George Clooney's all-star remake of the Rat Pack romp is as much a heist film as it is a gambling flick Along with the pure fun of seeing such an array of talent gathered on one screen the movie is also a great look at the intricate security measures of a modern Vegas casino Clooney is con artist Danny Ocean who's barely out on parole … Continue
Here are some gambling movies that have to do with Las Vegas.
Las Vegas is the undisputed home of gambling, that's why there are so many gambling movies that feature Las Vegas. That, and the fact that Las Vegas is just great to look at. All the lights and sounds make Las Vegas gambling movies really entertaining. You have probably seen a few movies set in Las Vegas because it's such a popular place to film gambling movies. Sure, there are lots of places to gamble in the world, but you have to admit that Las Vegas is the most extravagant there is. You might find some pretty luxurious casinos in, let's say Monte Carlo, but you just can't beat Las Vegas for pure, over-the-top excess! So check out these Las Vegas Gambling Movies the next time you want to sit down with a good movie at home. If you can think of any Las Vegas gambling movies that aren't listed here, please , and I'll add them as soon as I can. Enjoy!
Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie - 2002
Benny Silman was a kid from Brooklyn who fell in love with the culture shock he received when he attended Arizona State University. Beautiful women in bikinis, stunning weather, and the close proximity Las Vegas made Silman's new home a shangri-la. The Vegas trips became so regular that Silman eventually became the campus bookie at ASU, making money off fellow gamblers in the student body. This BIG SHOT took it too far when he began fixing Arizona State basketball games in point-shaving scandal that would stun the collegiate athletic world in 1994 as his short stint as big man on campus came to an abrupt end. David Krumholz (SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK) is perfectly cast as the Brooklyn transplant in this made-for-cable feature. Using large doses of humor and a knowledge of sport, director Ernest Dickerson spins an entertaining tale of excess that makes a perfect companion piece for his other 2002 cable film, MONDAY NIGHT MAYHEM.
21 - 2008
Based on the true story of the MIT 6. 21 chronicles the events that made the MIT 6 (in)famous in the world of Blackjack and casinos. Unable to enter the casino's himself Prof. Rosa recruits 5 of the brightest math stars at MIT and teaches them how to be come count cards experts. On weekends the MIT 6 travel to Las Vegas and using fake identities begin to take the casinos for millions. Eventually greed begind to set in and the team begins to fall apart and they are caught by casino security and despite the fact that Card Counting is not illegal, the MIT is punished for what the casino considers cheating.
Bugsy - 1991
Directed by Barry Levinson, BUGSY tells the true story of legendary New York mobster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel. Visiting Hollywood "on business," the reckless and volatile Bugsy is drawn to Tinseltown and the glamour of the movies. Leaving his wife and kids in Scarsdale indefinitely, the womanizing Bugsy spends his time on movie lots and at Hollywood extravaganzas, contemplating his own potential stardom. But soon he falls hard for strong-willed actress Virginia Hill (Annette Bening), who isn’t content with mistress status. A road trip to a down-trodden joint in the Nevada desert in a town called Las Vegas leads Bugsy to dream of building a world-class casino and turning the town into a moneymaker. Together Bugsy and Virginia--with backing from the mob--start building The Flamingo hotel and casino, hoping that legal gambling and five-star entertainment will entice the masses and rake in big bucks.
Conmen in Vegas - 1999
Part of the GOD OF GAMBLERS epic, THE CONMEN IN VEGAS is another quirky comedy from consistently entertaining director Wong Jing. Hong Kong cinema star Andy Lau (HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS) returns as one of three conmen hired by the Chinese government to seek out Peter Chu, an even bigger conman who fled from China to the United States. In possession of stolen funds, this crook is living the high life in none other than Las Vegas. Jumping at the chance to take a vacation, King (Lau) and his partners board the plane for what's sure to be a wild adventure in the city that prides itself on excess.
