You can’t beat a good casino scene. It provides opportunities for drama and suspense, as seen in several James Bond films, and it also gives scriptwriters and directors some golden comedy moments, as with Last Vegas.
These scenes are also relatable for the millions of players that gamble online and offline every day. So, the next time you’re playing slot games online or enjoying a few games of cards with friends, take inspiration from these great casino scenes from the silver screen.
Casino Royale, Texas Hold’em Scene
Casino Royale is a 2006 Bond film that introduced us to the brilliant Daniel Craig. One of the most famous scenes in the film shows Bond playing a game of high-stakes Texas Hold’em with supervillain Le Chiffre, played by the equally excellent Mads Mikkelsen. It’s a suspenseful, dramatic, and edge-of-your-seat scene that perfectly embodies the franchise.
Casino, All Scenes
Martin Scorsese’s Casino is one of the best films ever set in Las Vegas. It introduces us to some memorable characters, including Ginger, played by Sharon Stone. Ginger’s introduction is actually one of the most memorable in the film, depicting her winning big (and stealing chips) at the gaming tables, before meeting Sam, played by Robert De Niro.
Rounders, Final Poker Scene
Although it took place in an underground cardroom and not a casino, the final poker scene in Rounders is one of the best in cinematic history. The film is considered to be a classic by all poker fans, even though it flew under the radar at the time of its release. It introduces us to a poker genius played by Matt Damon, and in the final scene, we see him get the better of the antagonist and clear up with a brilliantly played game of cards.
Matt Damon played a lot of Texas Hold’em to prepare for the film and he continues to play to this day, appearing in live events all over the world. Rounders also introduced a generation of players to the game of Texas Hold’em and is easily the most iconic Hold’em film ever.
The Hangover, Blackjack Scene
The Hangover is proof that casino films can be comical, as well as dramatic.
The scene in question begins when Alan, played by Zach Galifianakis, finds a book titled The World’s Greatest Blackjack Book (an actual book often referred to as the “blackjack player’s bible”) before hitting the casino floor with his friends.
A montage follows in which Alan assumes the “Rain Man” role and cleans up by counting cards while his friends create a distraction alongside him.
21, Ben Plays Blackjack
21 is a blackjack film that’s based on a real story, following a group of MIT students as they clean up at the casino. It’s all about card counting and one of the most memorable scenes follows Ben Campbell as he walks up to the blackjack table, buys $10,000 in chips, and then walks us through the count as the game is played.
21 is often considered to be a cult classic, one that is mostly enjoyed by blackjack players and gamblers in general. But it earned nearly $160 million at the Box Office and had a budget of just $35 million, so it’s fair to say that it was a commercial success, as well.