paul Newman and Robert Redford are a perfect pair), but it also has a smooth and enjoyable manner.
Dark City (1950)
Betting and dark fiction go together like gravy and biscuits. They’re pretty delicious on their own. The high stakes of poker and the seedy side of Los Angeles may seem like an unlikely pair, yet together they make a perfect storm.
The Hustler (1961)
There’s a little bit of everything in this 1961 classic: Paul Newman being too cool for school, a pool hall, trick shots, and huge stakes. There’s a wistful air to it, like Fast Eddie (Newman) needs more than just a game of pool to prove his worth; he needs to get even with the man. What else could it possibly lack? The actor Tom Cruise.
The Color of Money (1986)
Although a sequel 25 years after the first one in a series is sometimes a sign of a cash grab, Paul Newman’s return as Fast Eddie is anything but. The Color of Money proves that not all sequels have to be scams, even when movies are about scams, thanks to Martin Scorsese’s directing and an award-winning performance from Tom Cruise.
Rounders (1998)
Let the guy get paid! John Malkovich has no equal when delivering a phrase (“give dat dude his money” is now a t-shirt), and Matt Damon has no equal when playing a kid genius. Damon reprises his role as the brightest person in the room from Good Will Hunting in this film as a professional poker player with a burning desire to win big. Conclusive evidence: da guy gets paid.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these are all the popular movies from the 19th century with casino scenes. All these classic movies were a hit during that time. Now, if you have watched one or several of these movies and if these have made you inspired to gamble, you can try your luck on online casinos today. There are great sites that have good Australia online casino reviews. You can check them out!