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Whether it's the focus of the plot or a device used to move things along, true
to life or "colored up" for mass consumption, poker has been a part of
numerous memorable films over the years. Here's a quick rundown of some of
those movies where poker plays at least a pivotal role.
The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
Eric Stoner (Steve McQueen) is the Cincinnati Kid, a professional card player
in Depression-era America who's known as one of the best who ever played. One
of the best, but not the best - that distinction belongs to Lancey Howard
(Edward G. Robinson), or as most everyone calls him, "The Man." The Kid wants
to take The Man down to prove he's the best, so he travels to New Orleans for
the biggest game the city has ever seen.
Plenty of people consider this the best poker movie ever made. The
performances are top-notch, especially Robinson's as the wise old gambler, and
the feeling of a bygone era in poker is captured with a lot of color. All the
poker played in this movie is five-card stud - watching it played for big
money alone is worth the price of a rental. All in all, The Cincinnati Kid is
a true classic poker movie.
Maverick (1994)
Bret Maverick (Mel Gibson) needs $3,000 to play in a big poker game in Old
West-era St. Louis, and he has to endure a lot of double-crossing and
backstabbing to complete his quest. This movie doesn't take its poker
seriously - it's more of a plot device to provide room for action sequences
and one-liners - but that's not a big deal because it doesn't take much
seriously. It's a light-hearted action comedy that doesn't try to be anything
it's not. The name of the game in the sequences where's there's actual card
play is five-card draw, so it's worth watching for the novelty of seeing that
game in action if nothing else.
Rounders (1998)
Mike McDermott (Damon) and Worm (Norton), two friends since childhood, are
very different people: Mike's in law school, and Worm just got out of jail.
They do have one thing in common, though: they both play poker. Worm ends up
running up thousands in credit on Mike's account, which in turn ends up
putting them both in debt to Teddy KGB (John Malkovich), a Russian mobster who
busted Mike in a heads-up match of no-limit hold'em some time ago. They've
only got a few days to earn the thousands or face the worst Teddy can throw at
them.
This film, starring Matt Damon and Ed Norton, is often credited alongside
Chris Moneymaker's WSOP Main Event victory for kicking off the poker boom. And
it's due that credit - its look inside the world of poker introduced thousands
of young people to
Texas hold'em. Don't believe me? Ask TeddyKGB23 or Worm76
at your next online table what their favorite movie is. The poker scenes is
this movie are realistic, the characters are memorable, and the final match-up
between Mike and Teddy is classic. Oh yeah, and 10-time bracelet winner
Johnny
Chan plays himself - what more could you want? Anyone who likes poker and
movies should have this in their collection.
High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story (2003)
More than a handful of people consider
Stu Ungar the greatest poker player who
ever lived. In under 20 years he won 3
WSOP Main Event titles against the best
competition in the world, he played the biggest games, and he took on any
challenge placed before him. He also threw away a good chunk of everything he
ever won on a voracious appetite sports betting, and ended up a drug addict to
go along with the deal.
High Roller is based on the life of the gin- and poker-playing whiz kid, and
stars Michael Imperioli of "The Sopranos" in the title role. The movie doesn't
focus on poker, but it does provide a dramatization of the life on one of
poker's greats. While it's received very mixed reviews, I know at least one
person who's been involved with poker for a very long time who gives this
movie a big thumbs up. Anyone who's read
One of a Kind by Nolan Dalla and
wants more about
Stuey could do worse than to watch this movie.
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