A visit to a UK casino is going to be anything but dull. Will the next spin of the roulette wheel produce a big win? Maybe a full house can come up in the next hand of poker? Such tension and all the highs and lows are perfect for a movie too. Together with casinogambler.co.uk, we prepare a list of the top five best movies that feature some thrilling moments in casinos. Expect some big wins and plenty of skullduggeries along the way.
Casino Royale
British superspy James Bond loves a night out at the casino. The problem is that it usually ends up with his life in danger or the future of the world threatened in some way.
There have been movie versions of the original Ian Fleming novel. Heaven knows what he made of the 1960s spoof starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, and a villain played by Woody Allen. It’s all played for laughs, and there are a few of them, not enough, though.
Many of us wouldn’t mind getting our hands on the infrared glasses used to cheat at poker. More cheating later in this article though they wouldn’t help you a great deal when playing at gambling sites.
It’s the more recent Daniel Craig version that is truer to the Fleming novel. Le Chiffre is up to no good as usual, and he’s not one to trust in a Texas Hold ‘em poker tournament. His plans for any winnings aren’t that trustworthy, either. Bond also loves a glass or two of Martini, but in this movie, it’s not the best move to make.
Croupier
At one time, Clive Owen was tipped to be a future James Bond. He’s never landed the role and isn’t likely to take over from Daniel Craig. He has had a successful career, though, and this movie saw him playing a struggling novelist.
Sales figures aren’t as high as he wishes, so the decision is made to write a novel about a casino. Part of his research involves him getting work as a croupier in a UK casino. Well, the money will come in handy. It’s all good material for his book, but will he live to write its last page?
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
The cheating continues in this Michael Myers movie. One thing to learn from the casino action here is that Austin Powers is not destined to be a great blackjack player.
Number 2 (played by Robert Wagner) is a much better player, but he does have a bit of help. His eye patch has X-ray vision, and that’s why he can hit on 17 because he knows the next card to be drawn a four. He just explains it away by declaring a policy of living dangerously. Not always the best strategy in a casino unless you have access to X-ray equipment.
Austin Powers lacks that eyepatch. It’s probably only women that he cheats on. Holding on to five isn’t the greatest of strategies. Playing like this at a land-based or online casino isn’t advisable.
Revolver
Jason Statham stars as cockney gangster Jake Green in this 2005 movie. He loves to gamble but hasn’t had much chance to go to a casino when we first see him, as Jake is just completing a seven-year jail sentence.
When finally released, he eventually ends up back in a casino. As you might guess, its owner isn’t the most law-abiding citizen in town. Thankfully these days, licensed and regulated casinos are a lot more trustworthy.
This movie shows just why gambling is such a popular subject, even if the illegal side of it is concentrated too much. Any movie that features a high rollers’ game (the ones who love to place massive bets) where a fortune is at stake, on one hand, is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat.
Goldeneye
It’s back to James Bond for our final movie, which includes a great casino scene. This time it’s Pierce Brosnan who is playing 007. We’re still in the era when the script was loaded to the brim with double innuendos. The Austin Powers movies soon put a stop to that, and the Bond movies became rather more serious.
A trip to a casino can see you playing many card games. In this Bond movie, it’s baccarat that is played in Monte Carlo. Here’s where including casino games in movies can be a bit of a problem. Honestly, how many of the non-gambling audience know the rules of baccarat?
Not knowing the rules means there are two levels to the audience here. Those in the know and the others who laugh at the jokes and gaze at the rather pretty female opponent even though she’s smoking a cigar. Try and get away with that at your local casino.