Breaking Vegas - 2004
Based on Ben Mizrich's bestselling book BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, BREAKING VEGAS tells the true story of six nerdy college students from MIT--including Mizrich himself--who used their genius math skills to win millions of dollars at Las Vegas casinos. The History Channel's thrilling documentary recounts Mizrich's amazing story through archival footage, dramatic reenactments, and interviews with the former students, casino executives, security experts, gamblers, and Vegas historians.
Deadly Bet - 1991
He lost his fame, his girlfriend and the championship match, but this kickboxing champ will fight to get the all back. Seasoned gambler Angelo Scala (Jeff Wincott) puts his life on the line to win a fight and enough money to free himself and his fiancee (Charlene Tilton) from the man who controls the underground fighting in Las Vegas. When he loses the bet he must participate in a brutal showdown involving 50 fighters all competing in a fighting contest with a prize of $500,000.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - 1998
FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS is a whirlwind of a movie, a wacky, drug-laden story backed by a fist-pumping rock & roll soundtrack featuring everything from Wayne Newton and Tom Jones to Combustible Edison and Dead Kennedys. Journalist Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp) heads to Las Vegas to cover a motorcycle race, bringing along his Samoan lawyer, Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro), in this furious adaptation of the book by Hunter S. Thompson. It is 1971, and Duke and Gonzo are on their way to Sin City with a frightened hitchhiker (a nearly unrecognizable Tobey Maguire) and a trunkful of drugs, which they ingest nonstop. Depp is terrific as Duke, Thompson's alter ego, and Del Toro is a riot as the crazy lawyer. To perfect his Thompsonian performance, Depp spent a lot of time with the good doctor, and it paid off in a film that captures the frenetic pace of the counterculture novel. Director Terry Gilliam, a master of complex, bizarre visual imagery, has a field day interpreting the drug-hazed world in which Duke and Gonzo reside. An all-star cast chimes in with wonderfully offbeat bit parts, including Harry Dean Stanton, Gilliam regular Katherine Helmond, Flea, Cameron Diaz, Ellen Barkin, Christina Ricci, Gary Busey, Lyle Lovett, and others.
Honeymoon In Vegas - 1992
Jack Singer (Cage) has sworn to his mother while she was on her deathbed that he would never get married. Years later, he goes back on his promise and proposes to his girlfriend, Betsy (Parker), and quickly arranges a Las Vegas marriage. They check into the Bally's Hotel. Before the wedding, however, a wealthy professional gambler, Tommy Korman (Caan) arranges a poker game where Jack loses $65,000. Korman promises to erase the debt if he can spend the weekend with Singer's fiancée. Korman had seen Betsy suntanning near the pool and early at the conceirge desk and was reminded of his wife who had died of skin cancer, so he had personally choosen Singer knowing he could beat him. After agreeing to no sexual activity, they agree to go through with this. Jack tries desperately to get Betsy back and discovers that Korman has escaped to Hawaii where he has his family and connections. Korman has a friend, Mahi Mahi (Pat Morita), basically keep Jack as far as possible from him and Betsy. Jack discovers this and goes and finds the house of Korman on a golf course. Korman attacks Jack and has him arrested. After having Dr. Molar bail him out of jail. Mahi Mahi meets him outside and admits that Korman left with Betsy and is forcing her to marry him. Betsy doesn't want to go through with it and escapes from Korman. Meanwhile, after changing many planes and finding himself stuck, Jack finds a way of passage to Vegas via a group of Skydiving-Mormon Elvis impersonators from Salt Lake City. Jack lands and spots Betsy, which then ruins Korman's plans.
Indecent Proposal - 1993
Adrian Lyne buffs the premise of Honeymoon in Vegas to a fine gloss in this yuppie melodrama that poses the conundrum of whether the loving husband of an equally loving wife will accept $1 million to allow his wife to spend one night with a billionaire who looks like Robert Redford. All the cynics please take a number and form a line at the right. Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson play Diana and David Murphy, high-school sweethearts who marry and who are doing very well -- Diana is a successful real-estate agent, and David is an idealistic architect who has built a dream house by the ocean -- until the recession hits. Suddenly, David loses his job, and they can't make the mortgage payments. Dead broke, they borrow $5000 from David's father and head to Las Vegas to try to win money to pay the mortgage on their house. At first, they get $25,000 ahead -- but inevitably the house always wins, and they end up losing it all. While Diana is in the fancy casino boutique trying to lift some candy, she is spotted by billionaire John Gage (Robert Redford), who is immediately attracted to her. John invites Diana and David to an opulent party, and it is there that John offers David $1 million for a night with his wife. David is wracked by this moral dilemma, but Diana finally makes the decision on her own, with ensuing consequences for their ideal marriage and their bank account.
Jinxed - 1982
A comedy about a casino gambler in the fictitious city of Loserville, USA, who becomes the victim of a ruthless gambler. A black comedy about a Las Vegas lounge singer, the lout she lives with, and a young blackjack dealer the lout has managed to jinx at his own table. Director Don Siegel's last film.
Leaving Las Vegas - 1995
Ben Sanderson (Cage) is a depressed alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter who has lost everything due to his incessant drinking. After finally losing his family and his job, he rids himself of all his possessions, and decides to commit suicide by alcohol consumption in Las Vegas. After arriving, he meets Sera (Shue), a prostitute, and a deep friendship and understanding develops between them. Their relationship, however, is ultimately doomed. Sera has to promise Ben that she will never ask him to stop drinking. Ben, on the other hand, is not allowed to criticize Sera's occupation. At first the two are generally stable, Ben states that he is "totally at ease with this." (Sera's prostitution). However, after spending some time together, they both become more and more frustrated with the other's behavior. Over time, Sera attempts to get Ben to eat more healthily but sadly Ben refuses to even notice these actions as he stumbles for more alcohol. Finally, one night, Sera becomes so fed up with Ben's alcoholism that she begs him to go see a doctor. Ben, furious but far too intoxicated (possibly brain damaged at this point in the film, due to his increasingly incoherent speech patterns) to express his feelings, goes out and sleeps with another woman. After which, Sera finally throws Ben out and returns to her life of prostitution, wherein she is anally raped and beaten by three teenagers. After being evicted, Sera finally receives a telephone call from Ben, who is on his deathbed. She goes to visit Ben, and they make love before he dies. Throughout the movie the scene will switch over to Sera who is explaining what "happened" to Ben (although throughout the movie the audience is not certain if Ben truly dies or not). In the end we discover that she is explaining the story to an unknown person (most likely a therapist) of Ben's (and hers) sad tale.
Luckytown - 2000
Two kids from Nebraska, Lidda (Kirsten Dunst) and Colonel (Vincent Kartheiser), set out on a road trip to Las Vegas with individual aspirations. Lidda wants to locate her father Charlie Doyles (James Caan) whom has left home to further pursue his calling as a professional poker player, and Colonel dreams of becoming a big time Vegas gambler of his own. Along the way, the couple falls in love, but their relationship as well as their lives are threatened when Colonel gets mixed-up with a local gangster named Tony, (Robert Miano) who just happens to be Charlie's poker playing archenemy. When push comes to shove, Lidda and Colonel are forced gamble with the highest stakes of all... their lives.
Modern Marvels - Las Vegas - 1994
A look at one of the modern marvels of the 20th century: the city of Las Vegas, Nevada. The story of the glittering city in the middle of nowhere is told, from its humble beginnings as a Mormon cow town to its transformation into a Mafia haven to its role today as a high tech adult fantasy land.
Ocean's Twelve - 2004
Back in slick style, OCEAN'S TWELVE reintroduces Ocean (George Clooney) and his perfectly trained team of con men, who are determined to take on Europe. Dividing forces to hit Paris, Amsterdam, and Rome, the heist-meisters move beyond casinos to tackle new objectives, one of which involves stealing a famous painting. With OCEAN'S TWELVE, Steven Soderbergh re-teams with his high profile friends for another glamorous romp through the high-stakes underworld. Three years after Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his crew robbed Las Vegas casino tycoon Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) of one hundred sixty million dollars, Benedict has finally tracked them down. He gives them a two-week ultimatum to come up with the money or suffer the consequences. Knowing that the odds are stacked against them, the gang nonetheless heads to Amsterdam for a big heist. But what no one realizes is that ultra-smooth Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) has ulterior motives for leading the gang to Amsterdam. Turns out his former flame, Isabel Lahiri (Catherine Zeta-Jones), is living and working there tracking criminals such as Ocean and French master Francois Toulour (Vincent Cassel), better known as "The Night Fox." Threatened by the universally admired eleven, Toulour challenges Ocean to a dangerous museum heist that will either make or break the gang once and for all. It's up to Tess Ocean (Julia Roberts) to fly into town and bail the boys out of trouble. Every frame of OCEAN'S TWELVE is bursting with gleeful energy, as is the film's soundtrack, provided by acclaimed musician David Holmes.
Showgirls - 1995
High-strung, statuesque Nomi Mallone (Elizabeth Berkely) is determined to be a dancer in Las Vegas, whatever it takes--but she starts out as a stripper. Through her seamstress roommate (Gina Ravera), Nomi catches the attention of the voracious bisexual Cristal (Gina Gershon), star of an extravagant pagan sex show called "Goddess" which plays nightly at the swanky Stardust Casino. Through Cristal's influence, Nomi gets a chance to audition for "Goddess" and is soon involved in all sorts of sordid backstage goings-on, including bitchy dueling with Cristal over Stardust head honcho Zack (Kyle McLachlan). Maligned by many critics upon its original release, SHOWGIRLS has since become a true camp classic, revived for midnight showings and beloved for its decadence, high nudity yield, and outrageously catty dialogue (courtesy of screenwriter Joe Eszterhas). Its director is Paul Verhoeven (ROBOCOP, TOTAL RECALL), so one can safely assume SHOWGIRLS' over-the-top hostility and sexuality is meant to be a satire of American culture. One of the first big-budget Hollywood movies to be released with an NC-17 rating, its lack of box office success meant few others would have the guts to follow.
The Gambler - 1974
THE GAMBLER, directed by Karel Reisz, stars James Caan in a difficult role as Alex Freed, a compulsive gambler with many inner demons, who is completely out of control. He can't resist a bad bet because that's where the "juice" is. While his irrational rationalizations--largely influenced by Dostoyevsky, whose novel, THE GAMBLER, he teaches to his students at City College--might seem like a lot of existential hot air, they are well dramatized, making his descent downward believable even as his actions become increasingly frenetic. Reisz provides a sound realism to the THE GAMBLER's settings both in Las Vegas and on the streets of New York. Made at the same time as Robert Altman's CALIFORNIA SPLIT, which attempted to visually create the internal world of the compulsive gambler, here Reisz presents a gritty realism to the world of bookies, loan sharks, and their violent enforcers. He relies on Caan, generally a more physical actor, to portray the cultured intellectual who loves Mahler, but is obsessed with danger. Caan starts slowly, and with the help of Lauren Hutton in a good performance as Billie, his predictable blond girlfriend, he illuminates the world of gambling in this tense, realistic film.
The Only Game in Town - 1970
Two star-crossed losers are looking for diversion but find love instead in this romantic drama. Fran Walker (Elizabeth Taylor) is a veteran Las Vegas showgirl who is also the kept woman of Lockwood (Charles Braswell), a San Francisco businessman who is happy to pay her rent and keep her in designer clothes but isn't willing to divorce his wife in order to make a long-term commitment with her. Fran falls into a fling with Joe Grady (Warren Beatty), a piano player who works with lounge comic Tony (Hank Henry) when he isn't succumbing to his addiction to gambling. Fran and Joe agree at the start that their relationship is to be about sex and nothing more, but before long, the two have fallen in love despite themselves. Though set in Las Vegas, most of The Only Game in Town was shot in Paris at the request of Taylor, whose then-husband, Richard Burton, was working in France at the time; this helped boost the budget to 11 million dollars, while the film earned less than a fifth of that figure at the box office.
Tomcats - 2001
From the opening animated title sequence to the vulgarities at the film's climax, Gregory Poirer's directing debut is an obnoxiously funny comedy with a sharp romantic edge flowering beneath its T&A exterior. The plot surrounds a "kitty" (double entendre intended), created by a group of swinging pals determined to stave off marriage at all costs, with the cash headed towards whoever stays single the longest. Seven years later, only two of the friends remain single, and the pot is up to a half million in cash. When one of the two singles, Michael Delaney (Jerry O'Connell), runs afoul of the Las Vegas gambling mafia on account of a big-breasted babe, he needs that kitty cash desperately. Michael attempts to con his competitor, Kyle Brenner (Jake Busey), into marrying the wildly attractive policewoman Natalie (Shannon Elizabeth), who holds a personal vendetta against Kyle. But the best laid plans begin to run afoul when Natalie and Michael fall for each other instead. Filled with totally gross sex gags, pot shots at other films, and slapstick humor, TOMCATS is a humorous take on adult men who have not outgrown their adolescent mentalities about love, sex, and relationships.
Top of the World - 1997
Lovely Tia Carrere's ex-cop ex-husband (Peter Weller) goes to Las Vegas to try and win her back after a stint in the slammer. Too bad she's hooked up with bad boy casino owner Dennis Hopper, who doesn't waste time making Weller's life hell.
Vegas Vacation - 1997
Once again the Griswold's are taking a family vacation - this time to Las Vegas. And of course, this vacation quickly turns into the trip from hell. Clark can't hold on to his money, his wife who is being seduced by Wayne Newton, his son Rusty who's luck won't quit or his daughter Audrey who decides to pursue a career as a club dancer. Starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Christie Brinkley, and Wallace Shawn.
Viva Las Vegas - 1964
Okay, so it's not technically a movie about gambling. It is all about the oeuvre of Las Vegas, and it's chock full of casinos and dazzling showgirl showrooms! In the most successful of his many cheesy movies, Elvis is Lucky Jackson, a racer who's breezed into town to take his chances in the Grand Prix. The real deal: It's all a thinly plotted excuse to put E in a fast car, in a fast town, with a fast lady: gorgeous and feisty swim instructor Rusty (Ann-Margret, who was gettin' lucky with Elvis off-screen during production). And we can't forget the dance sequences and fast tunes, including the hip-swinging couple's duet on "The Lady Loves Me" (the one where Elvis ends up in the pool), "What'd I Say" (the one with E and A-M in their matching yellow outfits) and, of course, "Viva Las Vegas," the unofficial song of Sin City. The jackpot scene: The big race, which takes the drivers right down the middle of the brightly lit Strip and around the Hoover Dam. Do Elvis and his hunka hunka speeding metal finish the contest victorious? Duh.
Howard Lederer - Poker Fantasy Reality - 2005
Entertaining and enlightening, this tutorial gives home viewers the opportunity to attend champion poker player Howard Lederer's Poker Fantasy Camp in Las Vegas, giving them the skills to turn that fantasy of winning big into reality. Documenting the journey of 200 participants who attended the camp in September 2004, this release provides tips from the experts to help the student achieve maximum results, with words of wisdom from some of today's top players. Joining the "Poker Professor" are poker greats Matt Savage, Phil Gordon, Chris Ferguson, Erik Sidel, Annie Duke and Gus Hansen, all of whom bring entertainment value to the table.
World Poker Tour - Best of Season 3 - 2005
Along with CELEBRITY POKER SHOWDOWN and WORLD SERIES OF BLACKJACK, the Travel Channel's WORLD POKER TOUR series has transformed a normally sedate card game into a thrillingly popular spectator sport. Hosted by former model Shana Hiatt, the series travels to exotic locations across the globe to cover high-stakes poker tournaments with hidden-camera technology that allows viewers to see the players' cards, as well as expert commentary by poker champs Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten that help explain every nuance of the game. This collection presents the best of WORLD POKER TOUR's third season for eight episodes that travel to the Borgata Poker Open in Atlantic City, the Grand Prix de Paris in France, the WPT World Championship in Las Vegas, and more.
American Experience - Las Vegas: An Unconventional History - 2005
From its roots in the frontier days of the Wild West, to its post-WWII heyday as the stomping grounds of gangsters and Brat Packers, to its current incarnation as an adult amusement park, the neon-lit metropolis of Las Vegas, Nevada, has been witness to a century's worth of colorful history. This episode of PBS's American Experience series celebrates Sin City's 100th anniversary with a fun-filled trip through its storied past.
Las Vegas - 2002-200?
One of television's slickest and most entertaining shows, LAS VEGAS looks at the inner workings of one of the biggest casinos in the city of sin. Filmed on a nearly complete replica of the real-life Mandalay Bay, one of the largest sets ever built for a television program, LAS VEGAS centers on Big Ed Deline (James Caan), operator of the Montecito Casino. He employs a specialized staff of security personnel as well as a high-tech surveillance system to catch the cheaters and schemers who enter the facility.
Tilt - The Complete First Season - 2004
From the writers of the hit film ROUNDERS comes ESPN's thrilling, new original series TILT. In the dark back rooms of Las Vegas' gambling underworld, Don "The Matador" Everest (Michael Madsen) is king. But, as the World Poker Championships approach, three professional players will team up to try to take him down. In their world of constant misdirection, the stakes prove even higher outside the familiar walls of the casino. Experience every episode of TILT's spectacular first season, complete with deleted scenes, an alternate season finale, and never-before-seen footage from The World Series Of Poker. It's a winning hand of drama and excitement you can bet on. ESPN has jumped into cable television's original series pool with the poker drama TILT. With the World Poker Championship coming up, a group of players have begun to gather around The Colorado Casino in the city of sin, Las Vegas. At the center of the storm is Don "The Matador" Everest (Michael Madsen), recognized as either the world's best poker player or an unrepentant cheater, depending on who you ask. Eddie, Miami, and Clark are three young gamblers looking for revenge against the boastful Everest after the expert cleaned them out, while corrupt cop Lee Nickel believes Everest may know something about the murder of his brother. Moving from the bright lights of the Las Vegas casinos to the dark alleys of the criminal underworld, TILT has action that ranges from tense poker matches to fast paced shootouts. It was created by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, writers of the gambling film ROUNDERS.
The Real Las Vegas - The Complete Story - 1996
It's a city that's larger than life. A city without limits. A glittering mecca of excess and forbidden desires. THE REAL LAS VEGAS tells the fascinating story of this fabled place and the people who created it. From the mobsters who made Vegas into their version of the American Dream to the tycoons of today's family mega-resorts, this is the ultimate insider's tour of America's neon oasis.
Ocean's 11 - 1960
The first motion picture that casts the infamous "Rat Pack" in major roles, "Oceans 11." Playing an ex-WWII soldier, Sinatra's Danny Ocean plans the greatest heist in history: Rob five Las Vegas casinos at once on New Year's Eve. It's a bold plot for a bold cast. There's Frank with his "I own the world" charisma. There's Sammy Davis Jr. with his usual flair for the song and dance routine. "Deano" Dean Martin also croons in the picture, and Peter Lawford, the only non-singer of the four main Rat Packers, still holds the audience with his charm and wit. This film shows what Las Vegas was like when it was an "adults only" city. This was when Sinatra and his boys ruled Vegas, and we should be thankful that they had the foresight to put some of the flavor of the times on film.
